Despite its iconic name, the Long Island Iced Tea is a mixed cocktail that is bereft of any actual tea, rather combining a variety of light and dark liquors to make a drink that absolutely packs a punch. Take a look at how you can make the famous drink from home as well as learn a few ways to personalize this signature cocktail to match your specific taste.
Long Island Iced Tea Recipe
This legendary cocktail was first mixed in the 1970s and got its name from the tea-like color of the finished mixture. Make sure to pace yourself when drinking this amalgamation of hard spirits; sip slow on this one, and you can make the most out of it.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ ounce Cointreau, triple sec, or another orange liqueur
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce light rum
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce London dry gin
- Ice
- Cola
- Lemon slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, orange liqueur, vodka, rum, tequila, and gin. Add ice and shake for about ten to fifteen seconds.
- Strain the contents into a highball glass filled with ice.
- Top with cola and garnish with a lemon slice.
Long Island Iced Tea Variations
By just adding a single ingredient or swapping one liquor out for another, you can create a whole new iteration of the Long Island Iced Tea. Take a look at these super easy variations and see which one works best for you.
Texas Tea
Add a little bourbon to a regular Long Island Iced Tea and you have yourself a Texas Tea. This recipe can turn even the most somber party into a rodeo.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ ounce Cointreau, triple sec, or orange liqueur
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce light rum
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce London dry gin
- ½ ounce bourbon
- Ice
- Cola
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, orange liqueur, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and bourbon. Add ice and shake for about ten to fifteen seconds.
- Strain the contents into a highball glass filled with ice.
- Top with cola and garnish with a lime wheel.
Raspberry Long Island Iced Tea
For something that cuts away at the strong Long Island Iced Tea, try adding raspberry liqueur.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ ounce raspberry liqueur
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce light rum
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce London dry gin
- Ice
- Cola
- Raspberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, raspberry liqueur, vodka, rum, tequila, and gin. Add ice and shake for about ten to fifteen seconds.
- Strain the contents into a highball glass filled with ice.
- Top with cola and garnish with a few raspberries.
Georgia Peach Tea
Peach schnapps helps bring a fruity flavor to the classic Long Island Iced Tea drink.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ ounce Cointreau, triple sec, or orange liqueur
- ½ ounce peach schnapps
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce light rum
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce London dry gin
- Ice
- Cola
- Peach slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, orange liqueur, peach schnapps, vodka, rum, tequila, and gin. Add ice and shake for about ten to fifteen seconds.
- Strain the contents into a highball glass filled with ice.
- Top with cola and garnish with a peach slice.
Roy Rogers Iced Tea
Inspired by the soda fountain favorite drink, a Roy Rogers Iced Tea substitutes regular vodka for cherry vodka and adds cherry juice for an intense cherry flavor. Unlike a regular Roy Rogers, however, this drink is not nonalcoholic.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce cherry liqueur
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ ounce Cointreau, triple sec, or orange liqueur
- ½ ounce cherry vodka
- ½ ounce light rum
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce London dry gin
- Ice
- Cola
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, cherry liqueur, simple syrup, orange liqueur, cherry vodka, rum, tequila, and gin. Add ice and shake for about ten to fifteen seconds.
- Strain the contents into a highball glass filled with ice.
- Top with cola and garnish with a lemon wheel.
Florida Orange Iced Tea
If you're looking to add a little vitamin C to your day, look no further than this Florida Orange Iced Tea which substitutes cola for orange juice.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ ounce Cointreau, triple sec, or orange liqueur
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce light rum
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce London dry gin
- 2 ounces Orange Juice
- Ice
- Lemon lime soda
- Orange wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, orange liqueur, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and orange juice. Add ice and shake for about ten to fifteen seconds.
- Strain the contents into a highball glass filled with ice.
- Top with lemon lime soda. Garnish with an orange wedge.
High Tide Iced Tea
When high tide hits and you're forced back into your beachside bungalows, take this recipe for a spin. Just add blue curaçao and sweet and sour mix to the regular long island iced recipe and you've got a High Tide Iced Tea.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ ounce blue curaçao
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce light rum
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce London dry gin
- Ice
- Sweet and sour mix
- Lemon wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, blue curaçao, vodka, rum, tequila, and gin. Add ice and shake for about ten to fifteen seconds.
- Strain the contents into a highball glass filled with ice.
- Top with sweet and sour mix and garnish with a lemon wedge
Don't Let Long Island Iced Tea Sneak Up on You
What cocktail enthusiasts really need to keep in mind is that the flavor of this cocktail is so smooth that it barely tastes like a cocktail at all, and it's easy to overindulge. One way to protect yourself from getting drunker than you intended is to ask the bartender or server how much of each alcohol is being used. In addition, be sure not to drink on an empty stomach and to drink a full glass of water before having another cocktail following this one. As long as you're careful and pace yourself, the Long Island Iced Tea will bring you a party in a glass.
