The Biggest Mistake You're Making When Ordering A Long Island Iced Tea

The Long Island iced tea (LIIT) is a polarizing cocktail that many avoid because of its potent effects. Others enjoy the drink's refreshing character and the fact that despite being laden with four types of spirits and a liqueur, it still goes down easy. Then there are those between the two extremes who want to drink an upgraded LIIT and not become one of the many cautionary tales that have made the cocktail notorious.

While there are ways to upgrade your LIIT, and several genuinely good variations of the cocktail have also appeared, simply substituting the liquor in it for more expensive counterparts is a mistake. You end up paying more, and because of how the drink is crafted, will barely be able to taste the difference. 

Remember that if you choose to upgrade the liquor in a LIIT, you pay for not one but four expensive spirits, and possibly for a pricier liqueur as well if the bartender decides to use some top-shelf triple sec in your drink. Substituting a more expensive spirit can sometimes even have a detrimental effect on a Long Island iced tea. For example, using more expensive añejo tequila instead of reposado can muddle the drink's flavors. Whether you're drinking it for the punchy potency or as a refreshing sipper (yes, you can also enjoy a LIIT outside of the club), here's the major mistake to avoid and some effective upgrades to get the most out of your next one. 

The running joke of a Long Island iced tea is that they're crafted to mask the potency — equal parts vodka, gin, tequila, and rum. The remaining ingredients — sour mix, cola, and orange-flavored liqueur — form a sweet, citrusy cocoon over the boozy notes, making the drink go down easily. Generous amounts of ice also dilute the drink over time. Thus, despite its approximately 22% alcohol by volume content (about four beers' worth), a LIIT masks its alcohol well. Thus, it is not the drink to enjoy the subtle notes and flavors of expensive liquors.

While contrary theories exist as to its origin, one popular narrative traces an early version of the Long Island iced tea to the Prohibition era. The cocktail apparently used maple syrup to subdue the brackish burn of illegally made hooch and bathtub gin. The recipe was later tweaked to include cola, lemon, and lime instead of syrup, but the objective was the same — make the liquor more palatable.

Perhaps the only justification for upgrading the booze in a Long Island iced tea is if it's being made with too low a grade of alcohol, which research suggests can sometimes cause more severe hangovers. However, to avoid that, all you need is trusty middle-shelf liquor. You don't need a LIIT made with Grey Goose vodka when one made with Smirnoff will taste just as good.

For more effective ways to modify a LIIT, look to its non-alcoholic ingredients, which the cocktail relies heavily on for flavor. These modifications cost much less than upgrading to expensive alcohol. Skip the sour mix and use fresh lemon juice with simple syrup (or go a step further with infused simple syrup). You'll be pleasantly surprised by the freshness and depth it adds. The splash of cola that tops a LIIT gives the drink complex notes like sweet vanilla and cinnamon spice. Therefore, ask for a different cola (or even artisanal cola, if available) for a more sophisticated flavor profile. Just remember to be tactful when asking your bartender to modify your drink.

For more dramatic variations, try a Blue Long Island, which switches out triple sec in favor of blue Curacao and cola for a clear soda like Sprite. The resulting color and flavors are much brighter. You can also swap the cola with cranberry juice for a Long Beach iced tea, or with pineapple juice for a Hawaiian iced tea. And if you still want to tweak the alcohol in your LIIT, switching from plain to citrus or vanilla-flavored vodka doesn't cost much and makes a significant flavor difference. You can try different liqueurs instead of triple sec, but you'll also have to switch from cola to a more versatile lemon-lime drink. Or, retain the cola and use cherry liqueur instead of triple sec for a cherry Coke-inspired LIIT.