When it comes to cocktails, it’s hard to get easier and more classic than the Bee’s Knees Cocktail. Here we make it with fresh sage and honey syrup to make a Bee’s Knees Sage Cocktail that’s perfect for fall!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this sage cocktail recipe because it’s not too sweet, well balanced, easy to make, and goes well with appetizers so is great for a cocktail party.
The Classic Bee’s Knees Cocktail is enjoyed best when prepared with the smooth London Dry Gin, and topped with a sweet or sour honey syrup. Here we like to use St. George terroir gin and some fresh sage to bring an unexpectedly sophisticated twist to an already sophisticated sage cocktail!
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients to make the Bee’s Knees Sage Cocktail are:
- Honey
- Water
- Gin
- Freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- Fresh Sage Leaves
- Ice
How To Make A Bee’s Knees Sage Cocktail
These are the steps to make the recipe:
- Make The Honey Syrup: You’ll simmer together honey and water until the honey is dissolved and then let it cool. This will be the sweetener and any extra can be used in place of simple syrup in other cocktails.
- Shake The Cocktail: To make one cocktail, you’ll add the gin, lemon juice, honey syrup, and sage to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake.
- Strain And Serve: Then strain this mixture into a chilled glass and serve with a fresh sage leaf on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bee's Knees Sage Cocktail is a variation of the classic Bee's Knees cocktail. It combines gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup, infused with the aromatic flavor of fresh sage leaves. This cocktail is known for its perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors with a herbal note from the sage.
Yes, you can easily make honey sage simple syrup at home. Combine equal parts honey and water in a saucepan, add a few sage leaves, and bring to a simmer. Let it cool, then strain out the sage leaves. This syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for future use.
A classic London Dry Gin is typically used for a Bee's Knees Sage Cocktail. However, you can experiment with different types of gin to find your preferred flavor profile. Some may opt for a more botanical gin like Hendrick's to complement the sage.
What Is The Bee’s Knees Cocktail?
Made with nothing more than gin, lemon, and honey, a classic Bee’s Knees a twist on a sour cocktail that is easy to remember whenever you need to whip up a drink.
As each season comes, I like to make different versions with various kinds of honey and flavors (hello, lavender)! But when the temps drop, this is a fave: a Bee’s Knees Sage Cocktail recipe version that’s just as simple but even more sophisticated.
What Is The History Of The Bee’s Knees Cocktail?
The history of the Bee’s Knees Cocktail dates back to the Prohibition Era, a time when alcohol was illegal, but speakeasies allowed people to have a good time behind closed doors.
During this era, there were bathtub gin cocktails, which were essentially homemade alcoholic beverages. To avoid the harsh aroma of the homemade alcohol, lemon and honey were added to this sage cocktail, giving us what we know today as the Bee’s Knees Cocktail.
More Gin Cocktails
Here are additional cocktails we love using gin:
What To Serve With This Recipe
We like to serve this sage cocktail recipe as part of a cocktail party and serve bites like:
Now, go stock up on all your cooking essentials, then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
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Bee's Knees Sage Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Honey Syrup:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup cold water
For One Bee's Knees Cocktail:
- 1 1/2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce honey syrup
- 3 fresh sage leaves divided
- Ice
Instructions
- Make The Honey Syrup: For the syrup, bring equal parts honey and water to a simmer in a small saucepan until honey dissolves. Let cool to room temperature before using.
- Make The Bee's Knees Cocktail: Combine gin, lemon juice, syrup, and 2 sage leaves in a cocktail shaker and stir to dissolve honey syrup. Fill shaker halfway with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled, about 10 seconds.
- Strain And Serve: Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Smack the remaining sage leaf between your hands over the glass, drop into the drink and serve.
