Fiend at Court Unplugged
The Honey Deuce cocktail traditionally served at the US Open is one of those topics that I initially thought would be a “one and done” post. As it turns out, I had a lot more to say about the beverage than originally anticipated.
At this point in time, I have only written about traditional concessions at one other Grand Slam tournament. “Breakfast at Wimbledon” describes how strawberries and cream are ubiquitous to the Wimbledon experience. It is a tradition that has extremely deep roots. Strawberries and cream was served at the very first tournament conducted in 1877. The association of the snack with lawn tennis in the region traces back to 1514.
As a point of comparison, in 2021 the Honey Deuce is celebrating it’s 15th year at the US Open. Tradition has to start somewhere.
I posted the picture from yesterday’s post on the Honey Deuce to my personal Facebook page. That lead to some people erroneously assuming that I was in New York attending this year’s US Open.
My photographs of the Honey Deuce certainly look authentic. The “glasses” are actually the plastic resin cups that would have been served to fans at the 2020 US Open. I purchased my cups along with the official tournament program and tournament guide for that year recently off eBay. It was a steep discount from the current retail price for the 2021 glassware.
One way to purchase the 2021 cup remotely is through the “US Open Honey Deuce At-Home Suite” which contains two Honey Deuce actual glasses (not the plastic resin) among other items. That kit will set you back a cool $150 from the US Open Shop Site.
Another shopping alternative is the “Honey Deuce Cocktail Kit” sold by Grey Goose that includes all the ingredients to make 4 Honey Deuce Cocktails along with 4 commemorative cups from this year’s tournament. At $40, that kit is a veritable bargain, especially considering that the drink at the US Open sells for $20 a pop.
While I took obvious pains to make my homemade Honey Deuce’s appear to be authentic, there was one significant deviation from how I made the beverage at home. My Texas version of the cocktail used Tito’s Handmade Vodka rather than Grey Goose. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Tito’s it is kind of a Texas thing.
In related news, after Thursday evening’s extended taste test, we no longer have any Tito’s. I do plan on replacing that bottle with Grey Goose. While both brands are considered to be “Top-Shelf” vodkas, there may be a discernable difference because Tito’s is made from corn while Grey Goose is made from wheat.
Yesterday I mentioned that posting a picture of a hoisted Honey Deuce with the Arthur Ashe center court in the background is an essential part of the fan experience at the US Open. Since I am not attending the event this year, I had to settle for my own Texas version of that photo op. The Fiend at Court spousal unit makes some of the most amazing baby back ribs you will ever have.
It is an appropriate salute. For the record, baby back ribs pair well with the Honey Deuce.
- Data Drinks: Honey Deuce, The U.S. Open’s Top-Selling Cocktail, Forbes, 8/23/2019.
- Official Honey Deuce Recipe, Grey Goose Web Page, viewed 8/30/2021.
- Honey Deuce Cocktail Kit, Grey Goose Web Page, viewed 8/30/2021.
- US Open Honey Deuce At-Home Suite, US Open Official Merchandise Web Page, viewed 8/30/2021.
- Classy Drinks, but No Glass, at the Open, Mary Pilon, New York Times, August 29, 2012
