Thursday, April 25, 2024
HomeIceHow To Make Best Long Island Iced Tea

How To Make Best Long Island Iced Tea

On Long Island How Many Shots Are There

How to Make The Long Island Iced Tea – Best Drink Recipes

3 shots =.75 oz vodka +.75 oz gin +.75 oz rum +.75 oz tequila +.75 oz tequila + 1.5 oz triple sec Long live the LIIT, the king of alcoholic dive bar drinks. This monster still has two full shots of pure hard alcohol in addition to the lower-proof triple sec. It is, after all, towards the bottom of the list.

How Strong Is Long Island Iced Tea

The five liquors make Long Island iced tea seem like a strong drink, but if you do the math, it’s not terribly potent compared to other cocktails. When you pour 80-proof liquors, 60-proof triple sec, and top it with 2 ounces of soda, its alcohol content falls in the 16 percent ABV range. That is about the same as a strong rum and Coke and half the strength of a gin martini.

Gather The Necessary Ingredients And Appliances

For two glasses of Long Island iced tea, you should have an ounce of vodka, an ounce of tequila , an ounce of light rum , an ounce of triple sec, an ounce of gin, half a cup of cola , two cups of ice cubes, two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, two lemon wedges, and a cocktail shaker. The classic version of the Long Island iced tea uses equal amounts of all the liquors. Most variations of the cocktail use equal amounts of the main liquors but reduce the amount of triple sec. You might want to try including just half an ounce of triple sec instead of a full ounce.

Also Check: Where Can I Buy Loose Tea

The History Of The Long Island Iced Tea

The story of the Long Island Iced Tea begins in the 1920s. It was at the height of Prohibition in America. A time where booze was banned nationwide by law. You couldnt make it, you couldnt drink and you certainly couldnt drink it.

But that doesnt mean people didnt try.

Somebody going by the name of Bishop created a lethal cocktail, containing Whiskey, Gin, Tequila, Vodka, Rum, and Maple Syrup. The cocktail was created in a small community called Long Island, in Kingsport, Tennesse and was dubbed “Old Man Bishop”.

This is highly regarded to be the forerunner to the Long Island Iced Tea cocktail we know and guzzle today.

But the modern Long Island Iced Tea is widely thought to have been invented in 1972 by a man called Robert “Rosebud” Butt.

Enter Rosebud

Rosebud says he invented the cocktail whilst working as a bartender in the Oak Beach Inn, The Hamptons.

This version contains Vodka, White Rum, Tequila, Triple Sec, Gin, Sour Mix, and Coke.

In his words:

“We had a contest at the bar I was working at, the OBI, and they put a bottle of Triple Sec on the bar and they asked us to make something out of it. So twenty other bartenders and myself went to work and I came up with this drink.”

From there the cocktail took off.

The PBS Inventor Series produced a small film about Robert Butt and how he invented the Long Island Iced Tea, which you can watch below:

Now lets get into the written-down version of how to make a Long Island Iced Tea.

Long Island Iced Tea Recipe

How to Make a Perfect Long Island Iced Tea

A boozy classic cocktail made with rum, gin, vodka, tequila, citrus, sugar, and a little cola. A surprisingly refreshing cocktail that resembles a tall glass of iced tea.

The long island iced tea is a very intriguing, refreshing, and disgusting cocktail all at the same time. Kidding. I first started experimenting with this drink in my early 20s. I dont know why I was so fascinated. I explored all sorts of ways to make it sweeter even though it contained sour mix. Its known as a boozy drink, but when made properly, its a surprisingly nice and refreshing concoction.

Don’t Miss: What Tea Helps Lower Blood Sugar

Break Out All The Bottles For This One

One of my favorite summertime cocktails is the Long Island Iced Tea. Its cool, its refreshing, and its just what you need on a hot summer day.

Dont let the name alone fool you. The Long Island Iced Tea is one of the stronger cocktails on the menu. A few of these, and youll be feeling a little more than tipsy at your uncles BBQ. Reach for all the spirits in your cabinet because were about to make a dangerous cocktail!;

But as always, we want to give you a bit of the history behind the cocktail. Dont care for history? Click here to be taken straight to the recipe.;

Recipe For Long Island Iced Tea

Method:

Step 1.

