In Search of the Optimum Harvey Wallbanger Recipe via Mixture Experiment Techniques

A Harvey Wallbanger is an alcoholic drink composed of three ingredients: orange juice, vodka, and Galliano.One of the authors (Sahrmann), a connoisseur of the libation, was perplexed upon discovering that different bartender handbooks listed different recipes for the drink.Determined to shed some light on this irksome problem, he issued invitations for an evening workshop session (party) to former and current attendees of an experimental-design training course taught within his company.A mixture experiment was designed and data collected using the class participants.This article describes the experimental design and the analysis of the data.The results of the experiment indicate that reducing the proportion of vodka produces better-flavored drinks.The results of the experiment were not entirely conclusive, however, so recommendations are made for future experimentation.