Afternoon Tea?

As a bartender, I found out early on the reason this cocktail is so popular- customers reckon it gets them drunk quicker and is good value for money. As a bartender I also experienced early on the challenge of then persuading them to leave a few hours down the line.

Like many drinks which have been around for a while, the exact origins of this drink are slightly cloudy. One story you find a lot, and seems plausible – the origins of this drink relate back to Long Island, sometime during The Prohibition. Bartenders would mix any number of ‘bootleg’ spirits together and top them up with cola thus making it look like an innocent iced tea!

It seems likely then that the person who is often credited with the invention of the drink during the 1970’s, at the Oak Beach Inn in Hampton Bays, one Mr. Rosebud “Butt” was just refining an old recipe. Whatever he did, it stuck, as this drink is still hugely popular all over the world.

As with most drinks with a history, newer versions of this cocktail abound. You could always try a Long Beach Ice Tea (substitute cranberry juice for cola) or a Tokyo Iced Tea (substitute Midori for Triple Sec and lemonade for cola).

If you really want to treat yourself to a slightly higher level of drink, how about trying a Beverly Hills Ice Tea (substitute Champagne for cola), which will offer you a drink for one of the reasons we mentioned at the start!

The most popular Long Island Ice Tea recipe is:

1.5 cl (three parts) Vodka
1.5 cl (three parts) Tequila
1.5 cl (three parts) White Rum
1.5 cl (three parts) Triple Sec
1.5 cl (three parts) Gin
2.5 cl (five parts) Lemon juice
3.0 cl (six parts) Sugar Syrup
Topped up with a Dash of Cola

Mix ingredients in glass over ice, stir, garnish with a lemon wedge and serve.

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