How to Make the Hapusa Gin Bee’s Knees

The Bee’s Knees is a classic Prohibition-era cocktail featuring gin, then shaken with honey and lemon. While many recipes call for a London dry style gin, using the distinctive Hapusa Himalayan gin adds exciting new layers to this cocktail.

A Brief History of the Bee’s Knees Cocktail

The Bee’s Knees was created during Prohibition in the 1920s when bartenders had to get creative working around a lack of proper liquor.

The cocktail’s name plays on the 1920s slang “bee’s knees,” meaning excellent or top notch. Its inventors clearly thought this combination of gin, citrus and honey produced something special. The Bee’s Knees saw a revival starting in the early 2000s as part of the craft cocktail movement.

Why Hapusa Gin Makes the Best Bee’s Knees

Most Bee’s Knees recipes call for a London dry style gin as the base spirit. But using an artisanal gin like Hapusa adds an exciting new dimension. Hapusa’s botanicals pair beautifully with the honey and citrus for a refreshing, modern twist on the Bee’s Knees.

Hapusa Gin’s botanicals including turmeric, cardamom, and Sikkim orange lend layers of spice and intrigue that complement the lime and honey perfectly. The result is a Bee’s Knees cocktail with more complexity than the traditional version.

Ingredients & Equipment for Hapusa Gin Bee’s Knees

Ingredients:

• Hapusa Gin
• Fresh lime juice
• Honey syrup (1:1 honey dissolved in hot water)
• Lemon twist for garnish

Equipment:

• Jigger
• Cocktail shaker
• Strainer
• Mixing glass
• Coupe glass or martini glass

Quality ingredients are key. Use fresh lemon juice for brightness and an aromatic honey like wildflower or orange blossom in your syrup. Now let’s get shaking!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Mixing the Hapusa Bee’s Knees

Follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Prepare your chilled coupe glass

Fill a coupe or martini glass with ice and ice water while prepping the cocktail to chill it.

Step 2: Add ingredients to your cocktail shaker

Add ice along with the gin, lime juice, and honey syrup.

Step 3: Shake vigorously

Seal and shake the cocktail shaker vigorously for 10-15 seconds. The shaking will enhance the honey’s texture.

Step 4: Fine strain into your chilled glass

Double strain using a Hawthorne strainer, plus a fine mesh strainer to filter the cocktail into your waiting glass. This gives added silkiness and makes sure no shards of ice get into the glass.

Step 5: Garnish and serve

Garnish your Hapusa Bee’s Knees with a lemon twist. Enjoy this bright, honey-kissed cocktail!

Achieving the Perfect Bee’s Knees Flavor Balance

Finding your ideal Bee’s Knees ratio is part of the fun. Play with the following elements:

• Hapusa Gin: The bold base spirit. Adjust to taste.
• Lime juice: Adds tartness and acidity to balance the honey.
• Honey: Contributes sweetness and viscosity. Use just enough to complement the gin.

Taste as you mix and tweak amounts until you land on your perfect flavor profile. The Hapusa Gin’s botanicals pair so nicely with the honey and citrus in this cocktail.

Serving Suggestions for the Hapusa Bee’s Knees

Once mixed, follow these serving tips:

• Serve in a vintage coupe glass or martini glass, straight up.
• Accompany with light appetizers like a cheese board, shrimp cocktail or oysters on the half shell.
• For added aromatics, rim your glass with honey and lime zest using a citrus-honey rimmer solution.
• Use an artisanal honey like orange blossom, wildflower or lavender for a unique flavor.

From sophisticated dinner parties to backyard gatherings, the Hapusa Bee’s Knees makes for a lively, crowd-pleasing cocktail. Enjoy this botanically-driven twist on a Prohibition era classic.

Bottom’s up!

A few other Hapusa Gin recipes to enjoy

Here’s the recipe!