Winter Warm Mulled Wine and more

June 30, 2019

Around here in Canberra come June + July we enjoy a ‘proper’ Winter complete with frosts in the morning, snow on the ranges and clear blue days. So whilst it’s a fine season to keep your Martinis perfectly chilled, it also get’s one thinking about staying warm.

So here’s some suggestions on making some easy classic winter warmers.

Note, if you’ve a crock pot or slow cooker, then here’s another perfect use for them!

Generally, mulling means to heat, sweeten and flavour wine, or some other alcohol with spices. It’s very important you don’t boil your mix during the process, you want a slow heat.

Northern Hemisphere cultures have developed a range of these type of drinks to help cope with their Winters, Gluhwein in Germany, Glögg in Scandinavia (each country naturally having their own versions) and I remember making Hot Buttered Rums when I worked in the Canadian Rockies.

Normally based on a dry red wine, you can also consider spiced rums, Cognac and barrel aged gins, even Sweet Vermouth.  I’ve also an non-alchohol version below too for those not wishing to drink.

General Method

Overall, making these types of drinks is simply:

  • gather all your ingredients
  • blend them in a heating pot (or Crockpot) with the wine or base
  • heat them gently until they simmer
  • do NOT boil
  • the take off the heat to cool
  • strain to remove the spices etc and gently reheat
  • add the garnishes in each cup when serving.

Glögg – Swedish version

  • 1 bottle red wine (red blends tend to work best)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon cardamom
  • 2 tablespoons ginger (fresh root)
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 8 cloves
  • 1 1/2 cup of bourbon or sherry or  port (optional extra)
  • 2 tablespoons raisins > added before serving
  • 2 tablespoons almonds (blanched and slivered) > added before serving
  • Garnish: orange slice

Hot Buttered Rum – Canada

This is made is two stages, mixing the compound butter (which can be kept in the fridge for later use) and then add when ready to serve adding a measure of this to mug, and adding the rum, hot water and garnish.

Compound Butter – makes enough for about 500ml

  • 120gms of unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon of ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 2 cups of brown sugar -yep!

Method

  • Add all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and cream together until smooth.
  • Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Mixing

  • put 1 tablespoon of the compound butter into a mug
  • add rum to desired level (30mls to 60mls) – this can be spiced or dark rum – or perhaps Brandy or Cognac for a variation on the theme
  • top with boiling water, stir to dissolve.
  • then add your cinnamon stick for a garnish.

Mulled Wine 

  • 1 litre of good red wine – a full bodied spicier style is recommended
  • 1 large piece each orange and lemon rind
  • Maple Syrup or 4 tablespoons sugar to taste
  • cinnamon sticks for garnish
  • 1 dessert spoon whole cloves
  • 1 dessert spoon whole allspice
  • 2 whole star anise

Method

  • gather all your ingredients
  • blend them in a heating pot (or Crockpot) with the wine or base
  • heat them gently until they simmer
  • do NOT boil
  • the take off the heat to cool
  • strain to remove the spices etc and gently reheat
  • add the cinnamon  in each cup when serving, with the option of a thin slice of orange too.

Non-Alc Version 

You make the Mulled Wine using the same method and spices outlined above, but instead of wine use a juice base such as pomegranate and cranberry juice and adding in some fruits for body- such as blackberries or raspberries and/or thin slices of pear or apple. You’d also want to use less sweetener to compensate for the natural sugars from the other ingredients