Take a Collins glass fill it with ice then pour vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, simple syrup, and lemon juice.

Step 2.

Add a dash of Coca cola to the top and stir briefly.

Step 3.

Now garnish it with a lemon wedge and serve it with a straw.

Heres A Video By Tipsy Bartender On How To Make A Long Island Iced Tea

The Iced Tea part of the name comes from the tea color and sweet taste of the triple sec. ~LongIsland.com

Dont Miss: What Teas Are Good For Immune System

Read Also: How Much Are Twisted Teas 12 Pack

The Story Behind The Long Island Iced Tea

According to legend, the Long Island Iced Tea was originally named the Old Man Bishop after a gentleman who created the drink during Prohibition its sweetness making it difficult for teetotalers to identify it as alcoholic. But history always has multiple perspectives; bartender Robert Butt claims that it was he who invented the drink in 1972 while participating in a cocktail contest at the Oak Beach Inn in Long Island, N.Y.

Known as one of the booziest and most iconic cocktails coming in at a whopping 22 percent ABV the Long Island Iced Tea combines five different spirits in a symphony of flavors. Equal amounts of vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and triple sec are joined by simple syrup, lemon juice, and a splash of cola to create a unique beverage that belies its strength.

Long Island Iced Teas You Should Know How To Make

Make the Best EVER Long Island Iced Tea

Ahhhh, the Long Island Iced Tea.

As long as people have enjoyed vomiting in the bushes outside their neighborhood watering hole, theyve enjoyed sucking down Long Island Iced Teas.

Just ordering a Long Island sort of defines your night right from the start and makes a declaration to everyone around you: Im going to go from zero to;humiliating just;as quickly as I can.

Now, if you think;people get excited by the Long Island, wait until you offer them a spin-off of the original and watch them jump around like a chimpanzee who got stung by a bee. Ive been serving these variations for years, and if you want to be loved as a bartender, learn to diversify your Long Islands and watch them clutch at their drink excitedly like a child clutches an Otter Pop on a hot summer day.

If youre not a bartender yet, and you want to learn how, you can check out TheRealBarCourse here, even if you have no experience or have no idea where to start.

But enough of that. What kind of teacher would I be if I didnt educate you on the beginnings of the Long Island and where it came from?

HISTORY OF THE LONG ISLAND

As with practically every cocktail with some time under its belt, the Long Island comes with debatable and uncertain beginnings. At first glance it appears as if it might have been inspired by the fruitcake: just throw anything you have in your cupboards into a container, mix it up and then ask yourself why in the hell you would ever ingest such a thing.

Whats up with that, Bob?

Don’t Miss: Which Is The Best Green Tea To Lose Belly Fat

What Is Long Island Iced Tea

Long Island Iced Tea is a strong alcoholic beverage and one of the all-time great highball cocktails. And, this is in the top 5 most requested cocktails in the world. Ã It is typically made with Vodka, Tequila, Light Rum, Triple Sec, Gin and a splash of cola.

This drink is boozy but delicious and refreshing. This drink has a much higher alcohol concentration than most highball drinks with a relatively small amount of mixer.

Long Island Iced Tea was given its name because it looks like a traditional iced tea by its colour due to the added Cola. There is no actual tea in this drink. It mostly tastes like cola with added orange and lemon juice. So, due to its high alcohol content, it can sneak up on you because it doesnââ¬â¢t taste the alcohol so much when drinking it.

Variations On The Long Island Iced Tea

There are lots of ways to play with the recipe above to create variations of the cocktail. For a sweet and sour Long Island iced tea, add five ounces of sweet and sour mix and two dashes of Blackstrap bitters to the ingredients above. You can also use Seven-Up or another light soda instead of Coca-Cola or grapefruit tea in lieu of the sweet and sour mix for yet other variations and finally, one that actually uses tea! For a sweeter and fruitier drink, you can try adding peach schnapps, use orange juice in place of the cola, and garnish with grenadine instead of lemon wedges.

