The Green Bee is a variation of a Bee’s Knees cocktail but with the extra addition of rosemary. If you love gin, honey, and herbal tones, you’ll love this riff.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
I love a classic Bee’s Knees. It’s so easy to make (just 3 ingredients!) and really gives the gin a chance to shine. This fall, I’ve been on a big herbal kick. I’ve made my rosemary sage simple syrup three times now and have been using it in just about every cocktail recipe I think it could work in. There’s something so warming about use rich savory herbs like rosemary and sage in cocktails.
I knew that honey and rosemary worked together, so I made a honey rosemary simple syrup. And what better way to use a honey syrup than in a Bee’s Knees?
To make the honey rosemary syrup, add 1/4 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of water, and 2 sprigs of rosemary to a small saucepan. Heat until the honey is dissolved and turn off the heat. Allow the rosemary to steep in the syrup until it cools. Remove the rosemary and pour into a small lidded container. Store in the fridge.
As I mentioned earlier, simple classic cocktails like the Bee’s Knees give gins a real chance to shine. The limited ingredients won’t overshadow the unique taste of whatever gin you’re using. Choosing a more herbal gin in The Green Bee is a great call because of the addition of the rosemary. But pick what you like. I actually used a botanical rum in place of gin in the drink shown in these pictures.
If you’re a fan of simple, straightforward, and herbal cocktails, this Green Bee recipe is for you.
Ingredients for a Green Bee
2 oz gin
3/4 oz rosemary honey syrup*
3/4 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
How to Make a Green Bee
Add gin, rosemary honey syrup*, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an additional rosemary sprig.
*To make the honey rosemary syrup, add 1/4 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of water, and 2 sprigs of rosemary to a small saucepan. Heat until the honey is dissolved and turn off the heat. Allow the rosemary to steep in the syrup until it cools. Remove the rosemary and pour into a small lidded container. Store in the fridge.
Add gin, rosemary honey syrup*, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake well, about 20 seconds.
Strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish with an additional rosemary sprig.
Notes
*To make the honey rosemary syrup, add 1/4 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of water, and 2 sprigs of rosemary to a small saucepan. Heat until the honey is dissolved and turn off the heat. Allow the rosemary to steep in the syrup until it cools. Remove the rosemary and pour into a small lidded container. Store in the fridge.
The White Lady is a classic gin cocktail that’s tart and smooth. You’ll only need 5 simple ingredients and you probably already have all of them on hand.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
You can never go wrong with a classic cocktail. Especially if it’s a classic gin cocktail. Gin is my favorite spirit because each brand varies so wildly from the next. If you think you’re not a gin fan, I challenge you to keep trying different brands. Your match is out there.
Whenever I try a new brand of gin, I love using it in classic cocktail recipes. If you’re used to knowing what a classic cocktail like a White Lady or a Gimlet tastes like, it’ll be easy to see how much a particular gin changes the feel and profile of the drink.
For months now I’ve had a White Lady cocktail on my list of recipes to try. Don’t know if I have the right to call myself a lover of classic gin cocktail recipes without ever having tried a White Lady. Now I can though. Because I finally made one. And it’s dang good.
If you’re a fan of classic sour drinks like a Daiquiri or a Whiskey Sour, the White Lady is a must-try. It’s a gin sour made with a silky egg white. If you’re weirded out by the thought of using a raw egg white in your cocktail, I understand. Really, I get it. I waited years before trying one and I only wish I’d tried it sooner. You can read this post to see that the chances of getting sick from a raw egg white are actually pretty slim.
I also feel a lot better about consuming raw or undercooked eggs at my house because I’ve got my own supply of eggs. We live in a rural part of Texas and currently have 5 hens in our backyard flock. I was never a fan of birds until we got chickens. Now I’m the person who bypasses the monkeys to get to the bird exhibits at the zoo.
It only seemed fitting to put our own little white lady in these pics. Although the egg white in this cocktail definitely does not belong to her because she’s a freeloader. She only lays eggs when she feels like it. Which is apparently never. At least she’s sweet.
