How Many Calories in a Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail ?

A Long Island Iced Tea packs between 220 and 540 calories depending on how it’s made and how much ends up in your glass. The standard 8-ounce pour sits around 276 calories, but larger servings and sweeter recipes push that number higher fast. The culprit? Five spirits plus sugary mixers in one drink.

The Standard Answer: 220 to 540 Calories

Most bars serve a Long Island Iced Tea with roughly 276 calories in a standard 8 to 8.3-ounce pour. This assumes the classic recipe: vodka, rum, gin, tequila, triple sec, sour mix or fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and a splash of cola.

The calorie range widens based on serving size. A smaller 6 to 8-ounce version lands between 220 and 280 calories. Go for a 12-ounce glass and you’re looking at 400 to 450 calories. Order a 16-ounce “fishbowl” style LIIT at a casual chain restaurant and you could hit 540 calories or more.

Size matters more than most people realize. The difference between a modest home pour and a generous bar serving can swing the calorie count by 200+ calories.

What Makes a Long Island Iced Tea So Calorie-Dense?

The Long Island Iced Tea earns its calorie reputation honestly. It combines multiple spirits with sweet mixers, creating a double hit that few other cocktails match.

The Five Spirits (Vodka, Rum, Gin, Tequila, Triple Sec)

Each spirit contributes around 30 to 35 calories per half-ounce. A standard recipe calls for half an ounce of each, totaling 2.5 ounces of alcohol. That’s roughly 150 to 175 calories from spirits alone. This is the baseline cost you can’t avoid without fundamentally changing the drink.

All five spirits clock in at 40% ABV (80 proof) except triple sec, which runs slightly lower at 30 to 40% ABV. The alcohol content drives the calorie density, since pure alcohol delivers 7 calories per gram, nearly as much as fat.

The Sweeteners (Simple Syrup, Sour Mix, Cola)

The mixers add another 110 to 170 calories depending on the recipe. Here’s where things get negotiable.

Simple syrup contributes 50 to 70 calories per serving. Some recipes use a full ounce, others go lighter. Homemade versions and bar pours vary wildly.

Sour mix, if used instead of fresh lemon juice, adds 40 to 60 calories. Premade mixes contain added sugar and preservatives. Fresh lemon juice cuts this dramatically, landing closer to 5 to 10 calories per ounce.

Cola tops off the drink with 20 to 40 calories in a standard splash (1 to 2 ounces). Some bartenders pour heavier to dilute the strong alcohol kick, which increases the calorie load. The cola also gives the drink its signature iced tea color.

How Does It Compare to Other Cocktails?

The Long Island Iced Tea sits on the higher end of the cocktail calorie spectrum, but it’s not alone up there.

A Margarita averages 150 to 200 calories for a standard rocks pour. Single spirit, citrus juice, and triple sec keep things moderate.

A Mojito clocks in around 140 to 170 calories. Light rum, fresh mint, lime, and soda water make it one of the lighter tropical options.

A Piña Colada ranges from 300 to 490 calories depending on how much coconut cream the bartender uses. Cream-based drinks always run heavy.

An Old Fashioned delivers 150 to 180 calories. Bourbon, bitters, and a sugar cube. Minimal mixer means minimal extra calories.

The takeaway: The LIIT sits higher than single-spirit cocktails because it layers five spirits and sugary mixers. But it’s not the worst offender. Cream-based or blended drinks with multiple sweet liqueurs can easily match or exceed it.

How to Lower the Calorie Count Without Losing Flavor

You don’t need to abandon the Long Island Iced Tea entirely if you’re watching calories. A few smart swaps bring the number down without turning it into a sad, watered-down version.

Swap the Mixers

Replace regular cola with diet cola and you save 20 to 40 calories immediately. The taste difference is minimal once it’s mixed with five spirits and citrus.

Use fresh lemon juice instead of premade sour mix. This cuts 30 to 50 calories per drink. Fresh juice tastes brighter anyway, and you avoid the artificial aftertaste of bottled mixes.

Skip the simple syrup or cut it in half. The triple sec already adds sweetness, and the cola contributes sugar as well. Dropping the syrup saves 50 to 70 calories. The drink will taste drier and more spirit-forward, which some people prefer.

Control Your Pour Size

An 8-ounce serving versus a 12-ounce pour makes a 100-calorie difference. At home, use a smaller glass. At bars, ask for a “short” or standard pour instead of the large option. You’ll still get the full LIIT experience without the calorie bloat.

Go Easy on the Spirits

Some bars overpour to create a “stronger” drink. The standard recipe uses 2.5 ounces total spirits (half an ounce of each). Cutting back to a scant half-ounce per spirit saves 30 to 50 calories, but it weakens the signature kick. This is a trade-off worth considering if you’re mixing at home and want a lighter version.

Should You Worry About the Calories?

A Long Island Iced Tea is not a daily drink. It’s a treat, and one cocktail won’t derail a balanced diet. The real concern isn’t just the calories but the alcohol content. With five spirits in one glass, the ABV runs around 22%, significantly higher than most cocktails. That means faster intoxication and more empty calories if you have multiples.

If you’re tracking calories, factor the drink in, enjoy it, and move on. No guilt necessary. The LIIT is designed to be sipped slowly, not chugged. One drink can last an entire evening if you pace yourself.

The bigger picture matters more than one cocktail. If you balance your overall intake and don’t make high-calorie drinks a nightly habit, a Long Island Iced Tea fits just fine into a reasonable approach to food and drink.

A Long Island Iced Tea delivers around 276 calories in a standard pour, more if you’re getting a large one at a bar. The number climbs fast because of five spirits plus sweet mixers, but swapping to diet cola and fresh citrus brings it closer to 180 to 220 calories. Know your pour size, adjust your mixers, and decide if it fits your night. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn’t. That’s the point.