Orange Crush from The Lilly Pad (Photo by Justin Chesney)
Sometimes a drink debuts on the bar scene that is unexpected. With a single sip, imbibers immediately realize it’ll become a standing order, and in this case, a summer rite of passage. This is the story of the Orange Crush, a simple yet quintessential warm-weather cocktail that is believed to have been created in the mid-1990s at Harborside Bar & Grill in Ocean City, Maryland.
Once Harborside started pressing fresh oranges and using the juice as a mixer, the super sippable star was born. Not to be confused with a Screwdriver, the original recipe featured fresh OJ, vodka, triple sec and lemon-lime soda.
Almost immediately, the easy and approachable drink was mimicked at bars and restaurants up and down the East Coast (they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery). Delaware even tried to claim it as its state cocktail — despite the drink’s Maryland origins — after the beach town bars there had so much success serving them. In June, the Orange Crush was designated the state cocktail of Maryland, officially settling the debate.
Little Nickel’s Orange Crush includes Chinola, a passion fruit liqueur. (Photo by Justin Chesney)
Bright, juicy and icy, the refreshing drink traditionally relies on orange juice freshly squeezed from its sunny little sphere; no other beverage tops the sensory pleasure of that citrusy bite. Variations for the other ingredients include triple sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier; club soda; and crushed, chipped or cubed ice.
In Richmond, there are a few places to get a Crush. Beverage Director and tenured bartender Madison Pere at Forest Hill tropical paradise Little Nickel whips up a frozen and a standard Crush. Her version is inspired by her love of the Crush at Dockside Tiki Bar in Colonial Beach. Pere says, “You think, ‘How do I make it mine?’ How do you take a good idea and give it a twist, make it an ode, rather than just change one little detail and call it yours? You never want to just copy somebody. You have to break it down and think about it.”
Pere reaches for Chinola, a passion fruit liqueur that adds a zing of fruity tartness. “I wanted to make my version juicier,” Pere says. “It hit that quench, and it wasn’t exactly like the ones I’ve had in other places.”
During the summer, Little Nickel’s outdoor-pool-inspired shack, Snack Bar, comes to life as a lounge and hangout serving small bites such as hot dogs and ceviche. It is also home to a frozen drink machine churning out a slushy-style version of an Orange Crush, dubbed a “Crushie.”
The Lilly Pad serves Orange Crushes and presents the ideal environment in which to drink one: right on the James River with the boats going by. Owner Max Walraven reflects, “I was amazed by the Crush at Waterman’s in Virginia Beach — they have the Orange Crush machine, and they’re quite well known for it. When The Lilly Pad first got the Orange Crush around 2016-17, they were hand-squeezing every orange with a crank squeezer.”
In 2020, The Lilly Pad got a remodel, and with it came a new influx of customers attracted to the riverside gem. “It was Lilly Pad 2.0, and we were busier than it had ever been, with lines out the door. So, we changed to Natalie’s fresh-squeezed juice instead, a high-end fresh juice, in order to keep making them.”
Although Orange Crush devotees may shake a finger at reaching for a jug of juice, the high-volume adaptation still delivers a high-flavored sip. The Lilly Pad’s crush uses orange liqueur and a local touch, too: Belle Isle Moonshine Blood Orange.
Waterman Spirits’ The Perfect Crush blends organic orange vodka and orange liqueur. (Photo courtesy Waterman Spirits)
As Pere and Walraven mentioned, if you’re heading to Virginia Beach for a mini getaway, Waterman’s Surfside Grille is your Orange Crush destination in the 757. The Waterman family businesses include a separate distillery, where they now make Perfect Crush, a spirit marrying orange vodka and orange liqueur, which they use at the bar. You can find the stand-alone product at the ABC store if you’re interested in making your own. Restaurant manager Gloria Boban notes, “In the summer, we make up to 600 Orange Crushes a week.” And that’s just the orange ones, which is saying something, since their menu features 15 different Crush drinks.
Orange Crush from The Lilly Pad (Photo by Justin Chesney)
Recipe: Classic Orange Crush
2 ounces vodka (preferably orange)
2 ounces triple sec
Juice of one freshly squeezed orange
Lemon-lime soda
Add vodka and triple sec to a tall glass of ice. Pour orange juice on top and add a splash of lemon-lime soda.
Make It Your Own
Liqueur: Swap the triple sec for Chinola, Grand Marnier or Cointreau.
Base: For the spirit, opt for locally made Cirrus Vodka, Belle Isle Moonshine Blood Orange or Waterman Spirits’ The Perfect Crush.
Bubbles: Instead of Sprite, top with plain sparkling or soda water, or a fruity or citrusy flavor such as mango-orange or lemon Spindrift.
Plus or Minus: Add orange bitters, orange zest or fresh-squeezed lemon juice, or replace navel oranges with blood oranges.