You can always make the White Lady without an egg white. It’ll still be good– it just won’t be as smooth or as silky. And you won’t have that pretty foam on the top, either. If you’re wanting the foam and the silkiness but don’t want the egg, you can use aquafaba. It’s a great vegan option and lots of mixologists use it in place of egg whites.
If you love a good classic gin cocktail, check these other recipes out:
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker without ice. (This is called a “dry shake”.) Shake for 20-30 seconds. You may want to shake over a sink because the lack of ice will mean that the metal cocktail shaker won’t contract to create a tight seal. I.e. it’s gonna leak. Then, add ice and shake for another 30-45 seconds. Your arm is going to scream but the more you shake, the better your foam will be. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
White Lady
A classic gin cocktail that's tart and silky smooth.
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker without ice. (This is called a “dry shake”.) Shake for 20-30 seconds.*
Then, add ice and shake for another 30-45 seconds.
Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Notes
*You may want to shake over a sink because the lack of ice will mean that the metal cocktail shaker won’t contract to create a tight seal. I.e. it’s gonna leak.
Keyword egg white, gin, lemon, lemon juice, orange liqueur, simple syrup, white lady
The Hibiscus Negroni is a sweet, floral riff on the Negroni, a classic cocktail known for its bitter bite. The hibiscus syrup made by SimplyGala makes it easy to incorporate the hallmark flavor of hibiscus without the fuss of having to make it yourself.
This post is sponsored by SimplyGala. All opinions are my own.
Y’all know that my passion is to get you (yes you, dear reader) hyped about making cocktails at home. I definitely want you to make *my* drink recipes but I also really want you to try your hand at coming up with your own. Perhaps you’ve already read through my Cocktails 101 post and my 5 Tips for Making Cocktails at Home but you’re still hesitant to actually start experimenting on your own. I get it. I feel ya. No one wants to waste precious ounces of alcohol in a mystery recipe that could end up tasting nasty.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
One of the easiest ways to start experimenting with cocktail recipes is by exploring the wide world of syrups. If you’re not comfortable trying to come up with a totally new recipe, just put your own spin on a classic by adding a flavored simple syrup. I’ve got several recipes on this blog for ones you can make yourself (you can browse them all here), but my friends over at SimplyGala have several flavors that you can purchase.
I recently discovered SimplyGala syrups and am so glad I did. I make a lot of my own simple syrups for two reasons: 1) I’m picky about ingredients, and 2) I’m pretty frugal. SimplyGala syrups are the answer to my penny-pinching, artificial-flavor-spurning prayers. They have a wide range of flavors at affordable prices with 0 bad ingredients. I recently made a passion fruit Paloma recipe using their passion fruit syrup and woo-wee, it was goo-ood. You can check out that post to learn more about SimplyGala as a company, too.
SimplyGala sent me their hibiscus syrup and I was easy to try it. My first thought was to use it in a Gin Campari Sour. But then I remembered that this week is Negroni Week.
Negroni Week was instituted in 2013 by Imbibe Magazine and Campari as a way to raise money for charities. This year, though, all the funds raised will go towards supporting our friends in the hospitality and restaurant industries. So many bars and restaurants are really hurting due to new COVID rules and restrictions and now we have an easy opportunity to help them. You can read more about #negroniweek and donate by clicking here.
What is a Negroni though? It’s a classic cocktail made with 3 ingredients: gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. I’d go as far as to say that it’s the most polarizing cocktail out there. You either hate ’em or love ’em. I fell in the first category for a long time until I taught myself how to like Campari (you can check out this post to read more about how I did that). A Negroni is still not my preferred way to enjoy Campari… but this Hibiscus Negroni has changed my tune.
Negronis are loved/detested because they’re incredibly bitter. I wanted to balance this flavor and thought that hibiscus syrup would be a great way to do that. If you’ve never tried hibiscus before, it’s got a tart, almost cranberry-like flavor. Using it in syrup form means I could also introduce some needed sweetness to the classic drink. The Hibiscus Negroni still has the signature bitter notes of a traditional Negroni but it’s offset a bit by the tartness and sweetness of the hibiscus syrup. I’m a fan.
