Battle Of The Long Island Iced Teas Ends This Month

The battle to claim the title of the best Long Island Iced Tea is finally coming to an end this summer.

The long-awaited championship meeting in the Y'all vs. Youse Guys Long Island Iced Tea battle between the Northern Long Islanders from New York and the Southern Long Islanders from Kingsport, Tennessee will take place Thursday, June 13 in National Harbor, Maryland, near the pier at Bobby McKey's Dueling Piano Bar.

Officials from Tennessee's Visit Kingsport, the city's tourism organization, and Hudson's on the Mile -- the popular restaurant and venue in Freeport that challenged Kingsport's claim that it was the home of the original Long Island Iced Tea -- felt National Harbor was the perfect location for the tiebreaker.

"We are so excited to be hosting the championship meeting in the Long Island Iced Tea battle," said Tracy Zambito, general manager at Bobby McKey's. "This is going to be such a fun event and we look forward to welcoming the Long Islanders from both Kingsport and New York and can't wait to see who comes out on top."

Last May, Visit Kingsport distributed a nationwide press release reclaiming its place in history as the home of the original Long Island Iced Tea. They claim Charley "Old Man" Bishop first concocted the recipe for the drink on Long Island in Kingsport in the 1920s during Prohibition and his son, Ransom, perfected it several years later.

Butch Yamali, owner of Hudson's on the Mile, disputed Kingsport's claim, asserting that Robert "Rosebud" Butt of Long Island invented the Long Island Iced Tea in 1972. The bar owner then challenged Kingsport to a duel with bragging rights on the line.

The first meeting took place on June 27, 2018 at Hudson's on the Mile, and the second was held July 13 in Kingsport. Hudson's on the Mile took the first round in New York, while Kingsport dominated the second round at home.

As in the first two contests, the third meeting will feature a blind tasting of both versions of the drink made by bartenders from Kingsport and Hudson's on the Mile. The official third round will take place at 7:30 p.m. on June 13. Earlier that evening, at 6:30, the first 100 patrons through the door at Bobby McKey's Dueling Piano Bar will be given a sample of each drink, then asked to cast their votes with the People's Choice honor up for grabs.