We’re probably all familiar with the ultimate spicy margarita at this point, and the tried and true bloody mary will always hold a special place in the hearts of fiery drink lovers everywhere. But there’s one more iconic hot cocktail out there, and that is the bee sting. If you haven’t yet been acquainted with this delicious sweet and sour drink, it puts a fun twist on the Prohibition-inspired bee’s knees cocktail, which is made with gin, honey, and lemon.
The original drink got its name from the phrase “the bee’s knees,” which was a popular way of saying something was great during the 1920s. The “sting” in “bee sting” basically just refers to the slight kick in the spiced version of the cocktail, which is typically made with many of the same ingredients but with the addition of some sort of heat, such as spicy chile peppers, ginger, or peppercorns. The key to both drinks is to use honey rather than sugar or simple syrup.
This creates a richer flavor, which, back in the day, was used to mask the poor taste of Prohibition gin, often referred to as “bathtub gin.” The honey also tames any overly spicy flavors in a bee sting, while the tartness of the lemon helps balance the drink further and adds brightness. A bee sting is just as refreshing as a bee’s knees — but the spice gives it an added layer of subtle complexity that kicks in at the end of each sip.
There’s more than one way to make a bee sting
Just like with the actual insect, there’s more than one way to make a bee sting. Mixologists give the drink its kick a few different ways. One is to use Ancho Reyes, a popular brand of chile liqueur from Mexico, while another is to muddle jalapeños or peppercorns into the drink. Some people like to use a chili-spiked honey, too, or spicy absinthe, and there are also some versions that utilize ginger.
If you want to mix the drink yourself, you can make hot honey at home for more control over the spice, or remove the seeds from jalapeños to tame them a bit. According to Liquor.com, top cocktail consultant Jonathan Pogash makes his bee sting cocktail with whisky instead of gin. Pogash mixes the whisky with Bärenjäger, a German honey liquor, and Fernet-Branca, a spiced Italian digestif. He also adds tangerine juice instead of lemon and incorporates egg white and bitters.
People have swapped out the gin for tequila as well, and some like to salt the rims of their glasses to balance out the drink. There’s even recipes that feature bee pollen rims, fresh honeycomb, and honeycomb toffee as garnishes. Whatever version you get your hands on, the bee sting always lives up to its fun, playful name, and it’s a great one to add to the rotation for the next time you overdo it on the spicy margs.
