IBA
Bee's Knees – IBA
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 19.1% ABV ∙
The Bee's Knees is a historic Prohibition-era IBA classic shaken sour built on London dry gin, honey syrup, and fresh lemon juice, served in a cocktail glass. Honey rounds the gin's juniper bite while lemon and orange keep it bright, finishing clean and faintly floral — a good aperitif sipper.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 52 mlHoney syrup 10 mlLemon juice 22 mlOrange juice 22 ml
- Strain into the chilled cocktail glass
- Garnish with a lemon twist or an orange twist (opt.)
Tips
- Warm honey with water in a 1:1 ratio before mixing so it dissolves fully; undiluted honey clumps and sinks when shaken cold with citrus.
- Shake all four ingredients hard with fresh ice for a full 12-15 seconds to properly dilute and aerate the honey syrup, then fine-strain into the chilled cocktail glass.
- Squeeze lemon and orange juice fresh just before shaking; bottled juices lack the acidity needed to balance the honey syrup's sweetness.
- Express the lemon and orange twists together over the drink's surface to release both oils, then rest them on the rim as garnish.
History
The Bee's Knees is a Prohibition-era gin, lemon, and honey cocktail most often credited to Frank Meier at the Ritz Hotel's Cafe Parisien in Paris, with a rival claim tracing it to socialite Margaret "Molly" Brown in a 1929 newspaper account. This build reflects the version the International Bartenders Association added to its official list in 2020, under the New Era Drinks category — a spec that splits the citrus evenly between lemon and orange juice, departing from the lemon-only recipe found in most earlier and present-day versions.
FAQ
What alcohol is in the Bee's Knees IBA?
London dry gin is the only spirit; it is the base and dominant flavor, balanced by honey syrup and citrus rather than any second liquor.
Is the Bee's Knees IBA shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The honey syrup and citrus need the vigorous agitation of a shake to emulsify and chill properly; stirring would leave the honey unblended.
What glass is a Bee's Knees IBA served in?
A cocktail glass, served up, garnished with a lemon twist and an orange twist.
How is the Bee’s Knees IBA made?
The Bee’s Knees IBA is made by combining gin, honey syrup, lemon juice, and orange juice, then shaking with ice and straining into a chilled cocktail glass. This version follows the IBA’s standardized build, while some older and modern variations omit the orange juice.
