National Harvey Wallbanger Day: How to Make the Classic Cocktail

The Harvey Wallbanger – a classic three-ingredient vodka cocktail – has outlasted disco, shoulder pads and most of the drinks it was invented alongside.   

On November 8 every year, here in the U.S., we celebrate National Harvey Wallbanger Day, giving the drink its well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

Here’s what’s in it, where it came from, and how to make one: 

What’s in a Harvey Wallbanger?

A Harvey Wallbanger is essentially a Screwdriver – vodka and orange juice – with a float of vanilla liqueur on top.

Ingredients:
 

• 2 parts Absolut Vodka 
• 4 parts Orange Juice 
• ½ part Vanilla Liqueur, floated on top 
• Orange Zest, to garnish 

That float is what separates a Harvey Wallbanger from a classic Screwdriver and gives it its own character. It sits on the surface rather than mixing straight through, so the first sip leads with vanilla and orange, with the smoothness of Absolut Vodka underneath.

What is the History of the Harvey Wallbanger? 

The exact origin of the Harvey Wallbanger depends on who’s telling it. Some trace it back to a California bartender mixing up new drinks in the 1950s. Others swear it’s named after a surfer known for his laid-back beach lifestyle.

Neither version is fully confirmed, and neither really needs to be. What’s certain is that the drink exploded through the 1970s, riding one of the most memorable marketing pushes a cocktail has ever had.

Fifty-plus years on, it’s still around for a simple reason: the formula works. Spirit, citrus juice, a liqueur float — the same fundamentals behind plenty of cocktails that never went out of style. The Harvey Wallbanger just happens to be one of the originals.

How Do You Make a Harvey Wallbanger? 

No shaking, no straining — jit’s a built drink with a float that takes two minutes of your time. Here’s how to make it:  

1. Pour 2 parts Absolut Vodka into a highball glass. 
2. Fill the glass with ice cubes. 
3. Top up with 4 parts orange juice — stop short of the rim to leave room for the float. 
4. Rest a bar spoon upside down against the inside of the glass, with the back of the spoon facing up, and slowly pour ½ part vanilla liqueur over it. This layers it gently on top rather than letting it crash through the drink. 
5. Garnish with a twist of orange zest.
    

Watch Ricardo ‘Rico’ Dynan, bartender and Absolut Global Brand Ambassador, show how to make a classic Harvey Wallbanger:

Happy National Harvey Wallbanger Day!