Tennis fans have once again descended upon the grounds to fill the famed stands at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City for the 143rd U.S. Open, and there's a sweet solution to drink in the full experience from home with the signature Honey Deuce cocktail.
To give patrons a taste of the event Grey Goose shared the signature recipe with all the ingredients needed to recreate the iconic twist on raspberry lemonade, plus a new option for local fans to enjoy in frozen form for the first time.
Since 2007, Grey Goose has sold more than 1.8 million Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktails and in its 14th year as the the signature cocktail last year set a record-breaking 405K cocktails sold, every 3.8 seconds on-site.
As tennis fans around the world tune in to watch the highly-anticipated final Grand Slam event of the season, "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.
New Yorkers who are unable to attend the tournament in-person can recreate the stadium feeling with the first-ever ready-to-drink, canned variation of the iconic pink cocktail -- complete with previous champions listed on the label to mirror the stadium's commemorative cups.
The pre-mixed 8-ounce beverages come in a four pack for $60, delivered by Cocktail Courier chilled in an insulated tote, ready to sip and enjoy through the duration of the tournament.
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 2021 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.
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 balls
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.
"Using a melon baller -- it involves pressing really hard down first and going at it," he said. "Using a premium vodka, doing the extra work for the melon balls can all come together and give you a wonderful cocktail experience."
It’s opening day of the @USOpen. Which player will you be raising a #HoneyDeuce cocktail to? Send them your best in the replies. pic.twitter.com/YB0fQPfQO4
— Grey Goose (@GreyGoose) August 29, 2022
For fans looking to recreate the stadium experience at home, New Yorkers can order a ready-to-drink version of the signature cocktail online straight to their door via delivery through Sept. 11.
Honey Deuce Express deliveries include Grey Goose reusable metal straws, an insulated cooler tote and can choose between a two-pack, four-pack or 8-pack for $40, $80 and $160 respectively.
An earlier version of this story was first published on August 31, 2020.
