The Gold Rush Cocktail And Other Honey Based Cocktails

It is autumn and it makes me crave a cocktail that is made with honey. The Gold Rush Cocktail comes to mind to satisfy that desire, but there are other versions of this cocktail that will also satisfy. All of these drinks are a version of the classic Whiskey Sour Cocktail, using a honey based simple syrup.

The Gold Rush

The Gold Rush Cocktail was developed in New York City at the Milk & Honey bar in the early 2000s. It is a variation of the Bee’s Knees Cocktail that use a Gin instead of Bourbon. Another variation on the cocktail is the Penicillin Cocktail that uses Scotch Whisky instead of Bourbon. This latter cocktail was also developed at the Milk & Honey bar. The recipe is quite simple.

2 ounces Bourbon
¾ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
¾ ounce honey syrup
Garnish with a lemon twist

Add the Bourbon, honey syrup, and lemon juice into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over ice. Garnish with the twist of lemon.

Honey syrup is a simple syrup made with equal parts honey and water, boiled until the honey is dissolved and allowed to cool before using.

The Bee’s Knees

The Bee’s Knees cocktail is an older cocktail dating back to prohibition. Frank Meier, an Austrian-born bartender at the Hotel Ritz in Paris, is credited with the development of this cocktail. It was a version of the gin sour. It is a simple cocktail to make.

2 ounces Gin
¾ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ ounce honey syrup
Garnish with a lemon twist

Add the Gin, honey syrup, and lemon juice into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over ice. Garnish with the twist of lemon.

The Penicillin

The Penicillin cocktail is the newest of this trio of cocktails. It was developed by bartender Sam Ross in the mid 2000s while working at Milk & Honey. He decided to make a Scotch Whisky version of the Gold Rush Cocktail and used a honey-ginger simple syrup in the cocktail. Here is his recipe.

2 ounces blended Scotch Whisky
¾ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
¾ ounce honey-ginger syrup
¼ ounce Islay single malt scotch
Garnish with candied ginger

Add the blended Scotch Whisky, honey-ginger syrup, and lemon juice into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over ice. Top the drink off with the Islay single malt whisky. Garnish with the candied ginger

To make the honey ginger syrup, place 1 cup honey, 1 cup water and 1 6-inch piece of peeled and thinly sliced ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for five minutes.

I find that these three drinks are classic fall drinks. I hope you enjoy one soon.