Long Island Ice Tea Recipe

Chill glass

Place a tall highball or Collins glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes or fill it with ice and water to chill while you prepare the cocktail.

Combine spirits & mixers

In a cocktail shaker or large mixing glass, add 4 cups of cubed ice. Pour in vodka, tequila, white rum, gin and triple sec (each 0.5 cups). Add the fresh lemon juice (0.5 cups) and simple syrup (0.25 cups).

Shake

Secure the shaker lid and shake vigorously for 8–10 seconds to chill and dilute the mixture evenly. If using a mixing glass, stir briskly for about 10 seconds.

Prepare serving glass

Discard the ice/water if you used it to chill the glass. Fill the chilled highball or Collins glass about three-quarters full with fresh ice (approximately 1–1.5 cups).

Strain & top

Strain the shaken spirit mixture into the prepared glass over the fresh ice. Top gently with 2 cups (about 6–8 fl oz) of chilled cola, pouring slowly so the cola layers and mixes without excessive foaming.

Garnish & serve

Give the drink one gentle stir (1–2 revolutions) to integrate the cola. Garnish with a lemon wheel or wedge on the rim and serve immediately with a straw or stirring stick.

Notes

This recipe yields a strong, full-size Long Island Ice Tea. Adjust spirit volumes proportionally for smaller servings (standard single-serve Long Island typically uses about 0.5–0.75 oz of each spirit). Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor and moderate sweetener to balance acidity. Drink responsibly.