Bee’s Knees
Sours · Gin
- Strength
- 12.5%
- Std. drinks
- 1.18
- Calories
- 153
- Sugar
- 8.4 g
- 1¾ ozGin53 ml
- 2 tspHoney syrup
- ¾ ozLemon juice23 ml
- ¾ ozOrange juice23 ml
The ratio · 2¼ : ½ : 1 : 1
Highlighted: not in the Cosmopolitan.
Head to head
Bee’s Knees and Cosmopolitan side by side: what changes in the recipe, the balance, the strength and the calories.
The difference, by the numbers
They have no ingredient in common: the Bee’s Knees has gin, honey syrup, lemon juice and orange juice, the Cosmopolitan citrus vodka, triple sec, lime juice and cranberry juice. In parts, a Bee’s Knees is 2¼ gin, ½ honey, 1 lemon and 1 orange; a Cosmopolitan is 2¾ vodka, 1 triple sec, 1 lime and 2 cranberry. By volume, the Bee’s Knees is 49% spirit, 21% mixer and juice, 21% citrus and 9% syrup and sugar; the Cosmopolitan is 40% spirit, 30% mixer and juice, 15% liqueur and 15% citrus. Different bottles, similar balance: that makes them close cousins on the ratio map.
The Cosmopolitan is the stronger drink in the glass (13.7% ABV against 12.5%), but being smaller it holds about the same alcohol (1.18 and 1.24 standard drinks). Calories and sugar are close: about 153 and 158 calories, 8.4 g and 7.8 g of sugar. Both are shaken; the Bee’s Knees is served in a coupe, the Cosmopolitan in a martini glass.
Sours · Gin
The ratio · 2¼ : ½ : 1 : 1
Highlighted: not in the Cosmopolitan.
Sours · Vodka
The ratio · 2¾ : 1 : 1 : 2
Highlighted: not in the Bee’s Knees.
Each drink sits nearer the corners it has more of: spirit, vermouth and bitter, citrus, mixer, syrup or liqueur. The gray dots are the other classics. Explore the full ratio map.
Bee’s Knees vs.
Cosmopolitan vs.