Episode 19: How to Make Gluehwein
22. Dec, 2008 
3 Comments
If you can’t be in Germany during the holidays, I’d suggest making your own Gluehwein, to replicate the atmosphere that you are missing. Gluehwein (mulled wine in English) is the traditional winter drink which you will find at all the Christmas markets throughout Germany. There are many different recipes for Gluehwin to be found, indeed you can have both red or white Gluehewin.
I’ll be talking you through a family recipe of ours for a red Gluehwein. Now this is a secret family recipe, so keep it to yourselves , folks 
Ingredients:
1 bottle of red wine (use a wine that you’d actually enjoy drinking, no vinegar-cooking-wine)
2-3 cinnamon sticks (or 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, if you can’t fin the sticks)
5 – 10 whole cloves – use 5 if you’d prefer it a bit less intense (or 1 teaspoon of ground cloves if you can’t find whole cloves)
1 star aniseed (don’t worry if you can’t find this, your Gluehwein will still be fine without it)
3/4 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup of apple juice
add to taste:
2 teaspoons sugar or honey per cup, to make it sweeter
1 shot Amareto/ Frangelico or Grand Marnier/ Triple Sec or Rum
To Prepare:
Step 1: add the bottle of wine, the cloves, the cinnamon and the star aniseed into a saucepan and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Important, do not boil!
Step 2: add the orange juice and the apple juice, continue simmering for another 15 minutes
Step 3: divide the Gluehwein into 5-8 coffee cups and add sugar/honey to taste, as well as a shot of something tasty.
Enjoy the Gluehwein!
I wish you all the best for a lovely holiday season. Fröhes Fest und ein guten Rütsch in 2009!
Guten Tag,
I just returned from a family Christmas Celebration in Heidelberg. What a wonderful time we had. We had a great time drinking the Gluehwein at the Weinhachtsmarkts. Thanks so much for the recipe. I think I will make some today, I already have all the ingredients….even the star anise, so I am good to go.My husband and I will go outside in the cold as you suggest and enjoy a cup or two. I managed to bring home a few Weihnachtsmarks cups, so that well make it taste even better.
I so enjoy your podcasts.
Tchuss,
Sandi Borreson
Hello Sandi!
thanks for stopping by the blog to leave a comment. Heidelberg is a wonderful city to spend the winter holidays and I’m glad that you had the chance to see it.
Enjoy the Gl?hwein and don’t be afraid to play around with the recipe…and let me know if you stumble across a better verssion!
ein fr?hes neues Jahr an Euch!
Taural
You gotta have the Amareto, preferably a double!
^__^