Stingless Bee

Taste

Two ounces of tequila, three-quarters honey syrup, half lime, half lemon. The citrus is split, so neither fruit wins; the honey is waxier than sugar. Egg white gives it a foam cap. Three dashes of Peychaud's are dropped on the foam, cherry-anise on the white. Coupe.

History

The Bee's Knees is a gin sour with honey, first printed in Paris around 1929. Frank Meier's Bar de Ritz recipe appears in Cocktails de Paris that year; a Brooklyn Standard Union article of 22 April 1929 credits Mrs. J.J. Brown of Denver and Paris, later called Molly Brown. Both claims stay in print. The name Stingless Bee is absent from the pre-1970 manuals and from Difford's, Punch, and Imbibe. Tequila takes the gin's place here, the citrus is split between lime and lemon, egg white goes in the shake, and three dashes of Peychaud's go on the foam.

• Difford's Guide, Bee's Knees

Same shape, other bottles

The Sour family, with the bottle that changed.

• Expatbourbon and simple syrup for tequila and honey syrup
• Mexican Firing Squadgrenadine for honey syrup
• Winter Daiquiriaged rum and demerara syrup for tequila and honey syrup
• Buster Brownbourbon and demerara syrup for tequila and honey syrup
• Gin Sourgin and simple syrup for tequila and honey syrup
• Harvest Sourrye, apple brandy, and simple syrup for tequila and honey syrup