The creator of the US Open Honey Deuce tweaks the cocktail recipe at home

Mixologist and author Nick Mautone created the drink in 2006 as a Gray Goose brand ambassador. He told Business Insider that he got the inspiration for the drink after stopping at a farm stand in Hampton Bays, New York, to pick up ingredients for a summer dessert salad.

“The ‘salad’ included melon balls, blackberries, rosemary-citrus syrup and a splash of vodka,” Mautone said, adding that it “was topped with sorbet.”

While making the salad, Mautone said “lightning struck” when she realized the melon balls looked like tennis balls.

“I knew this was the garnish that needed to go into the drink,” he said.

Honey Deuce was born and became a US Open fan favorite since its inception. In 2023, the drink generated sales of approximately $9.9 million.

Today, the official recipe consists of Gray Goose vodka, fresh lemonade, raspberry liqueur and, of course, the cantaloupe garnish.

But Mautone told BI that the original recipe was a bit more complex, containing rosemary citrus, lemon juice instead of lemonade, seltzer and blackberry cordial. It has been simplified to make it easier to serve the drink in large quantities.

“The melon balls were the non-negotiables,” Mautone said.

Now, the drink is almost as iconic as the US Open itself, with many bars making copycat versions, which Mautone said he finds “quite flattering.”

He also said he likes to give the drink a twist when he makes it at home.

“My personal favorite is to make the Honey Deuce in a tall glass and top it with your favorite style of sparkling wine,” Mautone said. “It gets a little drier and fizzy, but still refreshing and thirst-quenching.”

For those attending the 2024 US Open, Honey Deuce cocktails, sold in Gray Goose collectible glasses, retail for $23. According to Morning Brew, the drink was $14 in 2012, so its price has risen exponentially over the past decade.

Given how popular posts about the Honey Deuce have become on social media this year, it’s easy to imagine that people will be making their own versions of the drink at home in the coming weeks.