Honey Deuce Cocktail

Lemonade, vodka, and raspberry liquor are all the ingredients for this ultimate summer trifecta, and the building blocks for the official drink of the U.S. Open, Honey Deuce Cocktail. 

The Honey Deuce Cocktail is the official cocktail of the grand slam tennis tournament, the US Open. It’s made of fresh lemonade, simple syrup, *premium* vodka and raspberry liqueur. Garnish it with balls of honeydew melon for the perfect tennis cocktail!

I’ve never been to the U.S. Open and tennis is the one sport I am least inclined to watch. However, as many sports go, people may not be there to watch the sport, but to socialize and enjoy the atmosphere. Enter the Honey Deuce™ Cocktail. Created back in 2006 by bartender Nick Mautone, Grey Goose commissioned him to create a drink for the U.S. Open that was not only easy enough to make for large crowds, but that was also delicious and well, memorable. It’s 2024 and we’re still talking about it!

At $23 per drink I knew I needed to create/replicate this recipe at home and see what everyone is talking about. People are paying $23. Last year’s stats show that 450,000 drinks ($10 million!) were sold. So what’s in it and why the hype? The cocktail is a blend of tart lemonade, vodka, and a raspberry liquor poured over ice. Think of it as a take on a raspberry lemonade. Topping it with the garnish, three balls of honeydew, which are made to resemble none other than, tennis balls. Whether you’re watching the US Open this weekend or opening kickoff of college football, either way this drink is as refreshing as it is delicious!

But Isn’t This ‘Added Sugar’?

As a dietitian I’m always talking about ‘added sugar’, identifying your sources and checking to see how much you’re so consuming. You’ve also heard me recommend for people to avoid ‘sugary beverages’, so if you’re wondering why I’m recommending/showing you how to make this drink, let me give you my take.

Food is festive and should be fun and there is no absolute when it comes to food. I would never tell someone to NEVER have a sugary beverage. However, the idea here is to still think about the frequency and the volume of what we’re consuming. In my case, I almost never have a sugary beverage, so if I’m partaking in an adult beverage (which is also rare by the way) I might opt for a sugary beverage. Keep in mind people these days people are having sugar in their coffee, in their day-to-day drinks, and then also in their alcoholic drinks. So, yes, people are overconsuming sugary beverages. My recommendation will always and forever be the same: rather than hyperfocus on any one food/drink, look at the big picture!

Ingredients: Honey Deuce Cocktail

• Lemonade: Many will say you need to make homemade lemonade, however, the beauty of this recipe is how easy it is to make using a store-bought version. So if you’re buying store-bought, opt for one that’s more tart than sweet. (see above for ‘sugary beverages’. Side note: when looking for a store-bought lemonade many of the lemonades are now ‘Zero Sugar’, so they’re using a sugar substitute. Something to keep in mind for the tart vs sweet factor, but would cut down on added sugar as a bonus. I used a Vitamin Water Zero Lemonade and it did not disappoint.
• Vodka: The official vodka for the U.S. Open is Grey Goose. As this drink has just a few ingredients I always tell people, opt for a higher quality if you can, Grey Goose, Tito’s, Belvedere.
• Raspberry Liqueur: This is what gives the drink its color and a tad more sweetness to the drink as well.
• Honeydew: Optional for a garnish, but highly recommended if you’re being festive. Use a melon baller to make the little ‘tennis balls’.

Scaling Up for a Crowd

The recipe I have listed below is for one cocktail, however, this drink is easy to scale up if you’re making for a party and/or get-together. If you want to serve 8, combine everything together and refrigerate until chilled (or the party starts). It can even be made a day in advance! Just create the ‘tennis balls’ as people arrive. How’s that for easy?! Serve over crushed ice and get the party started!

• 3 cups lemonade
• 1 1/2 cups vodka
• 1/2 cup raspberry liqueur

Other Festive Cocktails

• Passion Fruit Martini
• French Blonde Cocktail
• Pomegranate Mimosa
• Strawberry Sorbet Cocktail

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