The Screwdriver recipe
for your table
Fill a highball glass to the brim with ice cubes.
Pour the vodka over the ice.
Top up with cold, freshly squeezed orange juice and stir once with a bar spoon.
Place an orange slice on the rim of the glass.
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Email the Screwdriver recipe to yourself, so you have it handy when you’re ready to make it. You’ll also get a €5 discount code on the glasses that go with it, when you spend €50.
The story
The story behind the name sounds almost too good to be true. In the 1940s, American oil workers in the Persian Gulf supposedly snuck vodka into a can of orange juice. They didn’t have a spoon, so they stirred it with the screwdriver from their tool belts. The name first appeared in American magazines around 1949. Whether or not the story is true, the Screwdriver helped make vodka commonplace in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. At the time, hardly anyone there knew what vodka was.
The right glass
Serve a Screwdriver in a tall highball glass of 33 to 40 cl. There’s a reason for choosing a tall, narrow glass. It holds plenty of ice, and the more ice you use, the longer your drink stays cold without becoming watery. Choose clear, colorless glass. The deep orange of fresh juice is the only decoration you need. A thick base feels sturdy and looks more elegant than you might expect for such a simple recipe.
Duralex Picardie Highball Glass 36 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco Diamond Highball Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Twelve highball glasses in two sizes together for € 40,90.
The right tools
For a Screwdriver, alongside the glass, you’ll need a long bar spoon, a jigger for precise measuring, a citrus juicer, a glass rimmer, and long ice sticks. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you’ll find them all in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 95,70.
What do you need to make a Screwdriver?
A Screwdriver needs the right base. On each liquor page, you’ll find the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works in, and what kind of glass you need.
Variations & twists
Float a layer of Galliano on top and you have a Harvey Wallbanger. Blood orange juice makes a deep red version with more acidity. Let a splash of grenadine sink to the bottom and, in appearance, it’s almost a Tequila Sunrise. Use gin instead of vodka and it becomes an Orange Blossom. Looking for more ideas? Check out all cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Juice the oranges just before serving. Within half an hour, they’ll lose their freshness and the juice will taste flat. Roll the fruit firmly across the counter first to get noticeably more juice out of it. Keep the vodka in the freezer. Ice-cold vodka mixes more smoothly with the juice, and your ice melts more slowly.
Good to know
Why the ratio needs to be so precise
The screwdriver cocktail recipe has just two ingredients, so you’ll notice any variation straight away. We use 5 cl vodka to 12 cl freshly squeezed orange juice. Pour by eye and your screwdriver cocktail can quickly end up too strong or too weak. A jigger keeps every glass consistent. Choose a neutral vodka without a pronounced flavor of its own, so the juice can shine. And fill the glass right to the top with ice. If it’s only half full, the ice melts faster and your drink is watery before you’re halfway through.
Screwdriver or “schroevendraaier”?
“Schroevendraaier drankje” is simply the literal translation, since “screwdriver” means “schroevendraaier.” Handy if you see the Screwdriver cocktail listed under that name on a Dutch menu. Don't confuse it with the Harvey Wallbanger. It has the same base, but gets Galliano on top. The Orange Blossom is different too: it uses gin instead of vodka. To make the Screwdriver itself better, don't look for an extra ingredient. Cold juice, cold vodka, and a pre-chilled glass are where the difference lies.
Frequently asked questions
What glass do you use for a Screwdriver?
A tall highball glass, 33 to 40 cl. Check out our highball glasses for horeca-quality sets.
What's the right ratio?
One part vodka to about two and a half parts orange juice. For a lighter drink, use a ratio of 1 to 4. It still tastes great with fresh juice.
Fresh juice or from a carton?
Fresh, if possible. With just two ingredients, you can taste everything. If you have to use juice from a carton, choose one that isn't from concentrate and add a few drops of lemon juice for freshness.
Can you make a Screwdriver alcohol-free?
Yes. Use a 0.0 alternative instead of vodka, or make it with fresh orange juice, sparkling water, and a slice of orange. Serve it in the same glass with plenty of ice. Presentation does most of the work here.
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