Long Island Iced Tea is a delicious highball that uses tequila as its base ingredient instead of the standard Scotch Whiskey. For the novice, highballs are traditionally mixed drinks that have a spirit as its basic ingredient. They are then topped off with a large measure of a non alcoholic drink that is known as the mixer.
Long Island Iced gets its name from its place of origination, Long Island in New York. The drink was first mixed at the Oak Beach Inn, in the tiny village of Babylon.
Contrary to popular belief, Long Island Iced Tea does not incorporate any kind of tea in it, though some recipes do substitute the cola with actual iced tea.
Other variants of this summer drink are the popular Peach Long Island which is made with peach schnapps and Pittsburgh Tea where Wild Turkey used as a replacement for the tequila. This cocktail can be made with a number of different mixers such as cranberry juice (Long Beach Iced Tea), Midori liqueur (Tokoyo Iced Tea) or Jägermeister (Jersey Tea). However, an authentic Long Island Iced Tea must include tequila.
Long Island Iced Tea
Ingredients:
- Vodka: 1/2 oz.
- Rum: 1/2 oz.
- Gin: 1/2 oz.
- Triple sec: 1/2 oz.
- Tequila: 1/2 oz.
- Lemon juice: 1 oz.
- Sugar: 1 tsp
- Some cola
- Some ice
- A measuring jigger
- A cocktail shaker
- A highball glass
- A straw
Method:
Step 1: Fill the shaker with ice.
Step 2: Add 1/2 an ounce of Vodka, 1/2 an ounce of Rum, and pour in 1/2 an ounce of Gin.
Step 3: Continue to add the alcohol. Add 1/2 an ounce of Triple sec, now add 1/2 an ounce of Tequila, and pour in 1 ounce of lemon juice.
Step 4: Drop in 1 tsp of sugar.
Step 5: Shake vigorously for about 15 sec.
Step 6: Strain the contents of the shaker into the glass.
Step 7: Fill the highball glass about halfway with ice.
Step 8: Top off the glass with cola to add the color of an iced tea.
Be warned! This drink has a much higher percentage of alcohol as compared to other cocktails. So, don’t try to down it in one go or you may wake up next morning with that dreaded hangover.