My Bar Bible / Cocktails / Harvard Cooler

Harvard Cooler in a highball, drawn with its ingredient layers

Harvard Cooler recipe

ShakenHighballCubed ice10% ABV

The Harvard Cooler is a shaken brandy cocktail, made with applejack, lemon juice, simple syrup and more, served in a highball over ice. It is citrusy and sparkling.

Strength: about 9.8% ABV in the glass, roughly 19 g of alcohol and about 170 calories per drink (an estimate; brands, sugar and dilution vary).

Harvard Cooler ingredients

Applejack60 ml (2 oz)
Lemon juice22.5 ml (¾ oz)
Simple syrup15 ml (½ oz)
Soda watertop up, about 90 ml

Measures for one serve. Open the drink in Bar Bible to scale it to a batch or switch to ounces.

How to make a Harvard Cooler

  1. Add everything to a shaker and fill with ice.
  2. Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
  3. Strain over fresh ice in a highball.
  4. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Glass
Highball
Ice
Cubed
Garnish
Lemon wheel
Open Harvard Cooler in My Bar Bible

Harvard Cooler: quick answers

How strong is a Harvard Cooler?
About 9.8% alcohol once the ice has melted in, roughly 19 g of alcohol per drink. That is an estimate: brands and dilution vary.
How many calories are in a Harvard Cooler?
About 170 calories per drink, from the alcohol and the sweet and fresh ingredients. An estimate: brands and the amount of sugar change it. Compare every drink in the cocktail calorie chart.
What glass is a Harvard Cooler served in?
A highball, over ice cubes.
How many ingredients does a Harvard Cooler have?
4 in total: applejack, lemon juice, simple syrup and soda water.

Cocktail calorie chart: compare all 1,308 drinks

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