In the final moments of Maryland’s recent legislative session, lawmakers successfully passed a bill that officially designates the “Orange Crush” as the state’s official cocktail. The drink, which has become a beloved staple of Maryland’s bar culture, was created 30 years ago at the Harborside Bar and Grill in Ocean City.
The drink’s recipe is a mix of equal parts triple sec and orange vodka, freshly squeezed orange juice, and a splash of Sprite. Co-owner of the Harborside, Chris Wall, recalls the moment it was first concocted. “They’ve been coming in and asking for them for years,” Wall told WTOP. “We are the original creators.”
The refreshing, citrus-based cocktail has become synonymous with Ocean City and has inspired several variations, such as the Lime Crush. On busy nights, it makes up 45% of the bar’s total alcohol sales.
However, the drink’s status as Maryland’s signature cocktail was recently challenged. Last year, Delaware lawmakers passed legislation claiming the Orange Crush as their own, citing the drink’s association with Dewey Beach, Delaware. In August, then-Gov. John Carney signed a bill designating the cocktail as Delaware’s official state drink, claiming it had been “perfected” there.
“Delaware wanted to make it their state drink, and there are a lot of people in Maryland who said that wasn’t right,” Wall said, expressing frustration over the rival claim.
Enter Maryland Delegate Wayne Hartman, who represents Wicomico and Worcester counties. Hartman, a fan of the Orange Crush, saw an opportunity to protect Maryland’s bar industry and its rightful claim to the drink. Over the course of the 90-day legislative session, Hartman worked tirelessly to secure the bill’s passage.
“I want the Orange Crush to be as synonymous as the Maryland crab cake,” Hartman said, highlighting Maryland’s status as the top state for orange vodka sales. The bill garnered support from the Maryland Tourism Coalition, the Restaurant Association of Maryland, and the Maryland Department of Commerce.
In the final moments of the legislative session, Hartman successfully attached the bill as an amendment to another piece of relevant legislation. With just two minutes remaining before adjournment, the bill was brought to the floor and passed unanimously, with both Republicans and Democrats backing the measure.
“The Orange Crush belongs to Maryland,” Hartman declared after the vote. “We’ve all seen the bumper stickers that say Virginia is for Lovers; Maryland is where you had your first crush.”
Following the vote, Hartman celebrated with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, inviting them to toast with an Orange Crush cocktail in honor of the bill’s passage and the conclusion of the legislative session.
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