Bee's Knees

The classic "Prohibition Era" gin drink. The lemon juice and honey syrup makes that bathtub gin palatable!

Some notes before beginning:

• If the drink is too strong, you can increase the mixers to one ounce each.
• If you want to taste more gin, decrease the mixers to a half ounce each and shake for a couple of seconds longer. This version is recommended to be served neat.
• The key to this sour is to keep the mixers equivalent in measure so they effectively counter balance each other.
• If the preference is to serve this cocktail neat, chill the glass before making the cocktail. Put the glass in the freezer for a few moments while you read this page and make the cocktail!
• Sometimes the question is asked, "Why honey syrup?". Honey syrup is used to flavor drinks with honey without dealing with the issue of it congealing when the ingredient makes contact with the ice. It's easy to make, just mix equal parts water and honey in a sauce pot over low heat. Stir constantly, but slowly, to combine.

In a letter to the Alta Californian, a 19th century newspaper out of San Francisco, Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens, November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910) commented about Prohibition decades before the Volstead Act was passed. The following passage was written by Twain on May 28th, 1867 and published on July 28th of that year.

"Massachusetts is getting shaky on the subject of compulsory temperance, and is going to submit the question of licensing people to sell rum to a popular vote again. Evidence has been brought forward which proves that prohibition only drives drunkenness behind doors and into dark places, and does not cure it or even diminish it."

While you sip on your Bee's Knees, check out this information on the prohibition era that helped define the roaring twenties.

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 0.75 oz honey syrup
• 0.75 oz lemon juice

Equipment

• Boston shaker
• Hawthorne strainer
• Jigger
• Rocks or coupe glass

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in shaker with ice
2. Shake for 8-10 seconds
3. Strain into a the glass over ice or neat