US, WASHINGTON (ORDO NEWS) — In winter, Germans love to get together and drink hot mulled wine together. This year, due to the epidemic, friends cannot enjoy each other’s company. Fortunately, mulled wine is not difficult to prepare yourself. Like many Germans, I have prepared various ingredients in advance so that I can demonstrate my skills at home and experience that unforgettable winter mood.
A drink from ancient Rome
German mulled wine is a hot drink made from wine and spices. High temperature and sugar can make them develop their properties more quickly, due to which the effect of warming up the body is achieved, positive and pleasant emotions are evoked. For the preparation of mulled wine, red dry wine is usually used with an alcohol content of 7% to 14.5%, which is mixed with cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest, star anise and other spices, sugar is added to adjust the sweetness, put on a slow fire and slowly stir for about 20 minutes. The temperature during heating should not exceed 78 degrees Celsius, otherwise the alcohol will disappear and lose its taste, like spices, which can even emit harmful substances.
The history of mulled wine dates back to ancient Rome, when sugar and spices were added to the wine to enhance the taste and extend the shelf life. In the Middle Ages, there was a drink called “hypokras”, which in composition was close to the current mulled wine, but it was not heated when drinking. According to historical and philological research, the oldest manuscript recipe for mulled wine in Central Germany that has survived to this day was created by the historian and collector August von Wackerbarth in 1834 at the winery of the Wackerbarth castle in Saxony and is now in the collection of the Saxon State Archives in Dresden. In 1956, the first bottled mulled wine was produced at a private winery in Augsburg. According to the then law on winemaking, it was forbidden to add sugar to wine, for which this small winery was punished by the city authorities. The wine law was later revised,
In modern industrial mulled wines, not very good draft wines are usually used as raw materials and a large amount of sugar is added to hide taste imperfections. They are usually sold in large bottles or cartons at fairly low prices. On the other hand, mulled wine produced at the winery has more stringent quality requirements. It is imperative to use grapes harvested from our own vineyard as raw materials for wine production, and the wine must be flavored and processed by itself. During the entire process, only natural flavors can be used, without the addition of alcohol, water and dyes.
“Improved version” of mulled wine
“Burning punch” ( literally “drink of fire tongs”, approx. Per .) Can be called an “improved version” of traditional mulled wine. The Fire Tongs Drink is named after the original tools and production methods: a lump of sugar in the shape of a cone is taken with tongs and placed on top of a wire rack, which is placed on a pan of mulled wine, then poured with rum and set on fire. The melting sugar with rum slowly flows into the pan, and the aroma of the wine is combined with the sweetness of the burnt sugar, which creates a very special taste.
Even the traditional mulled wine recipe is constantly evolving and changing. In addition to red wine, the main raw material for German winter hot drinks is specialty alcoholic drinks produced in various regions, such as cider produced in Hesse and white wine from the Franconian grape region. Plus you could even make this version in your college dormitory to get in the winter spirit by using fake ids to purchase all the little extras for your perfect mulled wine night in! In addition, in Germany there is a non-alcoholic “children’s version” made with grape juice so that children and those who do not drink alcohol can also enjoy mulled wine in the cold winter.
The largest mulled wine in the world
Since 2005, the famous city of Munich has installed the world’s largest mulled wine container in the city center every winter – a huge copper-clad stainless steel boiler that is used to prepare the “burning punch”. The process of preparing the “drink of fire tongs” is very romantic and entertaining. A bright flame burns continuously under the copper cauldron, and the aroma of wine and warmth emanate from the cauldron itself. Each year, this event attracts a large number of locals and tourists from all over the world who want to watch and taste the “burning punch”. There is even the famous German comedy Burnt Sugar Punch, filmed in the 1940s. At the beginning of this film, friends drink “burning punch”, remembering their school years.
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