One thing I love about SimplyGala’s hibiscus syrup is that there are only 3 ingredients: pure cane sugar + water + hibiscus flowers. No artificial colors, artificial flavors, chemicals, or preservatives. Unfortunately, that can’t be said about other hibiscus syrups out there on the market.
Just browse all the different SimplyGala syrup options— they’re sure to inspire many of your own cocktail creations. If you’re wanting some recipe inspo for your new syrups, check out these 17 easy cocktail recipes that can easily be altered by changing the syrup flavor. Who knows, this time next month I could be reading your new cocktail blog.
If you’ve previously scorned Negronis, give this one a try and tag me on Instagram!
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with a couple large ice cubes. Stir to incorporate. Strain into a lowball glass filled with a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon peel.
This spiked cherry limeade recipe is almost too easy. If you can stir a drink, you can make this cocktail. You might even have the 3 ingredients on hand already.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
I’ve been meaning to share this cocktail recipe for months now. Since I started up this blog, actually. It’s been a go-to of mine for over a year now. It’s definitely more of a summery drink, in my opinion. So I decided I would wait until May to post it. The months ticked by sooo slowly (thanks, pandemic).
But then BOOM summer was here and I got distracted by posting classic summer drinks like Piña Coladas and Mai Tais and Jungle Birds. This spiked cherry limeade recipe faded from memory.
One day I posted a quiz on an Instagram story, asking people what they thought my most popular recipe was. It was (and still is) my Cucumber Basil Refresher but nearly evvverryone clicked “Cherry Limeade Margarita“. Huh. That got my attention. Clearly people are fans of this flavor… OH MY GOSH I NEVER POSTED THE SPIKED CHERRY LIMEADE RECIPE I’VE BEEN WAITING MONTHS TO POST! Buhh what have I been doing with my life?!
Okay, that’s a tad dramatic but really. I was shocked to realized I’d never posted this recipe. So naturally I let several more weeks pass by until I’m finally sitting down to type it out now.
It’s honestly so easy that it feels a little silly to type out. Once you see it, you’ll think “Wow, why did I never think of that?”
Those are actually the same words that I said when my friend shared this recipe with me. It’s a brilliantly simple idea:
You can use this formula to make any manner of fruity boozy beverage– just change up your drink mix. Cherry limeade is an obvious winner, but I’ve done this with a cucumber melon drink mix, a watermelon drink mix, and several others. The options are almost limitless.
I like using the True Lime brand of drink mixes (you can find their black cherry limeade one here) because they don’t use artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners and their ingredients are also non-GMO. But I definitely have the Walmart brand ones in my pantry, too.
As for the liquor to use, take your pick of your favorite clear booze. Vodka is always a good choice because it melds nicely with all flavors. Tequila is great, too, especially if you’re gonna use a citrus-flavored drink mix. Rum’s a pretty safe bet. Gin can get tricky because some gins have a strong juniper taste that might not blend smoothly with some drink mix flavors. But you do you.
You can also use sparkling water in place of the Sprite if you’re looking to cut down on sugar and calories. I’ve found that Spindrift has the strongest lime flavor out of all the lime sparkling waters. It’s my fav and would be amazing in a spiked cherry limeade.
So. Go check your pantry for a drink mix. Pair it with your favorite clear liquor. Pour in something bubbly. Now you’ve got yourself an easy 3 ingredient boozy bev.
1 packet of cherry limeade drink mix powder (I love this one)
1 1/2 – 2 oz preferred clear liquor (I usually opt for vodka)
4+ oz Sprite
How to Make a Spiked Cherry Limeade
Add ice to a highball or Collins glass. Pour in the drink mix powder, your preferred liquor, and Sprite. Stir until the drink mix is dissolved. Garnish with a lime wheel and a fun paper straw.
Spiked Cherry Limeade
A 3 ingredient recipe that's simple, refreshing, and easy to modify.
The Rowdy Mother is a rejuvenating drink made with a raspberry shrub. It can be made as a cocktail by adding booze or kept alcohol-free by leaving it out. It’s a drink with a bite, thanks to the red wine vinegar in the raspberry shrub; and yet, it’s refreshing, too, thanks to the fresh raspberries and sparkling raspberry water.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
Have you ever heard of a shrub before? And no, I’m not talking about the shabby little bushes you should’ve pulled outta your overgrown flower bed three years ago. I’m talking about the shrubs used in drinks.
