Mint Bee's Knees
A herbal and refreshing gin cocktail ∙ Muddle; Shake ∙ 4 min ∙ 13.3% ABV ∙
The Mint Bee's Knees adds muddled cardamom, mint, and aloe juice to the classic gin, lemon, and honey sour, shaken and fine-strained into a chilled glass.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Lightly muddle Fresh mint leaves 6 pcs and Green cardamom pods 3 pcs in a shaker
- Shake all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 60 mlLemon juice 30 mlHoney syrup 30 mlAloe juice 20 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and discard
- Garnish with grated black pepper
Tips
- Give the cardamom pods and mint a gentle 5-8 seconds of muddling; any longer shreds the leaves and smashes the pods into sharp fragments.
History
The Bee's Knees is a Prohibition-era cocktail of gin, lemon juice, and honey, its name borrowed from 1920s American slang for "the best." The Mint Bee's Knees keeps that formula but adds muddled fresh mint and green cardamom for aromatic spice, along with a splash of aloe juice, for a herbal, slightly bitter variation.
FAQ
What is in a Mint Bee's Knees?
London dry gin 60 ml, lemon juice 30 ml and honey syrup 30 ml, as in a classic Bee's Knees. This version adds 20 ml of aloe juice and muddles in 6 mint leaves and 3 green cardamom pods.
Is a Mint Bee's Knees shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The mint and cardamom are muddled in the shaker first; the shake then mixes the lemon and honey syrup with air and pulls more flavor from the aromatics.
What glass is a Mint Bee's Knees served in?
An old-fashioned glass, garnished with a dusting of grated black pepper; a lemon twist is expressed over the drink and discarded.
What does a Mint Bee's Knees taste like?
Honey-sweet and lemony, with cooling mint, warm cardamom that lingers, and a peppery finish over the gin. At about 13.3% ABV it drinks lighter than a stiff gin drink, closer to a refreshing sour.
