How to Make Campfire Mulled Wine (2024)

FAQs

How to keep mulled wine warm outside? ›

Pour it into a thermos – If you have a large enough thermos, you can keep the mulled wine on hand throughout the evening. The thermos will keep it nice and warm, and it will be easy to serve without having to go to the kitchen.

Combine wine, brandy, maple syrup, cloves, star anise pods, cinnamon sticks, and orange peel in a slow cooker. Heat on LOW until hot. It will take about an hour for the mulled wine to get hot.

You can reheat mulled wine by warming it over a low heat on the hob. Alternatively, pour the liquid into a heatproof bowl and microwave for 2 mins 30 seconds-3 mins until warm, but not boiling.

Heat until the wine almost reaches a simmer over medium-high heat. (Avoid letting it bubble in any way. Alcohol begins to vaporize at 172°F, so take care to ensure that the wine does not evaporate.) Reduce heat to low, cover completely, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Right Temperature: Serve mulled wine warm, but not too hot. Aim for a temperature that's comfortable to sip, similar to a warm cup of tea. Appropriate Glassware: Use heat-resistant glasses or mugs. Traditional glass wine goblets might crack with the heat, so opt for thicker, sturdier glasses or even festive mugs.

But no matter what you start with, and no matter all the other variables, if you're really keeping mulled wine warm for 10 hours, it's very likely some—but definitely not all—of the alcohol will evaporate. But the flavors of the mulled wine will also start to fade and get muddier after hours and hours of heat exposure.

Cold mulled wine may be strained and chilled, then reheated very gently in a microwave. Much better is to strain it and either freeze it to add to your next batch, or to set it into one large or many small jellies that will brighten up ice creams and are good topped with clotted cream.

But fear not, hot cider, hot toddy, and mulled wine lovers: Around 85 percent of your beloved alcohol will survive the heating process. The U.S. Department of Agriculture did a study in 2007 that nailed down the numbers with the magic of the scientific method.

Don't Overheat the Wine

Simmer the wine instead, and never boil it, as sugars will caramelize. Plus, alcohol burns off as it's heated, so don't “cook” the wine. When overheated, wine can taste raisin-like or syrupy, cancelling out the original fruity flavors that enhance spices and sweeteners.

The best wines for mulled wine are richly fruity, medium-bodied ones with little oak aging, because these stand up to the bold sweetness and spice of the hot drink without tasting too tannic. For example, try a Chilean Merlot, a Zinfandel from California or a Grenache from Spain.

Can you drink mulled wine straight from the bottle? ›

Yes. Even though the spiced wine is heated, most of the alcohol remains. I suppose you could make a batch of mulled wine with a non-alcoholic wine and that would not have alcohol.

The key to successfully heating up mulled wine is to take it up to a nice warm temperature without boiling it. Wine has a lower boiling point than water, and overheating it will cook off some of the alcohol, resulting in an unpleasant bitter flavour.

You need to infuse the wine long enough with the spices to take on their flavour but DON'T ON ANY ACCOUNT LET THE MIXTURE BOIL as you'll be left with a bitter taste. Slow and low is the way to go. And it shouldn't be served piping hot, just comfortably - and comfortingly - warm.

The best red wine to use for mulled wine is Merlot, Zinfandel or Garnacha (also called Grenache). These wines are dark, fruity and full bodied, which means they can support all of the flavors we'll be adding. Look for labels that describe the wine as “jammy” or with “notes of vanilla.”

When you cook with wine, does the alcohol burn off? Some does, but not all. While alcohol does have a lower boiling point than water, even after hours of cooking some residual alcohol will not evaporate. Even after 2–1/2 hours, tests have shown that ~5% of the original amount remains.

Unfortunately, reviving a mulled wine bottle like all wines is just not possible. You can blame oxidation for that along with warm temperature. Your best solution to keeping it fresh is an air tight container and to leave it in the fridge. As mentioned above, you can identify when it goes bad by a sour taste/smell.

How To Tell if Your Mulled Wine Has Gone Bad. Once opened, mulled wine is known to only maintain its quality for 3 to 5 days.

You can reheat mulled wine as many times as you like, as long as it hasn't been overheated. Always use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you plan to use your leftover mulled wine at a later date, keep it in the fridge for up to three days.

Just follow the directions for your favorite recipe and let the wine simmer with spices until it's deeply infused. Then let the mulled wine cool at room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge — it will keep well there for up to three days.