Couple caveats. There are a lot of alco-pops out there that are Long Island flavored. They aren’t really intended to replicate the taste of the mixed drink any more than a grape soda is intended to replicate the flavor of grapes. They are essentially just a spiked Arnold Palmer, with far less booze than is hoped for in a LIIT. It’s also worth noting the most often these drinks contain malt liquor instead of distilled spirits which entirely lack the flavors of each type of booze.
The true Long Island Iced Tea at-home kits are a better and closer analog, but they still vary widely in quality and concentration. Buyer beware.
All those options are better than no Long Islands at all, but I think it’s worth making the effort to learn to make one from scratch.
There’s also the fifth of “LIIT liquors”. It’s just as high proof (because it’s just a blend of the vodka, tequila, etc etc) and you add your own mixers. It’s dirt cheap and not too bad. I mean, it’s the LIIT equivalent of fast food : real food analogy-wise, but not bad.
Based on the advice from the board, I tried mixing another LIIT tonight. I used the same liquors i’ve been using before, but I cut the tequila down to half a shot and the sour mix to 1 1/2 shots, tossed eight cubes into the shaker before I mixed it up, and served it with the ice.
It’s better.
It’s STILL not quite the same thing as the bars around here are serving, but it’s more palatable, the tequila flavor isn’t so overpowering, and I don’t need to drink it with a chaser anymore. I mixed one up for my roommate to get a second opinion and he called it, and I quote, “good shit”. I’ll take that to mean i’m headed in the right direction.
I mixed one up for my roommate to get a second opinion and he called it, and I quote, “good shit”. I’ll take that to mean i’m headed in the right direction.