Best Mulled Wine Recipe - Gluhwein Recipe | Happy Healthy Motivated (2024)

FAQs

What's 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.

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.

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.

The red wine base in mulled wine brings its own set of health benefits. Resveratrol is associated with heart health benefits and may help protect the lining of blood vessels, lower bad cholesterol levels, and prevent blood clots. When consumed in moderation, red wine has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.

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.

It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas. It is usually served at Christmas markets in Europe, primarily in Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Nordics, Baltics and eastern France.

You see, “normal” Glühwein, especially the cheap one, is made from blends of leftovers of cheap wines. So the base was probably not that tasty. All the sugar makes it work, but it doesn't make the headache potential go away.

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.

Officially speaking, the drink is defined by the spices used in it, namely cloves and / or cinnamon. The base also needs to be either white or red wine and have an alcohol content of at least 7%.

Sugar or honey.

Not all recipes call for it, but often you will need it to balance out bitterness and/or alcohol. My expert advice: do not add any sugar or honey until the very, very end. You want to add it to taste because depending on the random wine you're using and the spirit, you may not need much of it, if any.

What happens if you boil Glühwein? ›

Boiling it will ruin the Gluehwein, so be careful to not set your heat to high. You can pour this into a crockpot on LOW heat and serve warm.

Serving a party? Keep the mulled wine nice and warm by placing it in a slow cooker on “warm.” If the wine will be out for more than two hours, I recommend removing the whole spices so that they don't make the wine bitter.

Although mulled wine has a lower alcohol content, when over-consumed, the natural and added sugars in mulled wine can spike your blood sugar levels rapidly, which can also cause headaches the next day. This is due to hyperglycemia, or reactive hypoglycemia, an over or under-compensation of glucose in your bloodstream.

“The cinnamon in mulled wine has been shown to have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, reducing swelling and restoring normal tissue function. “This may help conditions like arthritis. The antioxidants in red wine and in cloves can also help reduce inflammation.

Having a glass of wine or other "nightcap" before bed has long been thought of as a way to help someone sleep, especially if it's a warm drink like a hot toddy, a brandy, or mulled wine since the temperature allegedly promotes sleepiness.

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.

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.