What’s a Harvey Wallbanger?

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The Harvey Wallbanger is a popular cocktail made with vodka, Galliano, and orange juice. Its origin is unclear, but it gained popularity in California in the 1950s and became well-known after being served on TWA flights. The recipe has been modified over time to include different variations.

A Harvey Wallbanger is a type of mixed drink made from vodka, Galliano herbal liqueur, and orange juice. The most commonly accepted recipe for the drink calls for four ounces (120 mL) of orange juice and one ounce (30 mL) of vodka to be mixed with ice and stirred. A half ounce (14 mL) of Galliano is then added on top, but not stirred. The drink is served with a straw, as it is meant to be drunk from the bottom up. Largely due to its name, it has become a very well-known type of cocktail.

Harvey Wallbanger’s origin is a matter shrouded in mystery, but there are at least two major theories. The first is that he was created by a bartender named Bill Doner at a bar called The Office in Newport Beach, California. While this explanation is simple and easy to believe, many prefer the popular legend that he was named after a surfer from Manhattan Beach near Los Angeles.

This version states that the surfer, named Harvey, enjoyed the cocktail known as the screwdriver, which is vodka and orange juice, spiked with Galliano liqueur. After a particularly difficult day in which he lost an important surfing competition, he is said to have consumed one of his favorite drinks of his. When he finally left the bar, he was so drunk that he tripped and tripped over some furniture and a wall before walking out the door. He was a regular at the bar, and when he next returned, he found he’d already earned the nickname “Harvey Wallbanger,” hence the name of the drink.

Most stories of the drink’s origin place it in or around 1952 California. In any case, she was not widely known outside that state for some time. It has become very popular since the 1970s as a result of its service on flights operated by the TWA airline. The ingredients of a Harvey Wallbanger, albeit in different proportions, have also been incorporated into a bundt cake recipe that is said to taste remarkably similar to the cocktail itself.

As time has gone by, people have modified the original Harvey Wallbanger to suit their preferences. Some enjoy the drink with the Galliano mixed in with the rest of the ingredients, rather than floating on top. Citrus-flavored vodka is also a common alternative to the regular kind. Some even replace the orange juice with pineapple juice for a refreshing variation. Ideas like these are, of course, how many new drinks are invented.




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