2013-08-29



A Crush On Orange Cocktails

The Orange Crush cocktail is, you guessed it, bursting with orange flavor. This simple three part drink has a few orangey variations but its basically a Screwdriver with orange liqueur; or a Mimosa which substitutes vodka for the champagne.

A Trio Of Other Orange Crushes

A cocktail probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you hear Orange Crush mentioned. In fact, three’s a crowd when trying to squeeze into the limelight for attention when using this famous moniker.

Orange Crush (soda pop) - the carbonated soft drink dates back to 1916. After being originally invented in 1906, the blending process was perfected and named ‘crush’ to reflect how the oils were extracted from the oranges. Pulp was initially added to enhance the appearance of fresh squeezed juice, since removed.

Orange Crush (defense) - sports writer Woody Paige’s nickname given to the Denver Broncos 3-4 defense which was epitomized by the NFL team’s Super Bowl XII season in 1977. The bright orange home jerseys worn by nose tackle Rubin Carter; linebackers Randy Gradishar, Tom Jackson, Joe Rizzo and Bob Swenson; defensive ends Lyle “the animal” Alzado and Barney Chavous; safeties Bill Thompson and Bernard Jackson: and cornerbacks Steve Foley and Louis Wright symbolized the football team who crushed their opponents and became NFL’s number one defense against the rush that year.

Orange Crush (song) - the first single released in 1988 from the alternative rock band R.E.M.’s sixth record album, Green.

History Of The Drink

The Harborside Bar & Grill on the waterfront in West Ocean City, Maryland lays claim to being the home of the original fresh squeezed orange crush cocktail, most topped with lemon-lime soda according to their drinks menu. Lots of variations are offered altering the orange flavored vodka used, but the list also includes peach, grapefruit, passion fruit and more. They have a few rum crushes as well.

How To Mix The Orange Crush Cocktail

Start with vodka, orange liqueur and oj. Then make it pop by mixing in some of the other options listed below.

Orange Crush Cocktail Drink Recipe:

2 oz  vodka

1 oz  triple sec orange liqueur

2-3 oz  orange juice

orange slice for garnish

Preparation - combine the vodka, triple sec liqueur and orange juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top off with fresh squeezed orange juice. Garnish with a slice of orange. Recipe twists include using an orange flavored vodka and adding a splash of orange crush pop. The juice and soda only combination would be a good mocktail substitute.

Tailgate Themed Twist For A Denver Broncos Football Game

If your bar is home to a football party or you’re tailgating when the Denver Broncos are playing, the Orange Crush cocktail is the perfect NFL team themed drink on game day for them. To take it to the next level, try adding the Horse’s Neck style garnish with an orange mane instead of a lemon peel. That should breed contempt.

Show more