Orange Crush

The Maryland-style Orange Crush is made with freshly squeezed orange juice from a whole orange, orange vodka, triple sec, and lemon-lime soda, served over ice in a mason jar or pint glass. The cocktail was created in Ocean City, Maryland in 1995 at the Harborside Bar and Grill, and its use of freshly squeezed orange — juiced tableside — distinguishes it from pre-mixed versions. It is garnished with the squeezed orange half and has become a regional summer staple.

An authentic Orange Crush uses fresh oranges squeezed to order, not pre-bottled juice, which gives the drink a bright, pulpy citrus quality that commercial juice cannot replicate. The combination of orange vodka and triple sec creates a layered orange flavor, while lemon-lime soda adds refreshing effervescence. Imitation versions often use store-bought orange juice or generic citrus soda, resulting in a flatter, less vibrant cocktail.

An Orange Crush typically has an ABV of around 10–14%, combining approximately 1.5 oz of orange vodka at 40% ABV and 0.5 oz of triple sec at 30–40% ABV with fresh orange juice and soda. The juice and soda together make up the majority of the drink's volume, diluting the spirits considerably. This ratio makes it an approachable, refreshing cocktail that can be easily consumed over a summer afternoon.