The Fizzy Bee
The best cocktails are made from ingredients you already have at home. That’s why we’ve always loved the Bee’s Knees, a classic cocktail made from honey, lemon, and gin—three items we keep on hand at all times. The Fizzy Bee is a refreshing and sparkly twist on the classic, still made from ingredients you’re likely to have around, and easily substituted if you don’t.
When in doubt, add sparkling wine.
A great way to freshen up your favorite classic cocktails—especially those made with gin or vodka and fruit juice—is to add a fizzy float. This recipe is essentially a Bee’s Knees, but with grapefruit juice instead of lemon and a splash of sparkling wine on top. The key is this: Fruit-juice cocktails should always be shaken, not stirred, so shake this baby up ’til it’s ice cold, and add the sparkling wine at the very last second to keep the bubbles fresh.
Time: 10 minutes
Makes: 1 cocktail
1. Combine gin, grapefruit juice, and honey in a shaker
Stir for a minute or two to dissolve the honey.
2. Add ice and shake, shake, shake
Shake until it’s too cold to hold, about 3 minutes.
3. Strain into a glass
Strain all the liquid from your shaker into a cocktail glass (a martini / “up” glass works nicely if you have one, but any glass will do).
4. Garnish with a grapefruit twist; top with sparkling wine
Use a fruit peeler to make a grapefruit twist. Lightly squeeze it over your drink and drop it in. Last but not least, add a generous splash of sparkling wine.
5. Drink it
Don’t forget.
Um, excuse me?
I don’t have/don’t like gin. Can I use vodka?
You sure can!
I don’t have/don’t like grapefruit, can I use lemon? What about lime?
Either one! We recommend lemon over lime.
I don’t have/don’t like sparkling wine, can I use something else sparkly?
Sparkling water would make for a refreshing spritzy vibe—serve on ice in a collins glass instead of up. You can also skip the sparkling wine altogether.
What kind of gin should I use?
Any mid-shelf, dry gin will do—nothing fancy. If you have several on hand to choose from, use your driest, cleanest, least floral gin.
What kind of sparkling wine should I use?
Again, anything will do—perhaps cava or Prosecco? Don’t use your most expensive bottle, and spring for something one or two rungs up from André if you can.
Gimme more cocktails.
Right this way.
