Harvey Wallbanger
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| IBA Official Cocktail | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Cocktail |
| Primary alcohol by volume | |
| Served | On the rocks; poured over ice |
| Standard garnish | orange slice and maraschino cherry |
| Standard drinkware |
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| IBA specified ingredients† |
4.5cl (3 parts) Vodka 1.5cl (1 part) Galliano 9cl (6 parts) Fresh orange juice |
| Preparation | Stir the vodka and orange juice with ice in the glass, then float the Galliano on top. Garnish and serve. |
The Harvey Wallbanger is an alcoholic beverage or cocktail made with vodka, Galliano, and orange juice.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Harvey Wallbanger was allegedly invented in 1952 by three-time world champion mixologist Donato 'Duke' Antone, the brother-in-law of New York state Senator Carlo Lanzillotti. Legend has it that the drink was named after a Manhattan Beach surfer. The drink has also been attributed to Bill Doner, bartender at The Office in Newport Beach, CA, and Robert Pratt, bartender at the Arlberg Chalet in Mammoth Lake, CA. The drink was little known outside of California until 1970, when it became briefly popular due to being featured as a cocktail on TWA flights.
The alternative story is that Harvey Wallbanger (the name and recipe) came to life in the early 70's as a team effort. The Liquore Galliano brand owner was Foremost/McKesson. The team's challenge was to come up with a recipe that would give Galliano a more acceptable taste. Phase two was to create a marketing strategy that would break the distilled spirit industry's conservative approach to advertising and marketing.
The "Harvey Team" was led by R.C. "Chuck" Foster and Steve Hanauer. How the name and recipe came to be, and the amazing story about the fight to convince the Foremost/McKesson "shirts" to accept "Harvey" is a story too long for this article. Let history attest that "Harvey" eventually got the go-ahead, and not only broke all of the rules of traditional liquor promotion and marketing, it went on to become the most successful (and profitable) brand named cocktail in the history of alcohol.
[edit] Promotion and Success
The success of Harvey Wallbanger was due primarily to: 1) the name; 2) the illustrated "Harvey Wallbanger" character; and 3) the grass roots marketing and publicity strategy which included thousands of privately and commercially hosted Harvey Wallbanger parties and things like Galliano sales reps purchasing a separate airline ticket for the Harvey Wallbanger blow-up character who, just like everyone else, had his own seat, seat belt, meal and beverage.
So successful was Harvey Wallbanger that it became the creative model, which although followed, has yet to be duplicated. The other thing "Harvey" did was launch Foster's career by branding him as the go-to guy for creative, innovative, outside-the-box or "impossible" marketing challenges. At the peak of "Harvey's" success came the cooperative partnership between Foremost/McKesson and Pillsbury. That gave birth to the Harvey Wallbanger Bundt Cake.
[edit] Epilogue
The sequel to Harvey Wallbanger (which apparently had no Foster or Hanauer involvement) was the drink named "Juicy Lucy." Its marketing history can best be described as having "...started slow, then just kind of tapered off..."
[edit] Other uses
The 1982 Milwaukee Brewers, winners of the American League pennant, were nicknamed "Harvey's Wallbangers," in reference to the team's alcohol-themed name, the players' desire "bang the wall" on a hit, and its manager, Harvey Kuenn.[1][2][3][4][5]
Musician Mick Harvey issued a rock CD under the band name "The Wallbangers", in reference to his own surname.
[edit] References
- ^ Lacy, J (1967) 'Mixologist Face the World with Confidence' The Hartford Courant; Hartford CT
- ^ Willis, J.C. (1973) Here's Practical Guide to Mixing Drinks: Hartford Times: Hartford Connecticut
- ^ Ryan, B. (1972) 'An Engaging Class Knows the Latest in Libation' The Hartford Times: Hartford CT
- ^ Linsley, C. (1972)'25 Years of New Bartenders' Hartford Times: Hartford CT.
- ^ Harvey Wallbanger Cocktail Recipe - Drink Recipe for a Harvey Wallbanger