Given how many hard liquors go into a Long Island iced tea, it should come as no surprise that the drink is quite strong, and will get you drunk pretty fast. So enjoy it with caution!

Don’t Miss: How To Use Tea Bags On Eyes

The Long Island Iced Tea Standard Ingredients

In the following paragraphs, we are going to take a look at the standard Long Island Iced Tea ingredients. Overall, Long Island iced tea contains five shots of alcohol, a sweet and sour mix, and fuzzy drink or juice, according to your preferences;

  • Vodka When it comes to making Long Island iced tea, it is important to start with vodka. Now, you cannot use the standard vodka; the vodka for this drink needs to be good for mixing and blending with other alcohol and ingredients. Therefore, you will need ½ oz of good, mixing vodka. We recommend you use the Finlandia vodka, which is excellent for mixing drinks. It is somewhat strong and has a bitter aftertaste, but in combination with other Long Island ingredients, it creates a perfect flavor.
  • Gin Another important Long Island iced tea ingredient is gin. You will need ½ oz of best-dried gin for this drink. Just like the vodka, the gin you use needs to be able to mix well with other alcohol and ingredients. Therefore, we recommend you use the Beefeater gin, which is great because it is both spicy and fruity, and creates a great balance in the drink. This gin is dry but has a wonderful herbal bouquet and a citrus aftertaste. This makes it perfect for the Long Island iced tea. You can also try using the Bombay Sapphire gin, which is also ideal for mixing gin in cocktails.

How To Serve Long Island Iced Tea

How to Make the Best Long Island Iced Tea

Normally use Collins glass, Hurricane glass or a High-Ball glass to serve this great drink.

  • But if you donââ¬â¢t have a glass like that in your home, you can use any unique shaped glass you have in your cupboard.
  • Garnish the glass with a lemon wedge and a nice straw. If you want to get a bit fancier, you can use Cherry or a lemon spiral instead of a wedge for the garnishing.
  • Read Also: Does Twisted Tea Have Yeast

    What You Need To Make A Long Island Iced Tea

    To make a Long Island Iced Tea, youll need the right glass. Traditionally, the cocktail is served in a Highball Glass.

    We recommend:

    You cant make a Long Island Iced Tea without all the alcohol in the world. Here are the brands we recommend.

    Vodka

    Starting with Vodka, theres only really one brand on the list. Smirnoff Vodka. You cant beat it for price and its great quality too. For making cocktails, thats all we really need.

    Dont get me wrong, if I was looking for high-end vodka to sip our verdict would be a little different. Then wed probably look at Grey Goose or even Crystal Head Vodka.

    Our verdict:

    Tequila

    For Tequila, the decision isnt as clear cut.

    In our How to Make a Quick & Easy Margarita cocktail recipe, I examined just which Tequila is the best to use to make cocktails with.

    To summarise, we ruled out Fortaleza Reposado Tequila because it was a little too expensive to use as a cocktail ingredient. Its a perfect Tequila for sipping though.

    Ultimately, I went with either Olmeca Altos Tequila Plata or Sauza Silver Tequila. This is because these two brands of Tequila are of great quality for a reasonable price the perfect criteria for making cocktails with.

    White Rum

    We have the same situation with White Rum as we did with Vodka. Theres one clear winner here. Its a brand thats synonymous with White Rum and comes at a great price too.

    Triple Sec

    Gin

    Long Island Iced Tea Nutrition Facts

    This is the best Long Island Iced Tea recipe of all time! This Long Island Iced Tea recipe is one hot mess of a drink. The recipe reads more like a frat house hazing than one of the worlds most popular cocktails. And yet, somehow, it works. Long Island Iced Tea is a cocktail made with vodka, gin, tequila and rum and was first served in 1970. Many claim to be the creators of this young-at-heart staple, but this version is the real deal. And while the name of this classic cocktail is misleading, very few actually liken the taste to a real iced tea.One thing we know for sure is that this cocktail has certainly made a name for itself outside of Long Island. The drink has a much higher alcohol concentration than most highball drinks due to the relatively small amount of mixer.The Long Island Iced Tea is a curious cocktail. In spite of the name, a Long Island Iced Tea contains no tea! Long island iced tea made with five types of liquor and a splash of cola gives this cocktail its deceptive look and name.Whatever your view of the Long Island Iced Tea is, it is a popular drink and one that every bartender should know. The Long Island Iced Tea is one of our favorite guilty pleasures!

