A crush is an infatuation that can give you the giddy, butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. Whether it’s someone you know, work with, or even a stranger on the subway, your body is flooded with feel-good chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin, which help to boost confidence and make you feel more open to intimacy. This is why a crush can be so addictive and hard to resist. However, if you crush someone who is already attached or in a relationship, it can put a huge strain on your relationship.
Crush is a noun that means “an overwhelming number, as of people,” or “the intense infatuation you have for someone.” The verb crush can also mean “to subdue or stop something,” as when a military dictator crushed a rebel uprising. It can also describe the act of crushing something, such as a person’s head or an insect between your fingers. It can even refer to a situation or task that’s overwhelmingly difficult: a big crush of work, for example.
At the bar Bookmakers in Baltimore, a popular Federal Hill cocktail destination, the Crush is among their most-requested drinks. While Moscow Mules and Old-Fashioneds tend to top the list, beverage director Ryan Sparks says he gets plenty of requests for the vitamin-C-packed drink.
Sparks has come up with a few variations on the classic that can be tweaked to suit personal preferences. He also makes sure to use the right ratio of lime juice to soda to achieve the best flavor. “It’s not easy to find the right amount of lime,” he notes, adding that the proportion of citrus is crucial.
In addition to a variety of flavors, the Crush also features a wide range of special-edition and seasonal offerings. For example, the company teamed up with Norman Rockwell in the 1920s to create 12 paintings for advertising campaigns that ran in publications such as Collier’s, The Youth’s Companion, and Life.
Aside from a few regional flavors (like Pineapple and Birch Beer), most Crush varieties are available across North America. Until 2009, the company produced its United States line using a process known as bottler’s base, where a concentrate of flavor and color was mixed with syrup and carbonated water to make the 12-ounce bottles of Crush. After the acquisition of Crush by Cadbury Schweppes, the brand now uses its own production facilities for its US market products.
Most young adolescents report having at least one crush, often before they’ve started dating or their first romantic relationship. Studies have found that crushes provide a lot of benefits to teens, including feelings of excitement and increase in self-esteem, as well as opportunities for fantasy and escape from the daily grind. It is not clear, though, if these benefits are carried over into the primary relationships.
A study comparing the experiences of adults in established relationships that include exclusivity with those who are not in these types of partnerships found that, in general, couples who experience a crush tend to communicate it directly to their partner rather than publicly or to other individuals. This may be because they’re more confident that their partner will reciprocate their feelings, or because they believe that expressing these attractions will help to inform their decision regarding future intimate involvement with the individual in question.