Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail with Ginger Beer
This bourbon apple cider cocktail with ginger beer is the epitome of autumn vibes. With a splash of lime and cardamom bitters, it’s quickly become one of my go-to fall drinks for holidays, dinner parties, and get-togethers with friends.

I have been living under a blanket of heavy knits and hot soup and Sufjan Stevens for the past two weeks. A.K.A. my Disneyland.
So really the only thing that can make this autumn situation even better is a good cocktail like a tea hot toddy, a spicy ginger old fashioned, or something of the apple cider variety.
As much as I love apple cider, I usually find most apple cocktails to be too sweet. BUT THEN. I had this perfectly-spiced, slightly tart, delicious cocktail at one of our favorite bars. It had fancy rum, green apple juice, and nutmeg bitters. So, I came home and decided to recreate it using bourbon and cardamom, cause well, you know me.
This little cocktail is a refreshing spin on classic apple cider! It has ginger beer, fresh lime juice, and a hint of cardamom for a sweet and tart cocktail with a hint of spice. I’ve been making it for parties and holidays the past 7 years and it always hits on a chilly day. Let’s get into it!
Fresh apple cider is key
Make sure you’re using fresh-pressed apple cider in this cocktail. The kind you get at apple orchards or in the seasonal section at the grocery store. You want cider because it’s less sweet and more flavorful than juice. You also want bourbon, ginger beer, fresh lime juice, and cardamom bitters.
Make sure you’re buying a high-quality apple cider. It’s the main flavoring agent in this whiskey apple cider cocktail, so a good cider makes a difference.
How to make this drink
Are you using bitters properly? When you see a ‘dash’ of bitters, it doesn’t mean one measly drop! You want to give the bottle a good shake to get a full dash. (Also, use it like salt and pepper, meaning add the bitters to taste!)
For a batch cocktail
You can also make a batch cocktail if you’re serving a crowd! Just add all of the ingredients to a pitcher or punch bowl and stir gently. Here’s the measurements for 8 cocktails, but feel free to scale it up or down depending on how many servings you need.
- 1 1/2 cups bourbon (355 milliliters)
- 2 cups apple cider (474 milliliters)
- 2 cups ginger beer (474 milliliters)
- 1 ounce lime juice + more to taste (30 milliliters)
- 16 dashes of cardamom bitters + more to taste
Storing this pitcher cocktail
If you have leftovers, cover the pitcher or punch bowl with plastic wrap or a bowl cover. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. This cocktail is best fresh, because the ginger beer loses fizziness over time, but it still tastes good as leftovers!
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Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail with Ginger Beer
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Rim
- 1 Tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For a single cocktail
- 2 lime wedges, divided
- 1 1/2 ounces bourbon (44 milliliters)
- 2 ounces fresh apple cider (58 milliliters)
- 2 ounces good-quality ginger beer (58 milliliters)
- 2 dashes cardamom bitters (or ginger bitters)
For a batch cocktail (8 servings)
- 1 1/2 cups bourbon (355 milliliters)
- 2 cups fresh apple cider (474 milliliters)
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice + more to taste (30 milliliters)
- 16 dashes cardamom bitters + more to taste
- 2 cups good-quality ginger beer (474 milliliters)
Equipment
- Jigger
- Bar spoon
- Rocks glass
Instructions
Cinnamon sugar rim
- Pour the sugar and cinnamon on a shallow plate or bowl. Mix well.
For a single cocktail
- Use one of the lime wedges to wet the rim of a rocks glass. Dip the rim of the glass in the cinnamon sugar until it's well-coated.
- To make this drink in a glass: Fill the rocks glass with ice all the way to the top. Add the apple cider, bourbon, and ginger beer. Finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice and two dashes of cardamom bitters. Using a bar spoon, stir the cocktail until it's frosty, about 20 seconds. Enjoy!
- To make this drink in a cocktail shaker: Fill the rocks glass with ice all the way to the top. Add the bourbon, apple cider, lime juice, and cardamom bitters to a shaker. Fill it to the top with ice and shake it until the outside is frosty, about 20 seconds. Strain the cocktail into a rocks glass and top it with the ginger beer. Stir gently and enjoy!
For a batch cocktail (8 servings)
- Combine the bourbon, apple cider, lime juice, and bitters in a punch bowl or pitcher. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Right before serving, add the ginger beer and stir gently to combine. Taste and add more lime juice or bitters, if desired.
- To serve the cocktail, wet the rim of each glass with a lime wedge & dip in cinnamon sugar. Fill the glasses with ice and divide the cocktails. Enjoy!
Notes
Originally posted November 22, 2019.
Extraordinary
Thanks so much, Fred!