Even if you haven’t heard of every player participating in the U.S. Open, the grand slam tournament that takes place in Flushing, Queens at the end of every summer, you’ve definitely heard about its signature cocktail: the Honey Deuce.
Coincidentally, Serena Williams . . . also lost her Honey Deuce virginity this year.
It’s nearly impossible to scroll through your social media feed between the last week of August and the first week of September without seeing the famed drink, which combines Grey Goose vodka with lemonade and a dash of Chambord raspberry liquor. The speared trio of green honeydew melons — shaped to resemble tennis balls — is the most obvious giveaway, as is the complimentary plastic cup the drink comes in. The cocktail’s influence on the event is so ubiquitous, in fact, that CNN reported it will surpass $10 million in sales before the Open ends on Sept. 8.
“You can’t have a U.S. Open without the Honey Deuce,” Aleco Azqueta, vice president of marketing for Grey Goose, told the outlet. “It really is what the Mint Julep is to the Kentucky Derby but even more of a cultural phenomenon.”
“What’s unique about the Honey Deuce is that it’s something that people really look forward to since........