How to Make a Long Island Iced Tea

Co-authored by Tom Blake

Last Updated: October 27, 2021 References

Though “iced tea” might sound tame, the Long Island Iced Tea is known to have quite a kick since it combines 5 types of alcohol and half the amount of the mixers. The cocktail is also highly adaptable--you can scale down on the alcohol, try different variations of the spirits, or swap Coke with cranberry juice for a lighter summer drink.^{[1]
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Ingredients

Classic Long Island Iced Tea

0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of vodka
0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of gin
0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of light rum
0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of tequila
1.5 fl oz (44 mL) of triple sec
0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of fresh lemon juice
2 fl oz (59 mL) of Coke
Lemon wedge for garnish
Broken ice or ice cubes for serving and mixing

Variations on the Classic

Cranberry juice
Black tea simple syrup
Orange liqueur

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Classic Long Island Iced Tea

1
Fill a highball, collins, or other tall glass with the broken ice or ice cubes. This will be your serving glass. For a super cold drink, put your serving glass in the freezer 1-2 hours before you want to make your cocktail, and when you take it out it will keep your drink extra cold.
2
Add ice to a cocktail shaker if available. If you don't have a cocktail shaker, you can improvise one by adding ice to a mason jar and using this to shake the drink.^{[2]
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Research source} Otherwise, you can simply mix the drink with a long spoon in the serving glass.

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3
Add the spirits and lemon juice to your shaker. Add 0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of light rum, 0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of tequila, 1.5 fl oz (44 mL) of triple sec, 0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of vodka, 0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of gin, and 0.75 fl oz (22 mL) of fresh lemon juice to your shaker. Put the cap on the cocktail shaker or mason jar.
- Do not add the cola to the shaker yet. If you shake it with cola inside, it will explode!
4
Shake the cocktail shaker vigorously for about 5 seconds. A Long Island iced tea should always be shaken, if possible, in order to incorporate the lemon and sugar.
- As a rule of thumb, try to always shake drinks that are made with citrus juice.^{[3]
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5
Pour the mixture into the serving glass. If using a cocktail shaker, strain the mix through the cocktail strainer to avoid adding the mixer ice to the serving glass. Otherwise, just pour slowly to avoid pouring in the ice.
6
Top off the cocktail with a splash of cola. Use Mexican Coke made with real sugar or American Coke, based on your personal preference. You can use the standard 2 fl oz (59 mL) of Coke or fill the glass up all the way.^{[4]
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7
Garnish the glass with a lemon wedge for a nicer presentation. This step isn't necessary for taste, but it will give the drink a nice summery look. The drink has all the lemon juice it needs, so try to avoid squeezing the lemon into the drink.
8
Serve the beverage and enjoy. Drink responsibly; the Long Island iced tea contains about as much alcohol as 5 beers.^{[5]
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Research source} Drink it slowly and snack to balance alcohol intake.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Variations on the Classic

1
Swap cranberry juice for cola. After the spirits and lemon juice are in the serving glass, add a splash of cranberry juice instead of Coke. The cranberry juice will give the drink a light, summery taste.^{[6]
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- This variation is commonly known as the Long Beach Iced Tea.
2
Make a lighter beverage by adding more Coke and less alcohol. Scale down on the ratio of spirits to mixers by using 0.5 fl oz (15 mL) of each spirit. Once you pour the drink, add extra Coke until the glass is full.
- Cutting down on the alcohol gives the Long Island a more balanced taste and can be a good idea for smaller people or light drinkers.
3
Swap out triple sec for a brandy-based orange liqueur. When combining spirits in your cocktail shaker, use 1.5 fl oz (44 mL) of brandy-based orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier, instead of triple sec. This spirit is made with brandy and orange bitters, which will give the drink significant depth compared to regular triple sec.^{[7]
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- This simple substitution can make the whole drink feel more balanced.
4
Use black tea simple syrup instead of Coke for a sophisticated twist. After combining the spirits and lemon juice in the Long Island Iced Tea, Add 2 fl oz (59 mL) of cold black tea syrup instead of Coke. Now you can taste actual tea notes in your Long Island Iced Tea!
- To make black tea simple syrup, steep 3-4 tea bags in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the tea bags and put the pot back on the stove, adding 1 cup (200 g) of sugar. Heat until the sugar dissolves, and then pour mixture into a bottle and refrigerate.

Expert Q&A

Question

I have a Long Island premixed drink and it says to add lime juice and cola. How much should I add of each, and is that all I need to add?

Tom Blake
Professional Bartender
Tom Blake manages the bartending blog, craftybartending.com. He has been a bartender since 2012 and has written a book named The Bartender's Field Manual.

Tom Blake

Professional Bartender

Expert Answer

Most likely yes - it should be lemon juice, but lime juice also works. For 1 serving, add 0.75 oz (22 mL) of lime or lemon juice and then top the drink with however much cola is necessary.
Question

What is simple syrup?

Community Answer

It's equal parts sugar and water, which are then boiled continuously until all sugar is dissolved.

Warnings

Drink alcoholic beverages responsibly and do not ever drive after consuming a Long Island iced tea. It contains far more alcohol than the legal limit.