Orange Crush

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

This East Coast cocktail will help your dreams of summer come true.

Whenever school would get out for the year and the summer months arrived, I’d feel a palpable excitement. Not just because there wouldn’t be any homework for a bit, or that we’d be hitting the beach, the pool and an amusement park or two. Yes, video games were to be played, new and exciting movies were hitting a theater near me, but even at a young age my mouth watered at the idea of seasonal treats. Slushies, Snow Cones, fresh pink lemonade and even simple sodas made me smile… my favorite for the hot season being an ice-cold can or bottle of Orange Crush. 

I’m a big fan of any beverage that’s orange-flavored, especially things like an ice cream soda float or an Orange Julius. So when I saw what tonight’s cocktail is, the adult version of the Orange Crush, my attention became more than undivided. And my mouth began to water a little once I started gathering the ingredients together… Vodka, triple sec, fresh orange juice and lemon-lime soda, all poured over crushed ice in a tall glass… is your mouth watering now, too? 

This simple and delicious drink was born on the East Coast, along the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean during the 1990s. Like with many mixed drinks, the history of the Orange Crush cocktail is a tad muddled. Claims to its creation have come from many seaside bars along the Jersey Shore, others say Ocean City or Baltimore is where it hails from, along with Annapolis and a bar called Waterman’s in Virginia. But the most credible claim, and the one that has t-shirts and other merchandise to go with it, is from the Harborside Bar & Grill in West Ocean City, Maryland. It’s said that in the fall of 1995, the bar’s co-owner Chris Wall and his friends Jerry Wood and Kelly Flynn came up with the recipe and it soon became a summer favorite with their customers after it debuted. The drink became so popular that other establishments in the area began serving it. 

If you can’t get out to Maryland for some fresh crab legs and a couple of Orange Crushes, the good news is that you can make a few for yourself at home, right now. The cocktail, not the crab legs.

What Is The Best Vodka To Use In An Orange Crush?

You can go with either an unflavored or orange-infused vodka for this cocktail. I prefer making drinks like this with an unflavored spirit, so my tipple won’t get too sweet. Also, vodka is a fantastic mixer, not quite disappearing amongst the other tastes that are present, and not overpowering them either. Try your Crush both ways, and find the flavor balance you prefer.

WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH IS USED?

Chill a tall glass, like a pint glass, in your freezer for up to fifteen minutes. Fill it with ice and mix your Crush within. Garnish with an orange slice for a little extra citrus.

CAN YOU TOP THIS COCKTAIL WITH ORANGE SODA?

If you like a more intense flavor, you can indeed cap your Crush off with an orange soda instead of a lemon-lime one.

Similar Cocktails To The Orange Crush

You love a strong and fizzy tipple, but you also enjoy an alcohol-free and bubbly soft drink as well. So when somebody offers you a mixed drink that resembles a spiked or more grown-up soda, you can’t resist. And now you’re in the mood for one. Twist & Toast has a few easy-to-make mixtures you can try out this weekend, or even right now if you’re really thirsty. 

• Vodka and Coke – Dark and smooth, this is one concoction you’ll come back to more than once. 
• Tequila and Sprite – Bright, peppery and refreshing, this one is easy to make and drink. 
• Lynchburg Lemonade – An effervescent and whiskey-based dram that is guaranteed to satisfy. 
• Dark and Stormy – Ginger beer and rum combine to create this classic and refreshing cocktail.