Honey Deuce recipe to sip the famed US Open cocktail as final Grand Slam begins
U.S. Open patrons are headed to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the final Grand Slam of the season, and whether you're attending the tournament in person or ready to drink in the full experience at home, the two-week tournament wouldn't be complete without a taste of its signature sip -- the Honey Deuce cocktail.
To give tennis fans an authentic taste of the event, Grey Goose shared the recipe with all the ingredients needed below to recreate the adult-only twist on a raspberry lemonade.
Fun facts about the Honey Deuce cocktail served at the US Open
Since it was first served in 2007, Grey Goose has sold more than 2.2 million Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktails.
With 957,387 total fans in attendance at last year's 143rd U.S. Open, the stadium sold a record-setting 450,000 glasses of the signature drink, according to its purveyor Baldor Specialty Foods.
To make the instantly recognizable tennis ball honeydew melon garnish, the food supplier gets approximately 150K whole melons from Turlock Fruit Company in California.
How to make the Honey Deuce cocktail at home
As tennis fans around the world tune in to watch the highly-anticipated 144th U.S. Open, "Good Morning America" tapped Joe McCanta, the top-seeded Grey Goose global head of education and mixology, to shake up the signature cocktail with expert tips to make sure it's an ace!
"It's completely synonymous with the U.S Open," McCanta said of the cocktail that's a riff on a collins-style drink, which he said is crafted "to dilute a little bit slower than the typical sour drink."
"It's a beautiful cocktail because it's simple," he added. "And I always believe that the best cocktails need to be quick, not a lot of ingredients and just sort of blend -- and I think this does it."
The sweet and tart lemonade, mixed with the vodka and a floater of black raspberry liquor, creates a "really refreshing" drink, McCanta said.
"I think about cocktails like the Mint Julep when at the Kentucky Derby -- it keeps people cold and refreshed, this is sort of a similar vibe but for the U.S. Open," he explained.
Grey Goose Honey Deuce Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
1 1/2 parts Grey Goose vodka
3 parts Fresh Lemonade
1/2 part Chambord black raspberry liqueur
3 honey melon balls for garnish
Directions
Chill a collins glass or the commemorative cup by placing in the refrigerator or freezer or by filling with ice water for 5 minutes.
Once the glass is sufficiently chilled, fill with ice.
Measure and add vodka. Top with a measured amount of fresh lemonade. Measure and add raspberry liqueur.
Garnish with a skewer of 1 or multiple frozen honeydew melon balls.
Click here to see how to make it frozen.
Tips to Serve the Honey Deuce like a Pro
Chill the glass ahead of time
"Cocktails are all about being cold so keep your glass in the freezer if you have space," McCanta suggested. If you don't have space in your freezer, he said you can fill the glass "with a ton of ice" to chill it while you mix up the parts of the cocktail.
Make your own fresh lemonade
McCanta makes his own simple syrup with one part sugar and one part water and combines it with fresh lemon juice.
How to make perfect melon tennis ball garnish
To prepare the melon balls that resemble mini tennis balls, place a honeydew melon in the freezer until firm, then use a melon baller to create perfectly spherical balls.
"It involves pressing really hard down first and going at it," he said of the small round kitchen tool. "Using a premium vodka, doing the extra work for the melon balls can all come together and give you a wonderful cocktail experience."
What's in a Honey Deuce cocktail kit?
For fans in New York or Chicago looking to recreate the stadium experience at home the ready-to-drink 8-ounce canned version of the signature cocktail is available online for delivery through Sept. 8.
Honey Deuce Express deliveries include Grey Goose reusable metal straws, an insulated royal blue branded cooler tote and choice of a two-pack, four-pack or 8-pack for $30, $60 and $120 respectively.
The delivery service from DoorDash and Cocktail Courier is available for residents in New York and Chicago.
