The sunny cocktail—a favorite at the Delaware beaches—is the perfect signature drink for your summer soirée.

By Pam George

The orange crush reportedly was born in 1995 at Harborside Bar & Grill in Ocean City, Maryland. Like its beloved blue crab, this Maryland import is now a Delaware beach staple. The classic is ideal for a summer wedding. Or, treat guests to a colorful tweak on the traditional.

The Classic

This is the original Harborside Bar & Grill recipe, which is closely followed by The Starboard in Dewey Beach.

• 2 ounces of orange vodka
• 2 ounces of triple sec
• Juice of one orange
• Lemon-lime soda to top (The Starboard offers Sierra Mist or Sprite—your choice.)

Combine vodka and triple sec in a pint glass with ice. Pour the orange juice directly into the glass. Top with a splash of lemon-lime soda.

Grapefruit St-Germain Crush

Courtesy of mixologist Rob Bagley of Chesapeake & Maine in Rehoboth Beach.

• 1 1⁄2 ounces of vodka or gin, preferably from Dogfish Head Brewery
• 1 ounce of St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 2 ounces of fresh grapefruit juice
• 1⁄2 ounce of agave
• 2 ounces of sparkling rosé

Shake all ingredients together except for rosé. Strain over ice into a pint glass. Top with sparkling rosé.

Coconut Crush

This was a hit at Big Chill Beach Club in Bethany Beach last summer.

• 3 ounces of Smirnoff coconut vodka
• 1 ounce of triple sec
• 3 ounces of coconut water
• Splash of lemon-lime or club soda
• Lime wedge for garnish

Shake the vodka, triple sec and coconut water together. Strain over ice. Add the soda. Garnish and serve. For another alternative, replace the 3 ounces of coconut water with 3 ounces of pineapple juice and garnish with a slice of pineapple instead of a lime wedge. (This is known as a Colada Crush.)

Italian Crush

Bartender Stephen Cotter Warner of Domaine Hudson in Wilmington offers an elegant take.

• 1 ounce of grapefruit-infused Bluecoat Gin
• 1 ounce of Aperol
• 1⁄2 ounce of Maraschino Liqueur
• Juice of 1⁄2 a ruby red grapefruit
• Club soda

Create grapefruit-infused gin by removing the peel of one grapefruit in thin strips and placing it in a glass jar with 8 ounces of gin. Cover and let stand for an hour before straining. Pour gin, Aperol and Maraschino Liqueur into a wine glass. Add ice and juice. Top with club soda. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Orange 75

Bar manager Ginger Breneman of Fork + Flask at Nage in Rehoboth Beach was inspired by the French 75, which dates to World War I.

• 1 ounce of Dogfish Head Compelling Gin
• Juice from 1⁄2 of an orange
• 1⁄2 ounce of simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water heated until the sugar is dissolved)
• 2 1⁄2 ounces of Prosecco
• Orange twist for garnish

Shake all ingredients together except for the Prosecco. Strain into a coupe cocktail glass. Top with Prosecco and garnish with an orange twist.