It’s Official! The Orange Crush is the new State Drink of Maryland!

It was June 1st and there I was mindlessly checking out Instagram as I tend to do, when a post by Governor Wes Moore serving up orange crushes in his Orioles finest came up and stopped my scroll. He tends to have that effect on me.  Can he just be our President now? The caption read, "Happy Orange Crush Day to Maryland and Maryland only."  Take that Delaware!  I did a double take and watched again. Let's face it, I can watch Governor Moore bartending on repeat. This wasn't fake news.  Maryland had an official state cocktail, the orange crush!  Well it was about time! 

It just so happened that we had just finished two new designs for Orange Crush stickers to celebrate our favorite drink of summer.  Every once in a while we manage to be trending, even if it's completely by accident.  I said to Sam, "We need to release those stickers now!"  

The Orange Crush came on the scene way back in 1995 (yes, that was 30 years ago) in Ocean City or as we like to say, Downy Oshun.  The bartenders at Harborside Bar and Grill came up with this citrusy concoction of vodka, fresh squeezed orange juice (must be fresh squeezed), triple sec and a splash of lemon lime soda.  It was served over crushed ice, because as we all know, the ice does matter. To get it just right, check out their recipe. The refreshing summer cocktail was a hit and before they knew it bartenders were working their biceps at the juicer at bars all along the shore and beyond.  Yes it even became a local favorite in Delaware, where they claim it was perfected at the Starboard, and in 2024 Delaware named the Orange Crush their official state cocktail. The nerve! A rivalry was born. 

Maryland lawmakers couldn't sit idly by and watch Delaware try to stake claim to Maryland's orange crush cocktail. Delegate Wayne A Hartman brought forth a bill to make the orange crush the official state cocktail in Maryland where it belongs, stating, “We’ve all heard that Virginia is for lovers, but Maryland is where you had your first crush.”  It passed unanimously. At least that's one thing both sides can agree on.

With warmer weather finally here, the orange crush is just the drink that says summer!  Especially if you're enjoying one by the water, and with a bushel of crabs, even better. Our personal favorite is a grapefruit crush. Which variation are you crushing on and where's your favorite spot to drink crushes? We love the roof top at Watershed or by the water at Nick's Fish House or of course anywhere Downy Oshun! If you want to show your support for our new state cocktail, check out our new orange crush stickers!