Bee’s Knees
The Bee’s Knees is an IBA New Era Drink: 4 ingredients, shaken and served in a coupe. That makes 137 ml in the glass: a middling measure.
MethodShaken
GlassCoupe
In the glass137 ml
Strength16.5%
Ingredients
- 52.5 mlgin
- 10 mlhoney syrup
- 22.5 mlfresh lemon juice
- 22.5 mlfresh orange juice
Method
- Stir honey with lemon and orange juices until it dissolves, add gin and shake with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish: Optionally garnish with a lemon or orange zest.
What it tastes like
- bitter → sweet
- It sits between bitter and sweet: 0.4 out of 10 of bitterness, 103rd of 186 for sweetness.
- round → sour
- Citrus shows, but this is no sour: 34th of 186, and it comes from fresh lemon juice.
- light → strong
- 16.5% after dilution: the middle band, 73rd of 186.
Its closest neighbour is the Cosmopolitan: 97 out of 100 for similarity.
Five that come close
- CosmopolitanBuilt on vodka and with citron vodka in place of gin.
- New York SourBuilt on whisky and with rye whiskey in place of gin.
- South SideWith simple syrup in place of fresh orange juice.
- Champagne CocktailBuilt on vino and with champagne in place of gin.
- Scotch SourRounder and built on whisky.
Every drink near the Bee’s Knees on the map
Recipe source: IBA · checked on 30 October 2026