You can warm gluhwein in a microwave or on the stove. Gluhwein is a German mulled wine made of multiple ingredients, including red wine, cloves, cinnamon, sugar, and other aromatic spices. Heat up Gluhwein the correct way to preserve the spice-infused taste of the wine.
Be careful because if you overheat it, you risk the wine changing its flavor and might even turn bitter. Follow instructions and use the tips below to ensure the Gluhwein is at room temperature before heating it. A sudden temperature change changes the flavor if the bottle is in a cool place.
Way to warm gluhwein
Slow Cooker
If you have a slow cooker, you can warm up Gluhwein. Keep it on the low setting and pour the contents. Stir the wine constantly until heated (jessicagavin.com). Add spices and citrus fruit rinds while warming up the wine as per your taste to enhance the flavor of the bottled Gluhwein.
The advantage of using a slow cooker is that the drink stays at a constant temperature. You only need to check here and there to know when to refresh the crock with wine, brandy, and maple syrup. Replenish the spices when they look saturated, and their fragrance fades.
Be prepared to use garnishes such as cinnamon sticks, star anise, and orange peel. When you refresh the slow cooker, have your wine and glass ready. Open a bottle of wine, pour a glass of sweet maple syrup and a few shots of brandy, and drink.
Steps
- Collect all your ingredients, including garnish and sweeteners.
- Combine your wine and orange peel in a slow cooker.
- Heat on low until hot. It takes about an hour for the mulled wine to get hot. Do not heat on high so you do not boil the wine away. Give the spices time to permeate the beverage.
- Reduce heat to warm and serve. Mulled wine improves as it sits; the flavors mellow, and the spices perfume the whole house.
- Set serving glasses or mugs alongside the slow cooker and finish the setup with bowls of garnishes in sliced orange, strips of orange peel, fresh cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and star anise pods. Keep a towel or napkin in case of spills occur.
Microwave
If you are more concerned about time, you might heat a cup of Gluhwein in the microwave. If you have other options, avoid that route. Using a microwave is the easiest way to warm up wine, but it makes it taste burnt.
Microwaves have multiple heat settings but will not provide the heat needed to preserve the flavor of Gluhwein. There is a lack of temperature control. Heating the Gluhwein too much and too quickly compromises its quality.
Steps
- Whisk together wine and honey in a large microwave-safe bowl measuring cup.
- Use a Y-shaped peeler to remove 1-inch strips of zest from the orange. Add zest to the wine mixture. Cut the orange into halves and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Add star anise, allspice, cloves, peppercorns, and two cinnamon sticks.
- Microwave on high until hot but not boiling. That is from 2 to 3 minutes.
- Set aside to steep, 15 minutes.
- Stir in brandy.
- Strain into mugs and top with a cinnamon stick and an orange wedge or twist.
- Reheat individual mugs on high until hot, 30 seconds or as needed.
- Drink.
Best method
The saucepan is the most straightforward way of heating store-bought Gluhwein. Make sure the pan is clean so as not to spoil the wine. To be safe, keep a separate pan to warm up Gluhwein and any other versions of spiced wine for only that purpose.
Steps
- Preheat the pan on a low flame.
- Pour the wine into the saucepan from the bottle. When the wine is in the pan, simmer it on low heat until warmed up.
- Do not boil the wine. If boiled, the wine changes its flavor, and if the red wine used while making the spiced wine is high in tannins, it may turn bitter.
- Keep the temperature below 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Stir occasionally for even heating. You can taste to see if the wine needs sugar.
- Add in the sugar and stir until dissolved. A better alternative to sugar is slices of citrus fruit while warming up.
- Once your wine is warm, pour it into a cup or glass of your choice and enjoy.
Storage
An unopened bottle of Gluhwein can last for years, unlike an opened bottle that can stay good for three to five days. If you are not consuming the whole bottle of German spiced wine in one night, know how to store it to reheat it later.
Wait for it to cool down and funnel it back to the bottle. Get a rubber bottle stopper to prevent air from getting inside if the original seal was cork. Do not reuse your old cork to seal a new wine. Bacteria may have contaminated the old cork, infecting your wine (conserve-energy-future.com). Use the screw top to close the bottle tightly to keep oxygen out of the bottle. Steer clear of vacuum sealers to preserve the aromatics of spiced wine.
Once the bottle is resealed, place it in the fridge and enjoy it within three days. The wine can be reheated and consumed for five days, but do not be surprised if it loses its signature punch and may taste different. Sealing the liquid in an airtight glass container keeps it safe.
Safe Temperatures
The safe temperature stays below 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
FAQs
Can you drink Gluhwein straight from the bottle?
Yes, you can drink Gluhwein straight from the bottle without reheating. You can still have the delicious wine from the bottle. The flavors of this wine are subtle, crisp, and clean, with more citrus and peach flavors.
Can you get drunk on Glühwein?
Yes, since the alcohol content in Glühwein ranges between 8 to 13 percent by volume. The drink makes you drunk much faster than beer or wine, with the high sugar content boosting alcohol absorption through the stomach- and intestinal-lining and hastening the amount of alcohol.
Is Glühwein the same as mulled wine?
No, but the words are sometimes used interchangeably. Mulled wine is hot spiced wine, whereas Gluhwein is a German term for the same. They might not taste the same way because there are many different recipes, spice mixes, and wines to choose from.