Bee’s Knees Week

History of Bee’s Knees Week

The background of the Bee’s Knees can be traced back more than a century ago to the time when this classic cocktail was created. The time was the 1920s, during the Prohibition era, of course, and one story is that the drink was invented by an Austrian-born bartender, Frank Meier, during his tenure at the Hotel Ritz in Paris. Another story attributes the drink to an American socialite named Margaret Brown.

But even though the origin story is a little unclear, the results are fabulous! With a mix of sweet and sour, the Bee’s Knees really is just what its name implies!

Bee’s Knees Week was first launched in 2017 by Caledonia Spirits, which is the parent company of Bar Hill Gin. The day is celebrated not only with the hope of promoting this drink, but also in an effort to raise awareness about sustainability. This week specifically promotes the protection of pollinators, including bees, that are vitally important to the environment and ecosystems of the planet. This week is considered to be the largest sustainability event in the alcohol industry.

In addition to encouraging individuals to celebrate Bee’s Knees Week on their own, as the sponsor of the event Bar Hill Gin commits to engaging with social media to plant new pollinator habitat as a restoration project for bees and other pollinators. The company also encourages others to get involved and make the world a better place through the 1% For the Planet charitable organization.

How to Celebrate Bee’s Knees Day

Show some love and appreciation not only for the drink, but for the creature it was named after by celebrating Bee’s Knees week in some fun and exciting ways, such as these:

Drink a Bee’s Knees

The first order of business for participating Bee’s Knees Day would obviously be to sidle up to a bar and order one! Perhaps the sidling isn’t necessary, but getting a bartender to whip up one of these classic drinks is certainly one of the best ways to celebrate in style.

Try Making a Bee’s Knees

Aspiring mixologists, or people who would just prefer to drink at home, can get involved with Bee’s Knees Day by trying out some cocktail making at home. It’s actually a fairly simple cocktail to make and only requires a few ingredients, including gin, honey syrup, lemon juice and a lemon twist garnish.

Choose a favorite traditional recipe or try different variations in honor of this special event. Some riffs of the Bee’s Knees call for honey syrup infused with lavender, adding a sprig of fresh thyme, or spicing it up with cinnamon or cloves.

Share Bee’s Knees Week with Others

Whether ordering at a restaurant or drinking it at home, people can take a photo of their Bee’s Knees drink and share it on social media with a special hashtag and also tagging Bar Hill Gin. For each photo shared during the event, Bar Hill Gin commits to planting new pollinator habitats.