The Honey Deuce was introduced to tennis fans at the 2006 US Open and has since become the official tournament cocktail. It almost doubled in price this summer, jumping from its original cost of $12 to $23. The drink features a mix of Grey Goose vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur, garnished with three skewered honeydew balls shaped to look like mini tennis balls.
Dunkin’ is joining the celebration with a nonalcoholic take on the drink. The chain calls it the Melon Deuce Energy, which launches Sunday. It features watermelon, lime, and raspberry flavors finished with lemonade. The Chief Marketing Officer noted that the brand wants to celebrate the sport for guests who bring Dunkin’ along for the ride, whether at the courts or watching from home.
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Alongside the Melon Deuce Energy, Dunkin’ is offering the Matcha Point, a blend of matcha, protein milk, and French vanilla. Munchkin lovers can also score with a limited-edition mini tennis can holding three assorted doughnut holes.
The US Open courts are located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, drawing attention from venues all over the city. At Red Rooster Harlem, chef Marcus Samuellson is serving the official Grey Goose Honey Deuce in the signature US Open Cup. The restaurant is also offering the Maestro Dobel Ace Paloma, made with Maestro Dobel Tequila, grapefruit, agave syrup, and lime. As part of its commitment to the community, Red Rooster will donate 5% of proceeds from these cocktails to the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program.
For those seeking something different, CUT by Wolfgang Puck at the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown has created The Daisy Cutter. This cocktail combines Grey Goose vodka, honeydew melon, fresh basil, and sparkling lime yuzu soda. Further uptown, Clemente Bar has developed the Sour Love, which uses watermelon instead of raspberry for the signature red color. It includes Grey Goose vodka, Moletto gin, lime, green tomato acid, and white balsamic, garnished with pickled watermelon and the classic honeydew ball.
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BowTie Bar partnered with Grey Goose to offer the iconic Honey Deuce from August 23 to September 13, the full length of the tournament. Meanwhile, Elcielo in the Virgin Hotels mixes honeydew soda with makrut lime and vodka infused with freeze-dried raspberries. For dessert, the restaurant offers the Honeydew Melon Cremeux with Lime Mousse, presented inside a spherical white chocolate shell shaped like a tennis ball.
Kickstand Cocktails, a company specializing in canned vodka sodas, has released a recipe for the Kickstand Spicy Deuce. This drink is built around its Raspberry Habanero craft vodka soda, lemonade, and raspberry syrup or muddled raspberries. It is also garnished with three honeydew balls on a wooden skewer.