The apple cider Manhattan is a game day cocktail with a Pittsburgh accent: smooth Irish whiskey, red vermouth, fresh apple cider, and lemon, shaken with bitters until it’s ice cold. It’s easy to make one at a time, and easy to scale up by the cup when the whole crew shows up.
The Apple Cider Manhattan makes the ultimate game day cocktail, featuring face-warming Irish whiskey. The addition of apple cider adapts this drink a bit from the traditional Manhattan and allows your guests to enjoy some autumn sweetness during the time outs and commercial breaks! Supercharge your game day and make this cocktail by the batch. Take all the oz. instructions and switch to cups, and you’ve got a blitz!
The Whiskey We Use for Our Apple Cider Manhattan
We’ve used “Dubliner Steelers Select Irish Whiskey” available in Pittsburgh. It’s crafted for Steeler Nation by the Dublin Liberties Distillery — a proud partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This unique, limited-edition blend celebrates 90 seasons of football for the Steelers franchise and is a must-have for any fan. The whiskey is created with a hand-selected blend of perfectly balanced whiskeys and aged up to 10 years in the finest American bourbon casks. Perfect for your game day cocktail!
Why You’ll Love This Apple Cider Manhattan
It’s seasonal. Fresh apple cider and football season arrive together. It’s easy. Five ingredients go in a shaker, with a light shake and you’re done. It’s crowd friendly. It scales up by the cup, so the host stays in the game. And it’s local. It pairs a Pittsburgh-only whiskey with a farm-fresh cider.
How to Batch an Apple Cider Manhattan for a Crowd
Since 1 cup is 8 ounces, swapping “oz” for “cups” multiplies the recipe by eight, which makes about 8 cocktails. To serve eight, try this: 2 cups Irish whiskey, ½ cup red vermouth, 1½ cups fresh apple cider, ½ cup fresh lemon juice, and 16 dashes Angostura bitters. Stir together in a pitcher, chill, and pour about 4½ oz over one large ice cube in each glass.
Ingredient Notes: Irish Whiskey, Red Vermouth, and the Manhattan
Irish whiskey. Dubliner Steelers Select is a blend of eight malt and grain whiskeys, aged from three to 10 years in bourbon casks and bottled at 42% ABV. It was released as a nod to the Irish roots of the Steelers’ owners, which span three generations, and the franchise was founded in 1933. The distillery sits in Dublin’s historic Liberties district.
Red vermouth. Red, or sweet, vermouth is a fortified wine flavored with botanicals. Just ½ oz adds a touch of sweetness and spice.
The Manhattan. The classic Manhattan is whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters, and it’s said to have been born in New York City in the 1860s or 1870s. The popular story that it was created at the Manhattan Club for a banquet hosted by Winston Churchill’s mother is probably a legend.
Apple cider. Fresh cider is typically unfiltered and cloudier than clear apple juice. Here, 1½ oz softens the whiskey and adds a fruity tang. See our apple cider recipes for more ways to use it.
Shop Local for This Cocktail
Buy fresh cider at a local orchard or cider mill. This is a no-cook drink, so the cider isn’t heated. Unpasteurized cider sold in packages must carry a warning label, but cider sold by the glass at orchards and farmers markets may not, so ask. Children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk from untreated cider. If any of them are among your guests, choose pasteurized cider.
Tips for Making an Apple Cider Manhattan
Give it a light shake. Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and give a light shake to combine and chill.
Choose your glass. Serve over one large ice cube in a rocks glass, or up in a martini glass. A large cube melts slowly, so the drink stays cold without watering down.
Garnish. A strip of lemon peel adds aroma.
Drink responsibly. Each cocktail has 2 oz of whiskey plus vermouth, about 1.5 standard drinks. A standard drink is 1.5 oz of 80-proof spirits.
Feast While You Sip on This Game Day Recipe
- Chili Baby Back Ribs
- Marinated Chicken Tostadas
- Parmesan Baked Potato Salad
- Roasted Sausage Board
- Zesty Shrimp Roll
More cider cocktails: try our Apple Cider Negroni, Cranberry Kombucha Apple Cider Rum Punch, and Apple Cider Margarita. Browse TABLE’s Cocktails and Fall recipes.
Print
Apple Cider Manhattan Game Day Cocktail
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
Description
A shaken cocktail of Irish whiskey, red vermouth, fresh apple cider, lemon juice, and bitters, served over a large ice cube or up. Easy to scale for a crowd.
Ingredients
- 2 oz of Dubliner Whiskey (we used Dubliner Steelers Select Irish Whiskey available at your local PA Fine Wine and Good Spirits)
- .5 oz of red vermouth
- 1.5 oz of fresh apple cider
- .5 oz of fresh lemon juice
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- Ice, for shaking and serving
- Lemon peel, to garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and give a light shake to combine and chill ingredients.
- Serve over one large ice cube or up in a martini glass.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Category: Cocktail, drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: American, Irish-inspired
Apple Cider Manhattan FAQs
What kind of whiskey works in an apple cider Manhattan?
We used Dubliner Steelers Select Irish Whiskey.
Can I make this cocktail for a crowd?
Yes. Switch the ounces to cups to make about 8 cocktails, then chill and pour over ice.
Should I serve it on the rocks or up?
Either. Serve it over one large ice cube or up in a martini glass.
How strong is it?
Each cocktail contains about 1.5 standard drinks. The cider softens the whiskey compared with a traditional Manhattan, but it’s still a real cocktail, so pace yourself.
Is unpasteurized cider safe to use?
Ask when you buy. Children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems can be at higher risk from untreated cider, so use pasteurized cider for those guests.
About the Recipe Author
Justin Matase is Publisher and Co-Owner of TABLE Magazine, which he acquired with Editor in Chief Keith Recker in 2020. He previously spent years as Associate Publisher of Pittsburgh City Paper, leading its digital-first transformation. He serves on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh and the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, and as vice chair of the University of Pittsburgh’s Pitt News advisory board. Contact: justin@tablemagazine.com.
About the Stylist
Keith Recker is Editor in Chief and Co-Owner of TABLE Magazine. A color and trend forecaster for nearly 20 years, his clients have included Pantone, WGSN, Stylus, and the Color Association of the United States. He is the author of three books on color, including Deep Color: The Shades That Shape Our Souls and True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments, and co-founder of the Open Source Colour Association. Read more of his work here or contact him at keith@tablemagazine.com.
About the Photographer
Dave Bryce is TABLE Magazine’s contributing architecture, interiors, and food photographer, based in Pittsburgh. He photographed Fallingwater: Living with and In Art (Rizzoli, 2025) and regularly shoots for Pittsburgh Magazine and American Farmhouse Style, working with architects, interior designers, and hospitality brands. See more at davebrycephotography.com.
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