Bee's Knees Recipe Guide

Bee's Knees Cocktail Recipe Guide

From the iconic classic, Barr Hill Bee's Knees, to creative riffs - find your new favorite cocktail recipes for Bee's Knees Week!

Barr Hill Bee's Knees

1920's slang for "the best" - still true

2 oz Barr Hill Gin
0.75oz Honey Syrup*
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

*Honey syrup is just honey slightly diluted with water so its easier to mix with and dissolves better in cocktails.

We recommend a 2:1 ratio, ie. 1c raw honey & 1/2c hot water. Stir to combine and store in the fridge.

Strawberry Bee's Knees

Juicy summer treat

2 oz Barr Hill Gin
0.75 oz Strawberry Honey Syrup*
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Shake all ingredients with ice. Double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a strawberry slice. For an added touch, add a basil or mint leaf garnish.

*Strawberry Honey Syrup:
1c Raw Honey
1c Strawberries (stem/hull removed)
0.5c Hot Water

Blend all together and strain through a cheesecloth/fine mesh sieve.

Alternatively, you can cook on the stove. But blending will yield a brighter, fresh strawberry flavor vs. a cooked, strawberry pie flavor if you use heat.

A Bee's Knees cocktail next to a bottle of Barr Hill Tom Cat Gin and Barr Hill Honey Syrup on a table with a blurred outdoor background

Cat's Pajamas

barrel-aged bee's knees

2 oz Tom Cat Gin
0.75 oz Honey Syrup
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Shake all ingredients with ice. Double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Blueberry Lavender Bee's Knees

tart, floral balance

2 oz Barr Hill Gin
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
0.75 oz Lavender Honey Syrup*
6-7 Fresh Blueberries

Gently muddle lavender honey syrup and blueberries in a shaking tin. Add lemon juice, ice and gin. Shake, and then double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with fresh blueberries.

*On the stove heat: 1c raw honey, 1/2c water and 1T dried lavender. Stir until honey has dissolved. Remove from heat and let steep until it reaches desired amount of lavender flavor (5-10 mins should work), then strain out the lavender.

Blackberry Mint Bee's Kneees

Bold summer flavors

2 oz Barr Hill Gin
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
0.75 oz Honey Syrup
3-5 Fresh Blackberries
6-7 Fresh Mint Leaves

Gently muddle honey syrup, fresh blackberries and mint leaves in a shaking tin. Add lemon juice, ice and gin. Shake, and then double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with fresh blackberries and mint.

Apple Cinnamon Bee's Knees

A hint of fall flavor

2 oz Tom Cat Gin
0.5 oz Cinnamon Honey Syrup*
1.5 oz Apple Cider
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
3-4 dashes Angostura Bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with apple slices and/or a cinnamon stick.

*Cinnamon Honey Syrup: on the stove heat 1c raw honey, 1/2c water and 2 cinnamon sticks; roughly chopped. Stir until the honey has dissolved. Remove from heat and let the cinnamon steep for about 30 minutes, then strain it out.

Cat Burglar

This Bee's Knees riff will steal your heart

1.5 oz Tom Cat Gin
1 oz Cynar
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Honey Syrup
Orange Wheel

Shake ingredients all together with ice. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.

Pucker Up

lemon drop, meet bee's knees

2 oz Barr Hill Vodka
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz Chamomile Honey Syrup*

Shake with ice. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Extra points if you paint the glass with honey and dust with bee pollen to garnish! A lemon twist works well too.

*Chamomile Honey Syrup - Brew 1 cup extra strong chamomile tea, mix with 2 cups raw honey. Stir until the honey has dissolved.

Kingdom Pants

a high proof Bee's Knees variation

2 oz Tom Cat Kingdom Strength
0.75 Fresh Lemon Juice
0.75 Honey Syrup

Shake with ice. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Hive 75

a Bee's Knees on the bubbly side

2 oz Barr Hill Gin
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
0.75 oz Honey Syrup
Dry Hard Cider to top

Shake all ingredients except cider with ice. Strain into a flute glass. Top with cider and garnish with a lemon twist.

Two pink cocktails with foam on a table with lemons and plants in the background

Bitter Bee

Bittersweet Negroni Inspired

2 oz Barr Hill Gin
0.5 oz Campari
0.5 oz Lillet Blanc
0.5 oz Honey Syrup
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Egg White (or vegan foamer)

Dry shake all ingredients (without ice). Shake again with ice. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a few drops of aromatic bitter.

Drink the best, save the bees

HOW BEE'S KNEES WEEK WORKS

THREE EASY STEPS. REAL IMPACT.

1. Pour it. Make a Barr Hill Bee's Knees at home, or order one at at your favorite bar/restaurant.
2. Post it. Share your cocktail on social media and tag @barrhillgin.
3. We plant it. For every tagged post, Barr Hill funds one square foot of new pollinator habitat — tracked, verified, and reported back!
That's it. No complicated sign-up or grand commitment. Just a great drink tied to something that matters.

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