Have you ever dreamed of having an amazing home bar, filled with bottles you actually use and the tools you need to execute a fine crafted cocktail? Enter the Home Bar Project. Through this series we are going to take this challenge piece by piece. We’ll teach you the proper techniques and make sure the spirits you purchase aren’t collecting dust on your back bar.

About the instructor:
Dan Lan Hamm is a craft bartender at 1 Tippling Place in Philadelphia. He was Pennsylvania's winner of Bombay Sapphire and GQ's Most Imaginative Bartender Competition in 2014. He runs Spirit Forward, a cocktail-centric group which caters local events and provides educational workshops.

This week: How to Make a Bee's Knees

Born in the 1950’s, the Bee’s Knees is one of those cocktails that helps you fall in love with gin. A “London Dry” style gin works perfectly for this cocktail due to its citrus and spice notes. Unlike the Gold Rush cocktail we made weeks back, your choice of honey should be on the floral side (i.e. orange blossom), so it complements the spirit’s botanicals.

Ingredients:
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Honey Syrup (2:1 Honey and hot water)
London Dry Gin

Step 1 of 6:

Add 3/4 oz lemon juice to shaker

Step 2 of 6:

Add 3/4 oz honey syrup to shaker

Step 3 of 6:

Add 2 oz gin

Step 4 of 6:

Fill large shaker 3/4 way with ice and dump ingredients into large shaker.

Step 5 of 6:

Shake hard for 6-8 seconds

Step 6 of 6:

Strain into coup glass and enjoy!

Photos by The Drink Nation