Long Island Iced Tea
Tart lemon and sweet soda come together in this ultra boozy cocktail. Everyone needs to try this drink at least once.
I love classic cocktails like the Hurricane, midori sour, the Bahama Mama, and the Amaretto sour. The Long Island Iced Tea is another classic cocktail you need in your repertoire. A classic and slightly dangerous drink, it has been knocking drinkers on their butts for decades, and what better place to get knocked on your butt than in the comfort of your own home? It gets its name from its color not the ingredients. Looking for tea? Try my bourbon iced tea drink instead.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Budget Friendly: With so many liquors happening, you can use cheaper varieties without a big difference in flavor.
- Fresh Lemon Flavor: Skip the sour mix and use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Gin Free: I'm not a fan of the herbal flavor of gin, so you won't find it here.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Gold Tequila: Most gold tequila is aged for two months at the least, and sometimes even longer than a year. The aging process gives it its golden color and changes its flavor profile making it sweeter and more complex. I like Margaritaville.
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- Great For: Tequila sunrise, and Texas Margaritas
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- Triple Sec: Triple sec is an orange-flavored liqueur and is quite similar to Cointreau. I used the brand Arrow. Look for it near the schnapps.
- White Rum: Look for white rum that is not aged as long as dark rum. I like Bacardi.
- Uses:Daiquiris, Mojitos, & Piña Colada
- Vodka: I prefer the Smirnoff brand.
- Uses: Greyhound, Sea Breeze, Colorado Bulldog
- Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed juice for the most flavor.
Tips
- Get the Most Juice From Your Lemon: Microwave it for 20-30 seconds and then roll it on the counter to get the most juice possible.
- Measure Precisely: Ratios are important when using this many ingredients. A typical shot class contains 1.5 ounces. You can also measure using a jigger, a tablespoon, or even a food scale that measures in MLs. One tablespoon=.5 ounces.
- Shaken Not Stirred: Do not stir all the ingredients together. It can be tempting to simply pour the alcohol and the cola into one glass and stir, but this will result in a sub-par cocktail. Instead, follow the directions, shake the liquors in your cocktail shaker, and pour the cola over. The shake is essential for dilution and for combining the ingredients effectively.
- No Cocktail Shaker?: No problem! Use a mason jar instead.
- Don't skip the garnish: Nothing will elevate your status as a bartender like a fun garnish.
- Make Clear Ice: Use bottled water for crystal clear cubes.
More Classic Cocktails
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📖 Recipe
Long Island Iced Tea
Tart lemon and sweet soda come together in this ultra boozy cocktail. Everyone needs to try this drink at least once.
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Servings: 2 Drinks
Calories: 459kcal
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Ingredients
- 2 Ounces Margaritaville Gold Tequila
- 2 Ounces Smirnoff Vodka
- 2 Ounces Bacardi White Rum
- 2 Ounces Triple Sec
- 4 Ounces Simple Syrup
- 4 Ounces Lemon Juice Freshly Squeezed
- 2 Ounces Coke Cola
- Ice
- Fresh Mint and Lemon Wedges For Garnish
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Instructions
- Fill 2 glasses with ice.
- Using a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, vodka, white rum, triple sec, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
- Pour into glasses and top with Coke Cola.
- Garnish with mint and a lemon slice.
Notes
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
Gold Tequila: Tequila is alcohol from the agave plant and originates in Mexico. Tequila comes in two colors, silver, and gold. The main difference is their length of aging. Silver tequila is aged for two months at the most, while gold tequila is aged for two months at the least, and sometimes even longer than a year. The aging process gives it its golden color and changes its flavor profile.
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- Flavor: Gold tequila is slightly sweeter than other varieties.
- Cost: $12-$15
- Strength: 80 proof or 40% ABV
- Brands: I like Margaritaville.
-
- Triple Sec: Triple sec is an orange-flavored liqueur. It originates from France, and is quite similar to Cointreau. I used the brand Arrow.
- Flavor: Triple sec is made by steeping orange peels in a spirit, which gives it its strong orange flavor.
- Cost: $8-$10
- Strength: 30 proof of 15% ABV
- Location: Look for it near the Schnapps.
- White Rum: Rum is a liquor that originates in the Caribbean and is made by distilling sugarcane. Look for white rum that is not aged as long as dark rum.
- Flavor: Crisp with notes of citrus and a hint of vanilla.
- Brand: I like Bacardi.
- Strength: 80 proof or 40% ABV
- Cost:$10-$15
- Vodka: Most vodka is made from wheat. I prefer the Smirnoff brand.
- Flavor: It adds more alcohol than flavor to think drink.
- Cost: $12-$15
- Strength: 80 proof or 40% ABV
- Simple Syrup: Simple syrup is made by simmering equal parts sugar and water until they combine to create a syrup. Simple syrup can be homemade or bought at the store. You can also use different flavors to add a twist to your drink, such as vanilla or orange.
- Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed juice for the most flavor.
- Get the Most Juice From Your Lemon: Microwave it for 20-30 seconds and then roll it on the counter to get the most juice possible.
- Measure Precisely: Ratios are important when using this many ingredients. A typical shot class contains 1.5 ounces. You can also measure using a jigger, a tablespoon, or even a food scale that measures in MLs. One tablespoon=.5 ounces.
- Shaken Not Stirred: Do not stir all the ingredients together. It can be tempting to simply pour the alcohol and the cola into one glass and stir, but this will result in a sub-par cocktail. Instead, follow the directions, shake the liquors in your cocktail shaker, and pour the cola over. The shake is essential for dilution and for combining the ingredients effectively.
- No Cocktail Shaker?: No problem! Use a mason jar instead.
- Don't skip the garnish: Nothing will elevate your status as a bartender like a fun garnish.
- Make Clear Ice: Use bottled water for crystal clear cubes.
Nutrition
Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 2mg
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My all time favorite recipe! I am not a tea person but cant say no to Long Island Iced tea
I am not much of an alcohol drinker, but those drinks sure look interesting. I have a friend who would love to give it a try.
I love a long island iced tea but I haven't had one in years!
Awesome! These drinks look absolutely delicious! The ice full of glass with this drink makes it so enticing and tempting! I'll definitely make this asap! Thanks for the share!
Perfect timing! I have a party next week for my birthday and these are much needed!
I love long island iced tea. I can make this every day and I don't think I'll be sick and tired of it.
Shake not stir. I am guilty of this. Now I will be reminded to share and not stir my cocktail. Thank you for this plus the various drinks reco.
I love Long Island Iced Teas! It's my go to drink when I don't know what I want. Once I was at a blogger event and I ordered one at the bar, little did I know they weren't using mix and were making it from scratch. I felt so guilty, especially when everyone saw it and starting ordering them too. I feel like I made that poor guy do so much more work
That looks like a delicious drink. I would love to make one at home.
Ah, the Long Island Iced Tea. One of my favorite cocktails. I can't get enough of the flavor of these, but back in the day, that was a literal thing. LOL.