I first had German Mulled Wine (also known as Gluehwein) at the Christmas Market this winter. I actually had it somewhat by mistake as one of the friends we were touring the market with, couldn’t finish her gluehwein, so I offered to finish it for her. This version of German mulled wine contains brandy and it takes what would be some warmed red wine to the next level. I don’t like red wine at all, but you add brandy and some spices, and I’ll drink the whole container!
I found this recipe on ChowHound and just halved the recipe. Perfect for 2 people. The Hubby liked it so much that he demanded it be at every Christmas dinner from this point on!
German Mulled WIne (Gluehwein)
Ingredients
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 orange juiced
- 5 whole cloves
- 5 cardamom pods
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 3-inch cinnamon sticks
- 1 750-milliliter bottles dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Beaujolais Nouveau
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1 tea filter bag and butchers twine
Instructions
- Put the cloves and cardamon pods in the tea filter bag and tie shut with twine. You can use a small sack made of cheesecloth if needed.
- Add the sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks, place the pan over high heat, and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by about one-third, about 20 minutes.**
- Add the red wine and brandy, stir to combine, and bring just to a simmer (don’t let it boil). Remove from the heat and remove and discard the spice bundle before serving.
Notes
** I actually skipped this step and combined all ingredients together, brought to a simmer and it came out fine. I'm putting this step in and will try it next time I make it.
GERMAN MULLED WINE (Gluehwein)