Bee's knees
Prohibition-era gin cocktail named for slang meaning 'the best'.
Artaxerxes · CC BY-SA 3.0
The bee's knees is a cocktail from the Prohibition era, combining gin, fresh lemon juice, and honey. It is typically shaken, served cold, and garnished with a lemon twist. Its name derives from slang of the time, meaning "the best."
The drink's exact origins are uncertain. One theory credits Frank Meier, an Austrian-born bartender who became the first head bartender at the Ritz in Paris when its Cafe Parisian opened in 1921. Another account, from a 1929 news article, credits a 'Mrs. Julius G. Brown' with a recipe for a non-alcoholic honey-lemon drink, not the gin cocktail—a detail often misattributed to Titanic survivor Margaret 'Molly' Brown.
In 2017, Barr Hill Gin launched an annual event called Bee's Knees Week to promote its product. The event focuses on protecting pollinators and has gained recognition within the industry. Several gin brands are recommended for the drink, particularly Barr Hill's for its honey infusion. To adjust consistency, the honey may be diluted with an equal part of warm water or with simple syrup. Garnishes can include a sprig of basil or thyme instead of lemon peel. Some versions add orange juice.
Quick Facts
- Ingredients
- 2oz gin / 1oz honey syrup / 1oz lemon juice / 1oz orange juice / garnish with lemon peel
- Served
- Straight up: chilled, without ice
- Garnish
- Garnish with lemon peel
- Prep
- Combine gin, honey syrup, lemon juice and orange juice into a mixing tin. Shake. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon peel.
- Drinkware
- Cocktail glass
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The bee's knees cocktail has unclear origins. It was possibly invented by Frank Meier, an Austrian-born bartender who was the first head bartender at the Ritz in Paris in 1921, when its Cafe Parisian opened its doors. A 1929 news article credits a 'Mrs. Julius G. Brown' with a recipe for a non-alcoholic honey-lemon drink, not the gin cocktail—a detail often misattributed to Titanic survivor Margaret 'Molly' Brown.
Reader's Guide
The bee's knees is a Prohibition era cocktail that remains significant as a classic example of using honey to mask the harshness of bootleg gin during that period. Its name, drawn from contemporary slang meaning 'the best', reflects the era's linguistic creativity. The cocktail's legacy includes modern variations: different gin brands are recommended, notably Barr Hill's for its honey infusion. The honey may be diluted 1:1 with warm water or simple syrup. Garnishes can include basil or thyme instead of lemon peel, and some variations contain orange juice. A variation called the 'oldest living Confederate widow' adds two dashes of absinthe and two dashes of orange bitters. In 2017, Barr Hill Gin started an annual event called Bee's Knees Week to promote their product, which is the largest sustainability event in the spirits industry, focused on pollinator protection. A 2023 article published by The New York Times credited an increase in the cocktail's popularity in part to Bee's Knees Week.
Did You Know?
- The name comes from prohibition-era slang meaning 'the best'.
- In 2017, Barr Hill Gin started Bee's Knees Week, an annual event focused on protecting pollinators.
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