Easy
Sweet & Fresh
2 minutes
Highball Glass
Ingredients
Harvey Wallbanger is an easy-to-make mixed drink consisting of just three ingredients – vodka, fresh orange juice and sweet vanilla-anise flavored liqueur.
Made directly in the glass, the Harvey Wallbanger was one of the most popular drinks in the 1970s. But hey, it’s still one of the best fuss-free crowd pleasers that works anywhere, anytime.
How to Make a harvey wallbanger Cocktail
Bar tools you’ll need
Jigger
Bar Spoon
Knife
Peeler
How to Mix
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Fill a highball glass (or Collins glass) with ice cubes.
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Measure and pour Absolut Vodka into the glass using a jigger (or other measuring tool).
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Grab some oranges for juicing, but first, peel a piece of orange zest using a peeler or a knife and set it aside for garnishing later.
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Juice your oranges, preferably with a centrifugal juicer, but a hand mixer will work too.
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Top up the glass three-quarters of the way with fresh orange juice.
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Stir gently with a bar spoon.
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Using the back of your bar spoon, slowly pour Galliano into the glass to create a float.
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Garnish by placing a piece of orange zest directly into the glass.
All about the Harvey Wallbanger
A Harvey Wallbanger is essentially a variation of a classic Screwdriver cocktail. Just like a Screwdriver, a Harvey Wallbanger is made with vodka and fresh orange juice but then adds a float of Galliano to the mix
“Fresh orange rounded off with vanilla notes. You can’t argue with that – it’s a great drink. Delicious, actually” says Rico.
The Harvey Wallbanger was invented in 1969 in the United States as a variation of a Screwdriver cocktail. The cocktail is credited to a three-time world champion mixologist from Hartford, Connecticut, who ran a bartending school specializing in mixology.
- Aerate your juice
- “Aeration is just gonna make the flavors of the orange juice pass elegantly over your tongue and really amplify the full flavors of the Harvey Wallbanger,” says Rico.
“If you don’t have the powerful juicer at home to aerate your drinks, just use a stave mixer or hand mixer. All you’re trying to do is get some air into that drink,” he explains.
- Screwdriver
The Harvey Wallbanger is actually a twist on the Screwdriver, not the reverse. But let’s be honest, you can’t mention the Harvey Wallbanger without bringing up the Screwdriver.Use the same recipe on this page but skip the sweet vanilla-anise flavored liqueur. Instead, garnish with an orange wedge. Discover our recipe for a classic Screrwdriver.
- Add Orange Bitters
Add a couple of dashes of orange bitters to give your drink another level of orange zest. - Harvey Wallbanger with Gin
One popular twist on a classic Harvey Wallbanger is to sub the vodka for gin, which will give your drink a more herbal, botanical quality. - Harvey Wallbanger with Bourbon
Another popular twist is using bourbon instead of vodka, which will change the profile of your drink dramatically, adding more depth and sweetness.
- Serve your Harvey Wallbanger in either a highball glass or a Collins glass. Both glasses are perfect for all that orange juice and ice cubes.
- Rather than a garnish, a classic Harvey Wallbanger is finished with a float of sweet vanilla-anise flavored liqueur.
- If you would like to add a garnish, we recommend skewering an orange wheel together with a maraschino cherry and placing it across the top of the glass.
A really simple drink but just with aeration, you can elevate this to the levels of a world-class cocktail.
Bartender and Global Brand Ambassador
Harvey Wallbanger FAQ
The hey-day for the Harvey Wallbanger was in the 1970s. But hey, some things never go out of style!
Vodka and orange juice, with a float of Galliano.
Well, one of the most popular is one you’re looking at here – the Harvey Wallbanger.
Almost! Both the Harvey Wallbanger and the Screwdriver share the same ingredients and are made the same way, but it’s the addition of the Galliano float that transforms a simple Screwdriver into a Harvey Wallbanger.
