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How to Make a Long Island Ice Tea with Vodka

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 it has been a favorite ever since.

The key to making this drink containing so many liquors is to use the 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 a dangerous concoction 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.