How to Make a Long Island Ice Tea with Vodka

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Last Reviewed:May 15, 2023 by Gabrielle Marks

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According to The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks: Classic Favorites, New Ingredients, Modern Techniques, the Oak Beach Inn of the Hampton Bays gave the Long Island Ice Tea its notoriety. The popular bar served this five-liquor drink at happy hour, and has been a favorite ever since.

The key to making this drink that contains so many liquors is to use top-shelf brands and to keep the total alcohol content to 2 ½ oz, which is comparable to many other cocktails. The predominantly liquor Long Island Ice Tea becomes dangerous when made too strongly.

What Is in a Long Island Ice Tea?

  • ½ oz vodka
  • ½ oz gin
  • ½ oz rum
  • ½ oz tequila
  • ½ oz triple sec
  • ¾ ounce simple syrup (recipe below)
  • ¾ oz lemon juice
  • 3 oz cola

How to Make a Long Island Ice Tea

  • Fill a drink shaker with ice.
  • Add vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
  • Shake until well mixed and slightly chilled.
  • Pour into an ice filled glass. Top with cola.

How to Make Simple Syrup

Combine equal parts of sugar and water. Heat in a saucepan, stirring continuously, until sugar is dissolved. Cool and refrigerate if not using immediately.

Resources

DeGroff, Dale, and David Kressler. The Essential Cocktail: the Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks : classic Favorites, New Ingredients, Modern Techniques. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2008. Print.

Feller, Robyn M. The Complete Bartender. Rev. Berkley trade pbk. ed. New York: Berkley Books, 2003. Print.