This is critical knowledge to have if you plan to drink one. Or three. Because not knowing this will get you in a whole heap of trouble.
Why Long Island Iced Tea Is So Good
The Long Island Iced Tea is a curious cocktail. Theoretically, it shouldn’t taste all that good considering how many different liquors are being mixed together. Yet, it works! The triple sec (an orange-flavored liqueur), lemon juice, and cola bind everything just perfectly.
How To Serve Long Island Iced Tea
This cocktail is an easy one to throw together in a big pitcher for a party. I wait until just before the guests arrive, then mix everything together in a bowl with ice. Strain it into a pitcher and serve! The step of mixing with the ice helps to quickly chill the drink and adds just the right amount of dilution to the finished cocktail. 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 LIT—as a bar server would call it—is perfectly happy with the tried and true middle shelf brands of these spirits. (Your pocketbook will be, too.)
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 tequilas 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.
How To Make a Single Serving of Long Island Iced Tea
This super-sized cocktail recipe serves 8 to 12 people. If one cocktail is all you want, use 1 tablespoon each of tequila, rum, vodka, gin, and triple sec; 1 1/2 tablespoons each of lemon juice and simple syrup; and about 3 tablespoons of cola.
Variations on Long Island Iced Tea
Texas Tea: Add 1/2 cup of your favorite bourbon. It’s best sipped outside while doing absolutely nothing. Long Beach Tea: Substitute cranberry juice for the cola for a fruitier and more intensely tart version of this cocktail. It’s a novel option for backyard cookouts.
More Cocktail Recipes To Try!
Cosmopolitan Moscow Mule White Russian Cocktail Aperol Spritz Old Fashioned Cocktail
To make ahead: Mix the liquors, lemon, and simple syrup from the Long Island Iced Tea ingredients in advance. Right before serving, add the cola and the ice. If you add the cola too soon, it will go flat.
