Traditional German Mulled Wine Recipe (Glühwein) (30 Mins) (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to heat Glühwein? ›

Simmer. Cook the mulled wine on medium-high heat until it just barely reaches a simmer. (Avoid letting it bubble — you don't want to boil off the alcohol.) Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.

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.

The word “Glühwein” roughly translates to “glow wine.” A traditional Glühwein typically includes a variety of spices such as cinnamon, clove, and star anise. This German mulled wine also features citrus, vanilla, and sugar. It is most often made with red wine, although you can use white wine if you prefer.

Method. Put the red wine, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, lemon zest and sugar in a large pan. Cook on a low heat for 10 mins. Remove from the heat and cool, leaving to infuse for about 30 mins.

Let the wine slowly warm up to 70°C (160F) do not pass 80°C (175F) (keep a close eye on that). When you reach 70°C (160F) let the flavors mix up for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving.

All ingredients are combined and heated to approximately 150-160 degrees. Be careful not to over heat or boil the mixture. Since alcohol evaporates at 172 degrees which is much lower than water you would be left with a non-alcoholic version of mulled wine and that defeats the purpose.

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 wine is thoroughly warmed with cloves, cinnamon, star anise and sugar. It is possible to add a slice of lemon or orange. Mulled wine has about 7.5% alcohol.

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.

How long does homemade Glühwein last? ›

Make All of It Ahead of Time

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.

Usually the deposit of pfand (pronounced “font”) is at the bottom and ranges from €2 to €4. A mug of Glühwein may cost €3, plus the €2 deposit/pfand. They will ask for €5.

The key to successfully heating up mulled wine is to take it up to a nice warm temperature without boiling it. Wine has a lower boiling point than water, and overheating it will cook off some of the alcohol, resulting in an unpleasant bitter flavour.

One important thing to remember when making your mulled wine – don't boil or heat it for too long! You'll cook off all the alcohol and be left with tasty but boozeless mulled grape juice.

Does the alcohol cook out when making mulled wine? In short, yes, some of the alcohol burns off when boiling mulled wine, but you should only be gently bringing up to the boil and simmering for around 15-30 minutes which isn't enough time to completely remove all alcohol traces.

Pour the mulled wine into a large pre-heated saucepan on a low heat. Stir occasionally for few minutes until warm to the touch. Do not over-heat and never allow the wine to boil.

Saucepan on low. The pre-bottled stuff tastes better if you toss some orange slices in there. I meant to buy a cheap bottle of red wine today to make Gluhwein. I've also done it for a few hours in a crock pot on high, that way it stays warm for refills/larger groups of people.