Shrubs have been around for millennia but the term has only recently resurfaced in the cocktail world, thanks to the resurgence of craft cocktails. A shrub is a non-alcoholic syrup made from vinegar, sugar, and fruit, and sometimes other spices or aromatics.
They can be used in cocktail recipes, alcohol-free drinks, or drunk on their own. They’re an easy way to impart a lot of bite and flavor to a drink with little effort.
Shrubs have long been dubbed as restorative drinks. If you’ve got a few spare minutes, I highly suggest you check out The Ultimate History Project’s article about the history of shrubs and switchels (a fruit-less shrub) in America.
Today, shrubs do provide health benefits. Vinegar is known for its ability to support good digestion and immune health. It also has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and can lower blood sugar levels. However, not all shrubs are created equal. Some contain “the mother”, or the colony of good bacteria, which means even more of the health benefits are delivered to you.
Other Mother Vinegar is one such shrub. Several weeks back, my husband and I took a socially-distanced vacation to our favorite spot– Fredericksburg, Texas. One of the things we like to do if we’re there on a Thursday is check out their farmer’s market. Lisa from Other Mother was there and we got to chat for a second about her product. I had been wanting to try shrubs in cocktail recipes for a while and OM’s shot-sized bottles would make it easy. I bought the ginger and honey shrub and Lisa was kind enough to throw in raspberry shrub, too, and boy am I glad she did!
Other Mother Vinegar is unique amongst other shrub companies because they use red wine vinegar. This makes it taste smoother than shrubs with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. OMV is also made using Texas wine, which is pretty cool seeing as how I’m a Texan and all. You can read more about Other Mother Vinegar here.
(By the way, this is not a sponsored post. I just love spreading the word about local businesses!)
If you’re looking to up your cocktail or mocktail game, consider buying some shrubs or even making your own. Here’s a recipe my friend Mark sent me. He’s a great mixologist & a good (Insta) friend, too!
Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub
– 6 oz. rhubarb, cut into 1/4 inch pieces – 2 oz. fresh strawberries, cut into quarters – 8 oz sugar – 8 oz white vinegar
Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb has completely broken down. Take off heat and pour through a fine-mesh strainer. Let the strained shrub cool before storing it. It can be refrigerated for 3-5 days.
Now on to today’s recipe. The Rowdy Mother recipe is a perfect way to enjoy a shrub. It’s easy, fresh, and can be made boozy or kept clean. Your choice. You can certainly sub the raspberry shrub for whatever flavor you have on hand, but if you can find it (or make your own using Mark’s recipe) I think tart raspberry pairs beautifully with the acidic vinegar.
I’ve also gotta point at that the Rowdy Mother is not named after my mom. (Unlike my other vinegar-based drink, Mother’s Garden!) The Mother part comes from the fact that Other Mother Vinegar shrubs contain “the mother”. Although… my mom can be kinda rowdy sometimes. But those are stories for future posts. (JK, mom.)
If you make the Rowdy Mother, be sure to tag me on Instagram!
Ingredients for the Rowdy Mother
1 1/2 oz vodka or gin (optional)
1 oz raspberry shrub
3 raspberries
1/4 oz lemon juice
1-3 oz raspberry sparkling water (I used La Croix’s cran-raspberry flavor)
How to Make a Rowdy Mother – A Healthy Cocktail or Mocktail with Raspberry Shrub
Add alcohol (optional), raspberry shrub, raspberries, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker. Gently (very gently!) muddle the raspberries with a muddler or the back of a spoon. Double-strain* over a lowball glass filled with ice. Top off the glass with the sparkling water.
*Hold a fine mesh strainer over the glass while you pour. This will catch any raspberry seeds and flesh from getting in your glass. Totally an optional step.
Rowdy Mother
A revitalizing cocktail or mocktail made with fresh raspberries, raspberry shrub, and sparkling raspberry water.
