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A screwdriver is a simple and popular alcoholic highball drink made with orange juice and vodka. In the UK, it is referred to as a "vodka and orange".[1] While the basic drink is simply the two ingredients, there are many variations. Many of the variations have different names in different parts of the world.
| Cocktail | |
|---|---|
 Screwdriver | |
| Type | Highball |
| Base spirit | |
| Served | On the rocks: poured over ice |
| Standard garnish | orange slice |
| Standard drinkware | .svg) |
| Commonly used ingredients |
|
| Preparation | Mix in a highball glass with ice. Garnish and serve. |
| Commonly served | All day |
The drink originated during World War II, when Americans in China and Turkey mixed neutral spirits with orange juice.[2] The origin of the name "screwdriver" is less clear, but the name appeared in Ankara, Turkey, in 1943[2] and 1944[3] and later in Istanbul.[4] Variations on the recipe were present in 1948 in Turkey and also called screwdrivers, such as a mixture of one-third vodka and two-thirds gin,[5] and another recipe adding gin, cognac, bitters, and other ingredients to orange juice and vodka.[6] An unattributed but popular story for the name is that the Americans lacked a spoon and instead used a screwdriver as a stirring stick.[7][8] Another unattributed story is that auto workers in the USA used to pour vodka in their breakfast orange juice before starting the shift and used screwdrivers to stir the glass.[9]
Starting mid-1950s, vodka rose rapidly in popularity in America, and mixed drinks such as the screwdriver rose with it.[10] Advertising campaigns in the 1950s[11] and 1960s[12] by vodka brands such as Smirnoff cemented the screwdriver as a vodka favorite.[2]
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The screwdriver served as the foundation of the Harvey Wallbanger.[2]
A screwdriver with two parts of sloe gin, one part of Southern Comfort, and filled with orange juice is a "sloe comfortable screw" or "slow comfortable screw".[13]: 153
A screwdriver with one part of sloe gin, one part of Southern Comfort, one part Galliano, and filled with orange juice is a "sloe comfortable screw up against the wall".[13]: 155
A screwdriver with one part of sloe gin, one part of Southern Comfort, one part Galliano, one part tequila, and filled with orange juice is a "sloe comfortable screw up against the wall Mexican style".[14]
A "virgin screwdriver" is a mocktail (non-alcoholic variation), usually made with orange juice and tonic water.[15][16][17]
A screwdriver with apple juice instead of orange juice is an "Anita Bryant cocktail".[18] Bryant was an American singer and spokeswoman for the Florida Citrus Commission during the 1960s and 1970s.[19] Starting in 1977, she became an anti-gay-rights activist.[20] Because Bryant promoted orange juice, the gay community retaliated by boycotting it in the 1977–1980 Florida orange juice boycott.[21] Gay bars across North America stopped serving screwdrivers[22] and invented this cocktail to replace it.[18] The sales and proceeds of the cocktail went to gay rights activists and helped fund their work against Bryant.[18] The campaign was ultimately successful, as Bryant's activism damaged her musical and business career.[20][19] Her contract with the Florida Citrus Commission was left to expire in 1980 after they stated she was "worn out" as a spokesperson.[19][23]
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