German Mulled Wine: A Delicious Gluhwein Recipe - Vega Recepten (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between mulled wine and Glühwein? ›

Mulled wine is hot spiced wine. Gluhwein is a German term for exactly the same. However, they might not necessarily taste the same way because there are so many different recipes, spice mixes and wines to choose from.

This mulled wine recipe is for the German Glühwein, which literally translates to glow-wine, because of how you feel after you've been drinking tiny mugs outside in December.

Zinfandels, Merlots, Syrah/Shiraz, or Garnache tend to work best. Avoid red wines high in tannins or have an oaky flavor, and avoid light reds. Sometimes Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to have a full-bodied, fruity flavor, can work in a pinch, as can Malbec, which tends to have a bold, spicy flavor.

The trick to mulled wine is never to boil it because that way the alcohol boils off (although if you want to make a non alcoholic version by all means boil away). Instead you need to keep it at a gentle simmer. The idea of using a slow cooker to make mulled wine came to me as I was packing it away.

Warm mulled wine is a delightful drink to enjoy during the winter season. Different cultures have their own variations and the version served in Germany and Austria is known as Glühwein. This festive drink is a holiday tradition in our household and we are happy to share it with you.

Fun fact, Glühwein roughly translates to “glow-wine”. This is a term derived from the hot irons that was once used to mull the wine! It is most popular in German-speaking countries and in the Alsace region in France.

Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is an alcoholic drink usually made with red wine, along with various mulling spices and sometimes raisins, served hot or warm.

While it's a nice drink to imbibe on its own, it's always more fun to think of pairings. Truthfully, mulled wine pairs well with everything from roast beef or sausage to cheese platters. Miller loves to take comforting, classic meat and potato dishes and throw in Filipino twists.

But no matter what you start with, and no matter all the other variables, if you're really keeping mulled wine warm for 10 hours, it's very likely some—but definitely not all—of the alcohol will evaporate. But the flavors of the mulled wine will also start to fade and get muddier after hours and hours of heat exposure.

You need to infuse the wine long enough with the spices to take on their flavour but DON'T ON ANY ACCOUNT LET THE MIXTURE BOIL as you'll be left with a bitter taste.

Should Glühwein be served warm or cold? ›

As we point out in the below directions, Glühwein is served hot and should be sipped slowly just as you would with a fresh cup of coffee. Of course, you do not have to splurge on crystal glassware to sip Gluhwein. A regular mug is a fine alternative.

As mentioned above, mulled wine can only last 3 to 5 days after opening it. You can tell if a mulled wine has gone bad by smelling it. It will have a distinct sour smell.

In Germany it is a tradition to drink warm wine in Winter called Glühwein, especially during the weeks before Christmas. Additional ingredients are (among others) cinnamon, clove, star anise and cardamom. When cooking it should not produce bubbles. Some people like to add a shot of rum, whisky or Amaretto.

Just follow the directions for your favorite recipe and let the wine simmer with spices until it's deeply infused. Then let the mulled wine cool at room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge — it will keep well there for up to three days.

Microwave on high until hot but not boiling, 2½ to 3 minutes.

Glögg, gløgg, glögi and similar words are the terms used for mulled wine in the Nordic countries and Estonia (sometimes spelled as glog or glug). It is spelled gløgg in Norwegian, Danish and Faroese, glögg in Swedish and Icelandic and glögi in Finnish and Estonian.

Glühwein to the rescue! You wonder what the difference between Glühwein and Glogg is — good question! The way I split the difference is that Glogg, for us, is almost always a holiday drink, while Glühwein is more just a cool weather drink. Also, with Glogg I like to leave in the spices, raisins and almonds.

Glögg is typically made with a red wine base, along with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, and sometimes also with added spirits such as aquavit or brandy. Mulled wine can be made with either red or white wine and has a similar spice mix, but without the addition of spirits.