Barrel-Aged Bee’s Knees Cocktail
It’s time to take the traditional Bee’s Knees to the next level. This Barrel-Aged Bee’s Knees cocktail is light and crisp with a wonderful warming effect from Bourbon barrel-aged gin and rosemary triple syrup. One might say it’s the “Bee’s Knees”. Okay, I’ll see myself out!
Get the Recipe: Barrel-Aged Bee’s Knees Cocktail
Ingredients
Rosemary Triple Syrup
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 2 oz agave syrup
- 1 oz rosemary honey
Bee’s Knees Cocktail
- 2 oz Big Gin, bourbon barrel-aged gin
- ¾ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ½ oz rosemary triple syrup
Equipment
- measuring cups or jigger
- 1 Small Sauce Pot
- 1 whisk or spoon
- 1 cocktail shaker
- 1 Hawthorne Strainer
- 1 Fine Mesh Strainer
- 1 coupe glass
Instructions
Rosemary Triple Simple Syrup
- Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and just begins to boil. Then turn off the heat and add the rosemary to the syrup, basting the herb to make sure it's fully covered. Leave to steep for roughly 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes pour the rosemary simple syrup into a container along with the agave and rosemary honey and mix to make the triple simple syrup.
Bee’s knees Cocktail
- Measure out and add all the listed cocktail ingredients to a shaker.
- Top with ice, close the shaker, and vigorously shake everything for about 30 seconds.
- Strain into either a coupe glass (sans ice) or a rocks glass (with a large ice cube). Garnish with a lemon peel or slapped rosemary sprig.
Notes
- The triple syrup recipe makes enough for 14 Barrel-Aged Bee’s Knees cocktails. Great for a big batch in a carafe!
- If you want to make an even bigger batch of the rosemary triple simple syrup the ratio is 1 part simple syrup : 1/2 part agave : 1/4 part honey.
- I like using rosemary honey for this cocktail, but any honey you like will do.
- The larger the ice cube(s) you use when shaking the less watered down your drink will be as there is less surface area. No crushed ice please.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to turn your drink into a gin fizz, add an egg white in at the same time as all the other ingredients. Cover and shake for 15 seconds without ice (dry shake). Then add in ice and shake for 30 seconds. Strain and serve.
Did you know?: The egg white foam will also set faster and last longer in this cocktail because the acid from the lemon juice acts as a stabilizer. Neat right?!
YEP! I really enjoy this cocktail with an easy honey/water syrup.
All you have to do is replace the rosemary triple syrup with a mixture that’s 3 parts honey to 1 part water and mix the cocktail as written. Because the gin is aged in bourbon barrels, the honey doesn’t overwhelm its flavor. It’s quite nice, just not as subtle.
If you intend to use a gin that isn’t bourbon barrel-aged I would not suggest the honey + water mix and stick to the triple simple syrup.