    Best Long Island Iced Tea Recipe

    You May Like: What’s In S Long Island Iced Tea

    If You Like This Try These

    Looking for another “all but the kitchen sink” cocktail with a kick? A Rum Runner and a Zombie, both tiki drinks, have that same vibe. However, if you over-simplify the Long Island Iced Tea, you get something like a Tom Collinsgin, lemon, sugar, bubbles. And of those cheesy drinks everyone loves to hate but loves to drink, there’s the Kamikaze, the Sex on the Beach, the Alabama Slammer, and many, many more.

    Why This Makes The Best Long Island Iced Tea Recipe

    HOW TO MAKE THE BEST LONG ISLAND ICED TEA ð?

    We promise: this LIIT is nothing like the sweet and artificial flavor you might be used to. This is a classy Long Island Iced Tea recipe: full of bright citrus flavor. Heres how to make it the best:

    • Use real lemon, not sour mix. Thats right! Do not even think about using store-bought sour mix here. Real citrus brings the best zingy flavor.
    • Use Cointreau, not Triple Sec. Cointreau is an orange liqueur manufactured in France that has an orange perfume flavor. Its much tastier than your average Triple Sec.
    • Use good liquor. Sure, you can use low quality booze if its all you have. But the better the liquor, the better the drink!

    Don’t Miss: Is Iced Tea Good For Gout

    What Are The Best Spirits For A Long Island Iced Tea

    • Quality value Tequilas like Espoln Tequila Blanco and El Jimador Silver are great options.;
    • Bacardi White Rum or Captain Morgan are excellent choices. Theyre good rums that arent too expensive.;
    • A good vodka, such as Titos Handmade Vodka or New Amsterdam Vodka, is all that is required for a Long Island Iced Tea.;
    • Long Island Iced Tea pairs well with classics like Beefeater or Tanqueray, as well as New Amsterdam Gin.;
    • Although Cointreau is a well-known brand of triple Sec, feel free to use one that is less expensive, such as DeKuyper. Even though Grand Marnier is a combination of cognac and triple Sec rather than straight triple sec, its a good substitute if thats all you have.

    Ingredients In Long Island Iced Tea

    When there are equal parts of five liquors in a cocktail, one liquor should not overpower any of the others. The goal is to achieve balance in the cocktaileven one that packs as much of a punch as the Long Island Iced Tea. To do that, you’ll need quality spirits, but not necessarily high-end spirits.

    Top shelf bottles, or small-batch artisanal spirits from the local distillery, can be used in this recipe, but their nuances will get lost in the mix. The LITas a bar server would call itis perfectly happy with the tried and true middle shelf brands of these spirits.

    • Tequila: Tequila Blanco is an unaged tequila that’s also known as silver or white tequila. Espolòn Tequila Blanco and El Jimador Silver Tequila are quality value rums that will work well in an LIT.
    • Rum: Captain Morgan White Rum or Bacardi White Rum work really well in a Long Island Iced Tea. They’re good rums that don’t break the bank.
    • Vodka: An LIT doesn’t need your favorite vodka, just a well-made vodka, like Tito’s Handmade Vodka or New Amsterdam Vodka.
    • Gin: Standards such as Beefeaters or Tangueray are perfect for Long Island Iced Tea, as is New Amsterdam Gin.
    • Triple Sec: Triple Sec is a sweet, orange flavored liqueur. Cointreau is one brand of well-known triple sec, but feel confident using one that has a lower price tag such as DeKuyper. If Grand Marnier is all you have in your liquor cabinet, it’s a fine alternative even though it’s a blend of cognac and;triple sec, not straight triple sec.

    Don’t Miss: Where Can You Buy Dandelion Tea

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Popular Articles