Cocktails with Orange juice
Orange juice is the fresh-pressed or reconstituted juice of sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis).
How it's used
It brings sweetness, body and aroma but very little acid, so it cannot balance a drink on its own. A Screwdriver is soft because orange juice is soft. At 15 ml it reads as aroma; at 30 and up it becomes a component and softens the drink.
Substitutes for Orange juice
Carton juice
Replaces fresh in the same amount. It is flatter in aroma, so taste before serving.
Tangerine juice
Swaps straight in and is a little sweeter and deeper in color.
Tastes similar and turns the drink red.
More bitter and noticeably more acidic, so it makes a sharper drink. Add a little syrup.
Storage
Fresh juice separates and loses its top notes within the hour, so a jug poured at opening tastes tired by mid-service. Refrigerated, it stays usable for a day if stirred back together before each pour. Whole oranges keep far longer than a bar needs: navel fruit shows no rot for around three months chilled. Juice from concentrate keeps to its date and never tasted of fresh oranges in the first place.
