Long Island Iced Tea
A Long Island Iced Tea is the ultimate happy-hour sleeper: five clear spirits — vodka, gin, rum, tequila and triple sec — shaken with fresh lemon and a little sugar, then topped with just enough cola to turn the glass the exact amber of brewed iced tea. There isn't a drop of actual tea in it; the cola and citrus mimic the color and bite while the shake-and-strain method melds the liquors into one smooth, deceptively easy-drinking highball.
Fill a tall glass with ice and chill it while you work; in a cocktail shaker combine 1/2 oz (15 ml) each of vodka, gin, white rum, blanco tequila and triple sec, then add 3/4 oz (22 ml) fresh lemon juice and 1/2 oz (15 ml) simple syrup; fill the shaker with ice, seal and shake hard for about 15 seconds until frosty; empty the ice from your chilled glass, refill with fresh cubes, strain the mixture over the top, then float about 1 oz (30 ml) chilled cola so the drink turns iced-tea amber; stir once, drop in a lemon wedge, add a straw and serve immediately while ice-cold.
- Use equal 1/2-oz measures of all five spirits so no single liquor dominates — that balance is what makes it drink like iced tea, not rocket fuel.
- Shake the spirits with fresh lemon and simple syrup, then strain over clean ice; add the cola last so it stays fizzy and gives the signature amber color.
- Fresh lemon juice (never bottled) and just a float of cola instead of a full pour keep it crisp rather than cloying.
Equipment
- Highball or Collins glass
- Cocktail shaker
- Jigger
- Hawthorne bar strainer
- Bar spoon
- Citrus juicer
Ingrediënten
The five spirits
- 15 ml vodka
- 15 ml London dry gin
- 15 ml white (silver) rum
- 15 ml blanco tequila, 100% agave preferred
- 15 ml triple sec, such as Cointreau
Mixers & garnish
- 22 ml fresh lemon juice, from about half a lemon
- 15 ml simple syrup, 1:1 sugar and water
- 30 ml cola, chilled, to float on top
- ice cubes
- lemon wedge, to garnish
Bereiding
- STAP01
Fill a tall highball or Collins glass to the brim with ice and set it in the freezer while you build the drink. A cold glass and plenty of ice keep the cocktail from going watery and flat.
- STAP02
Into a cocktail shaker, add 1/2 oz (15 ml) each of vodka, gin, white rum, blanco tequila and triple sec. Equal measures are the whole point — no single spirit should stand out.
- STAP03
Pour in 3/4 oz (22 ml) fresh lemon juice and 1/2 oz (15 ml) simple syrup. The lemon and sugar balance five strong liquors and give the classic tea-like tang.
- STAP04
Fill the shaker with ice, seal, and shake hard for about 15 seconds until the tin frosts over. This chills and lightly dilutes the base so the alcohol tastes smooth, not hot.
- STAP05
Discard the ice from your chilled glass, refill it with fresh cubes, and strain the shaken mixture over the top. Fresh ice melts slower than the ice you just shook with.
- STAP06
Top with about 1 oz (30 ml) chilled cola, pouring gently so it settles through the drink and turns it that signature amber iced-tea color. Go easy — a float, not a full pour.
- STAP07
Give it one slow stir with a bar spoon, drop in a lemon wedge, add a straw, and serve immediately while it's ice-cold and fizzy.
Make ahead
For a crowd, pre-mix the five spirits with the lemon juice and simple syrup (scale everything up by your headcount) and chill the batch. When guests arrive, pour about 3 oz (90 ml) of the base over fresh ice per glass and finish each drink with its own splash of cola.
Storage
Best enjoyed the moment it's built — once poured it will dilute and lose its fizz within about 15 to 20 minutes. Any leftover five-spirit base (without cola or ice) can be sealed and refrigerated for up to 3 days; add fresh cola and ice when you're ready to pour.
Variations
Long Beach Iced Tea
Swap the cola for a splash of cranberry juice. You lose the tea color but gain a tart, ruby-pink drink that reads a little lighter and fruitier.
Alcohol-free 'Long Island'
For a mocktail, replace all five spirits with 2 1/2 oz (75 ml) cold brewed black tea plus a few drops of orange extract, keep the lemon and simple syrup, and top with cola. You get the look and the citrus bite with none of the booze.
Party pitcher
Multiply everything by eight and stir together in a large pitcher with the lemon and syrup; add the cola and ice only just before serving so it stays sparkling.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Veelgestelde vragen
Is there actually tea in a Long Island Iced Tea?
No — despite the name, this Long Island iced tea recipe contains no tea at all. The nickname comes from its color: a float of cola over the citrusy spirit base turns the glass the same amber shade as a tall glass of sweet iced tea.
Why is a Long Island Iced Tea so strong?
It stacks five different liquors — vodka, gin, rum, tequila and triple sec — into one glass, so even with modest 1/2-oz pours it carries roughly the alcohol of three standard drinks. Sip it slowly and treat it like the potent cocktail it is.
Can I make this Long Island iced tea recipe without a shaker?
Yes. Build everything except the cola directly in the ice-filled glass and stir well for 20 to 30 seconds to chill and combine, then top with cola. A shaker gives a colder, silkier result, but a bar spoon and a tall glass work fine in a pinch.
What kind of cola and citrus should I use?
Use a standard cola for the classic color and caramel sweetness, and always squeeze fresh lemon rather than bottled — fresh juice keeps the drink crisp instead of dull. Diet cola works if you want to trim a little sugar.
Can I batch it for a party?
Absolutely — combine the five spirits with the lemon juice and simple syrup in a pitcher scaled to your guest count, refrigerate, then pour over fresh ice and finish each glass with its own splash of cola so every drink stays fizzy.
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