January has been a crazy-busy month for me. I’ve managed to set foot in 8 different states, slept in 5 of them and hit every single time zone in the continental US. I’ve been to three different conferences, had quality time with my family, and went to a funeral. (The deceased was a delightful woman who lived to be 94, so the funeral was a celebration of her life more than a time of mourning.)

I’m exhausted.

On the other hand, one of the joys of traveling is getting to experience new places and taste new cocktails. This week I’m bringing you the Queen Bee’s Knees which I was able to sip at the end of a long day at Alt Summit.

The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, was the host for the conference and their Gibson Lounge was dim, quiet, and relaxing when I got there. I paired my cocktail with a Utah Cheese Board. The bartender gave me a basic outline of the drink and I was able to experiment with it to get just the right balance.

beehive gin croppedQueen Bee’s Knees

Ingredients:

3/4 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice

1 ounce Honey Syrup

2 ounces Beehive Gin (See Tips)

Ice

Citrus Peel for garnish (Optional)

Instructions:

1. First you make the Honey Syrup (Instructions Below)

2. In a cocktail shaker, combine lemon juice, honey syrup, gin, and ice. Shake well.

3. Pour in a stemmed glass and garnish, if desired. Enjoy.

Queen Bee's Knees VTips: 

Beehive Gin is widely available in Utah and can be purchased via K&L Wine Merchants if they ship to your state. Alas, they do not ship to my state, so I was reduced to using “normal” gin.

 

Honey Syrup

1/3 cup Honey

1/3 cup Water

Place ingredients in a small glass jar and heat in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. If mixture does not fully combine heat an additional 15 seconds and stir again. Allow to cool. Cover tightly and store in refrigerator.

Honey Syrup is a great substitute for Simple Syrup in cocktails.