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Long Island Iced Tea Recipe

Long Island Iced Tea Recipe

Learn how to make the best homemade Long Island Iced Tea with this easy cocktail recipe! This classic craft cocktail perfectly balances five spirits with fresh citrus and cola. Master the technique for a perfectly layered drink that's sure to be the hit of your next gathering.
Difficulty:
Beginner
Prep Time:
3 mins
Cook Time:
Serves:
1 cocktail
A tall, ice-filled Collins glass showcases a gradient from amber to deep caramel as sunlight illuminates the Long Island Iced Tea from behind. Condensation beads on the glass surface, suggesting refreshing coolness. A lemon wheel and straw rest against the rim, while bubbles from the cola dance upward through the cocktail. The drink sits on a dark wooden bar top with bottles of the five spirits artfully arranged in soft focus behind, suggesting its potent mixture of clear and amber liquors.

Ingredients

<ul class="ingredients-main-list"> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml vodka</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml white rum</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml gin</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml silver tequila</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml triple sec (or Cointreau)</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">30ml fresh lemon juice</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml simple syrup</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">60ml cola</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">Lemon wheel for garnish</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">Ice cubes</li> </ul>

Equipment

<ul class="equipment-main-list"> <li class="equipment-single-item">Cocktail shaker</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Hawthorne strainer</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Jigger</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Collins or highball glass</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Bar spoon</li> </ul>
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Directions

<ol class="no-list-style"> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4> Fill your Collins or highball glass completely with ice cubes. The more ice you use, the less the drink will dilute as you enjoy it, maintaining the cocktail's balanced flavors. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4> Add the vodka, white rum, gin, silver tequila, and triple sec to your cocktail shaker. Measure each spirit precisely as the balance of alcohols is crucial to achieving the characteristic Long Island Iced Tea flavor. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4> Pour in the fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. These ingredients are essential to balance the potency of the spirits and create the tea-like flavor profile when combined with cola. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4> Add ice to your shaker and shake vigorously for 10-12 seconds. This both chills the mixture and creates the perfect dilution, softening the edges of the multiple spirits. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4> Strain the mixture into your ice-filled glass, leaving about 2cm of space at the top for the cola. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4> Top with cola, pouring slowly over the back of a bar spoon to create a layered effect. The cola should float slightly on top, giving the drink its tea-like appearance and adding effervescence. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4> Gently stir once or twice to integrate the cola without losing carbonation. You should see a gradient from darker at the top to lighter at the bottom. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4> Garnish with a lemon wheel, placing it on the rim of the glass for both visual appeal and an aromatic element that complements the citrus in the cocktail. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4> Serve immediately with a straw. The Long Island Iced Tea is best enjoyed while cold and effervescent, with the flavors properly integrated but the cola still fresh and bubbly. </li> </ol>

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

🍽️ Serving Size: 1 cocktail
🔥 Calories: 195 calories
🥑 Fat: 0 g
🧈 Saturated Fat: 0 g
🍞 Carbohydrates: 10 g
🍭 Sugar: 9 g
🍗 Protein: 0 g
🫀 Cholesterol: 0 mg
🧂 Sodium: 4 mg

Chef’s Notes

A few helpful details for making this recipe.

What ingredients are used in Long Island Iced Tea?

A classic Long Island Iced Tea combines vodka, white rum, gin, silver tequila, and triple sec with fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and cola for that signature tea-like appearance. The cocktail is garnished with a lemon wheel and served over ice.

How to make Long Island Iced Tea at home?

Learn how to make Long Island Iced Tea by combining equal parts (15ml each) of vodka, rum, gin, tequila and triple sec in a shaker with 30ml lemon juice and 15ml simple syrup. Shake with ice, strain into an ice-filled glass, top with cola, and garnish with lemon. The key is precise measurements for a balanced result rather than an overpowering drink.

Why does this strong cocktail taste like tea when there's no tea in it?

The magic happens when cola is added to the mixture of spirits and lemon juice, creating a tea-like colour and flavour profile. The caramel notes in cola, combined with the citrus acidity, mimic the taste of sweetened iced tea while disguising the substantial alcohol content.

What's the best cola to use in this notorious five-spirit cocktail?

Classic cola brands like Coca-Cola or Pepsi work best as they provide the right balance of sweetness, acidity and caramel notes. Premium craft colas can elevate the cocktail further with more complex flavour profiles, but avoid diet options as they alter the taste and mouthfeel.

How can I create a less alcoholic version while maintaining the signature flavour?

For a lighter version, reduce each spirit to 10ml instead of 15ml and increase the cola to 90ml. Alternatively, create a "Half Island" by using only two or three of the spirits while maintaining the same total volume of alcohol. The lemon juice and cola are essential for the authentic taste.

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Perfectly balanced and not too sweet.", "name": "Better Than Bars", "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": "5" } }, { "@type": "Review", "author": "Olivia Chen", "datePublished": "2024-06-08", "reviewBody": "Such a smooth drink with a serious kick! The step-by-step instructions made it foolproof to create that classic gradient appearance. Everyone at my party was impressed with how professional these looked and tasted.", "name": "Impressive Results", "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": "5" } }, { "@type": "Review", "author": "Antoine Dubois", "datePublished": "2024-06-10", "reviewBody": "This has become my go-to party cocktail recipe! The detailed instructions on layering the cola create that perfect tea-like appearance. Just be careful - guests don't realize how potent these are until it's too late!", "name": "Party Favorite", "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": "5" } } ]}

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