Bee’s Knees Cocktail Recipe: Gin, Lemon and Honey

A Bee’s Knees is 2 ounces of gin, 3/4 ounce of fresh lemon juice and 3/4 ounce of honey syrup, shaken hard with ice and strained into a chilled coupe. The trick is the honey syrup: mix honey with warm water first so it blends instead of sticking to the ice.

The name comes from 1920s slang. Merriam-Webster dates “bee’s knees,” meaning something excellent, to 1920, the first year of Prohibition. The drink is now on the International Bartenders Association’s official list, in its “New Era” category.

It is a good drink for hosting. It takes three ingredients and you can batch it for a crowd. Local honey from a Sonoma or Napa farmers’ market makes a real difference here.

Ingredients (one drink)

• 2 oz (60 ml) gin, London dry or a softer modern gin
• 3/4 oz (22 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about half a lemon
• 3/4 oz (22 ml) honey syrup (below)
• Ice for shaking
• Lemon twist, for garnish

Honey syrup (makes about 6 drinks)

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot water

Method

1. Make the honey syrup. Stir the honey and hot water together in a jar until fully blended. Let it cool. It keeps in the refrigerator for about two weeks.
2. Chill the glass. Put a coupe or martini glass in the freezer, or fill it with ice water while you mix.
3. Juice the lemon. Squeeze it fresh and strain out seeds. Bottled juice makes a flat drink.
4. Combine. Add gin, lemon juice and honey syrup to a shaker. Fill it about two-thirds with ice.
5. Shake. Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is very cold.
6. Strain. Empty the glass and double-strain the drink into it through the shaker strainer and a fine sieve.
7. Garnish. Twist a strip of lemon peel over the drink to release its oils, then drop it in or set it on the rim.

Getting the balance right

Lemons and honey both vary, so taste and adjust.

• Too tart: add 1/4 oz more honey syrup.
• Too sweet: add a splash more lemon juice.
• Too strong: shake a few seconds longer for more dilution.
• Honey choice: a light clover or wildflower honey lets the gin show. Darker honeys, such as buckwheat or eucalyptus, take over the drink.

The IBA version adds fresh orange juice alongside the lemon: 52.5 ml dry gin, 22.5 ml lemon juice, 22.5 ml orange juice and 2 teaspoons of honey syrup. Try it if you like a softer, rounder drink.

Variations

• Meyer lemon Bee’s Knees. Meyer lemons grow in many Sonoma and Napa backyards. They are sweeter and more floral, so cut the honey syrup to 1/2 oz.
• Lavender honey. Warm the honey syrup with a teaspoon of dried culinary lavender for five minutes, then strain.
• Brown Derby. Swap the gin for bourbon and the lemon for grapefruit juice.
• Sparkling. Pour into a flute and top with 2 oz of dry sparkling wine.
• Zero-proof. Use a nonalcoholic gin alternative, or mix 3/4 oz lemon and 3/4 oz honey syrup with 3 oz chilled tonic.

Batching for a party

For eight drinks, stir 2 cups (480 ml) gin, 3/4 cup (180 ml) lemon juice and 3/4 cup (180 ml) honey syrup in a pitcher. Refrigerate for up to four hours. Shake each serving with ice to order, or stir the whole batch with 1 cup (240 ml) of cold water and serve straight from the fridge in chilled glasses.

Squeeze the lemon juice on the day you serve. It loses brightness after a few hours.

A wine country angle

Much of what goes into this drink grows here. Look for local honey and Meyer lemons at the farmers’ markets in Sonoma County and Napa Valley. Several Northern California distilleries also make gin. A bright, citrusy gin suits this drink best.

If you are thinking about a home in wine country where hosting is part of the plan, our guide to pool homes and entertaining backyards in Sonoma is a good place to start.

Questions people ask

What gin is best for a Bee’s Knees?

A London dry gin gives a crisp, juniper-forward drink. A softer, more floral gin lets the honey come through. Both work.

Why do you make honey syrup instead of using honey?

Straight honey seizes up on cold ice and does not mix. Thinning it with hot water first makes it blend evenly.

Is the Bee’s Knees a Prohibition cocktail?

It is usually linked to the Prohibition era, and the phrase dates to 1920. The exact origin of the drink is not well documented.

What glass should I use?

A chilled coupe or martini glass. It is served “up,” without ice.

Want more drinks for hosting? Try our Sidecar recipe or our Aperol Spritz. And if you are looking for a place to host in wine country, browse Sonoma County homes for sale or get in touch.

Sources & notes

• Bee’s Knees, official recipe (International Bartenders Association)
• “Bee’s knees” definition and first known use (Merriam-Webster)

Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.