A staple of happy hour, the Long Island Iced Tea is a signature cocktail known for packing a punch. However, the cocktail’s origins are far less well-known than the actual drink. Delve into the history of the Long Island Iced Tea, and you’ll have a story to share the next time you’re joining your friends for a round of drinks.

What’s in a Glass of Long Island Iced Tea?

Contrary to its name, this cocktail doesn’t contain any tea. Instead, it’s a mixture of nearly everything found in a well-stocked spirit cabinet: vodka, tequila, light rum, gin, and triple sec. A splash of cola gives the drink its characteristic amber hue. Sometimes an ounce of sour mix can be added. Other variations swap out the sour mix for lemon juice, use iced tea instead of cola, or add white crème de menthe or mint cream. Considering its ingredients, it’s no wonder that this drink has a high alcohol content of about 22%.  

How Did It Come to Be?

There has been a great deal of fuss on how this devilish cocktail was concocted. For a long time, Robert “Rosebud” Butt claimed the invention, saying that it was his entry in a cocktail making contest back in 1972. He was a bartender at the Oak Beach Inn in Long Island, New York when he joined the competition, which called for the inclusion of triple sec as an ingredient. The drink became a staple at the inn, gained popularity across the globe, and the rest was history.

However, this isn’t necessarily the case. A couple of years before Butt’s claim to fame, a drink with a similar recipe was reportedly found in two books — Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cook Book, published in 1961, and Virginia T. Habeeb’s American Home All-Purpose Cookbook, published in 1966.

There’s another serious contender for the drink’s invention: Charlie “Old Man” Bishop of Kingsport, Tennessee. According to the city’s promotional materials, Bishop was an illegal alcohol distiller during the Prohibition era in the 1920s. It was in Long Island, an isle in Kingsport’s Holston River, where he made batches of the drink using rum, vodka, tequila, whiskey, gin, and maple syrup. His son, Ransom Bishop, tweaked the recipe and added lemon, lime juice, and cola or soda water.

Enjoy a Long Island Iced Tea or another delicious cocktail at Crafty Squirrel. Located in Saint Petersburg, FL, this sports bar is the homegrown favorite for its cunning cocktails, craft beers, and tasty fare like nachos, pizza, and chicken wings. Call (727) 898-4888 today or check out their signature drink menu online.