WEST OCEAN CITY, Md. --The Orange Crush can be found on countless menus up and down the East Coast. The popular adult beverage, however, saw its humble beginnings right here on Maryland's Eastern Shore, at Harborside Bar and Grille in West Ocean City.
"We came up with two drinks, orange crush and orange whip and put them on the drink menu and the orange crush just started taking off," said Christopher Wall, Co-Owner of Harborside.
Wall, co-owner Lloyd Whitehead and a few of their friends invented the drink in 1995. Fast forward to 2025, and the Orange Crush is still keeping bartenders busy.
One of Harborside's bartenders, Travis, walked us through the process.
Making an Orange Crush:
- Step one: fill a glass with ice
- Step two: pour in an ounce and a half of orange vodka and an ounce and a half of triple sec
- Step three: Squeeze in the juice of two fresh oranges
- Step four: Top it off with lemon-lime soda
- Step five: Give it a toss
- Step six: Garnish with an orange
- Step seven: Enjoy
It's a relatively simple drink and easy to replicate, and last year , Delaware lawmakers took full advantage of that, making the Orange Crush Delaware's official state cocktail.
Within the legislation's text, lawmakers in the first state even claimed, "The Orange Crush has been made famous and become synonymous with Dewey Beach."
Those are fighting words in Maryland, so Delegate Wayne Hartman(R) wanted to set the record straight and introduced HB 1001. He is now hoping to make the popular drink Maryland's official state cocktail.
"People, if they're coming here, I want them to come here and think about not only the Maryland crabcake when they're in a restaurant but the Maryland Orange Crush and give Harborside and West Ocean City the credit they truly deserve."
Hartman also believes, if the Orange Crush is designated as the state's official cocktail, it could benefit the local economy.
"It's going to help grow that popularity and I think it's a win-win," said Hartman. "There's a lot of serious business in Ocean City, so this is something I really hope the legislatures get behind and show our Maryland pride."
Hartman said it could help grow the state's tax space, something he said is needed as the state faces a $3 billion deficit.
As for Harborside, Whitehead just hopes the bill will earn Governor Wes Moore's signature.
"Can't believe that it's taken off like it has," said Whitehead. "Would love all the support from Marylanders, it's been awesome, and trying to get back at Delaware a little bit for taking a first swipe at it."
An effort to crush any question as to where the crowd favorite Orange Crush originated.