Long Island Iced Tea Must Be From Long Island Right

Long Island Iced Tea must be from Long Island, right? The easy answer is yes, the complication comes from whether it was Long Island, NY or Long Island, TN. And so rages the controversy in a battle as split as the North vs South. Hopefully, we'll get clarification soon.

Long Island, NY claims the drink was invented by Robert Butt at the Oak Beach Inn in 1972. It was his entry into a contest for a new drink that featured Triple Sec.

Long Island in Tennessee is actually a community in the town of Kingsport. Their claim to the drink dates back to 1920's in the days of prohibition. The story says the drink originated with Ransom Bishop and his father. Their version was whiskey and maple syrup with varied amounts of 5 other liquors.

Bartenders from both Long Island's have challenged the other to a contest to decide the official naming rights. They held one competition in Tennessee and they will hold a second one today on Long Island.  Blindfolded judges and customers will vote for their favorite version of Long Island Iced Tea. The winner gets to claim the drink as their own, while the other will have to clean the bar and restrooms of the winning side.

There are lots of variations on the Long Island Iced Tea.  And with today's rush to add flavors, you'll find lots of options on fruit flavors too. Do you have a favorite version?

BONUS VIDEO: