Comments on: Mulled Wine http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/ Growing grapes and making wine in Bellevue Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:41:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lyle http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-42913 Lyle Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:38:46 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-42913 I always liked mulled anything and read about the mulled wines. Everyone puts the mulling spices into the finished wine but I was wondering why the wine could not be made right from the start with mulling spices. My first attempt at doing so is about complete and with one exception of using too much sugar -- it is pretty good. Many favorable comments on it. I used a heavy dose of mulling spices in a cherry wine must and then again in the carboy for about a month. Due to the higher amount of sugar, I call it a dessert wine. Next time I will lower the sugar and make it a dry wine. I don't see why this would not work with apple wine as well. I always liked mulled anything and read about the mulled wines. Everyone puts the mulling spices into the finished wine but I was wondering why the wine could not be made right from the start with mulling spices. My first attempt at doing so is about complete and with one exception of using too much sugar — it is pretty good. Many favorable comments on it. I used a heavy dose of mulling spices in a cherry wine must and then again in the carboy for about a month. Due to the higher amount of sugar, I call it a dessert wine. Next time I will lower the sugar and make it a dry wine. I don’t see why this would not work with apple wine as well.

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-40344 Erroll Sat, 28 Aug 2010 03:38:49 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-40344 Hi Bob, You mean my article on <a href="http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/07/23/acidity-in-mead-the-problem/" rel="nofollow">acidity in mead</a>, right? Dr Jonathan White did a lot of research on honey and I think he was the first to describe the problem. Here is a link to his paper on the interplay between acid and lactone in honey, how that interferes with traditional titration, and a proposed method to determine free acidity: http://www.honey.com/white/pdf/white43-the-composition-of-honey-II.pdf He mentions this, without going into detail, in his "Composition of American Honey." It was published as USDA technical bulletin #1261, and is no longer available from the USDA. The last link I knew of is broken and so are many others in the Penn State collection of Jonathan White's papers: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/digital/findingaids/724.htm It's a shame because this bulletin is the most comprehensive survey of honey composition we have - or are likely to have for some time. A lot of other sources reference 1261. Hope this helps, Erroll Hi Bob,

You mean my article on acidity in mead, right? Dr Jonathan White did a lot of research on honey and I think he was the first to describe the problem. Here is a link to his paper on the interplay between acid and lactone in honey, how that interferes with traditional titration, and a proposed method to determine free acidity:

http://www.honey.com/white/pdf/white43-the-composition-of-honey-II.pdf

He mentions this, without going into detail, in his “Composition of American Honey.” It was published as USDA technical bulletin #1261, and is no longer available from the USDA. The last link I knew of is broken and so are many others in the Penn State collection of Jonathan White’s papers:

http://www.libraries.psu.edu/digital/findingaids/724.htm

It’s a shame because this bulletin is the most comprehensive survey of honey composition we have – or are likely to have for some time. A lot of other sources reference 1261.

Hope this helps,
Erroll

]]> By: Bob Toombs http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-40328 Bob Toombs Thu, 26 Aug 2010 22:57:40 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-40328 Hi Erroll Found article about adjusting acid in mead interesting. Would you be willing to share your source of information with me? I tried to find it and have had no luck so far. I want to share it with my students but need a reference text. As for bland table grapes----I find that adding some elderberries makes a very big difference. Hi Erroll
Found article about adjusting acid in mead interesting. Would you be willing to share your source of information with me? I tried to find it and have had no luck so far. I want to share it with my students but need a reference text.

As for bland table grapes—-I find that adding some elderberries makes a very big difference.

]]> By: Cory http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-40119 Cory Wed, 11 Aug 2010 22:10:50 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-40119 vin brûlé!!! Awsome stuff!! I just came back from a trip to Italy and Paris, thats where I dicovered this type of wine. This works well with most all red's and especially cheap ones!!! :) cincin tutti!!! vin brûlé!!! Awsome stuff!! I just came back from a trip to Italy and Paris, thats where I dicovered this type of wine. This works well with most all red’s and especially cheap ones!!! :) cincin tutti!!!

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-35942 Erroll Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:18:27 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-35942 Matt, I added a little more than a shot to a one-bottle batch of mulled wine. I liked it, but the Lady of the House thought it was too much. Maybe a little less next time. Erroll Matt,

I added a little more than a shot to a one-bottle batch of mulled wine. I liked it, but the Lady of the House thought it was too much. Maybe a little less next time.

Erroll

]]> By: Matt http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-35512 Matt Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:43:12 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-35512 I'd say add brandy to taste. I've never actually added it to mulled wine, I just figured since Brandy is basically distilled wine it'd fit pretty well flavor wise. I have added brandy to regular wine on occasion, maybe about half an ounce to a glass of red wine and it turned out well, enough so you knew it was there but not overpowering the flavor of the wine. I’d say add brandy to taste. I’ve never actually added it to mulled wine, I just figured since Brandy is basically distilled wine it’d fit pretty well flavor wise.

I have added brandy to regular wine on occasion, maybe about half an ounce to a glass of red wine and it turned out well, enough so you knew it was there but not overpowering the flavor of the wine.

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-34976 Erroll Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:29:16 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-34976 Hello Anise, Allspice? As soon as I read your comment, I thought, "why didn't I think of that?" Matt with the brandy, you with the dark rum, I'm sensing a pattern here. It seems mulled wine needs a little boost :) Erroll Hello Anise,

Allspice? As soon as I read your comment, I thought, “why didn’t I think of that?”

Matt with the brandy, you with the dark rum, I’m sensing a pattern here. It seems mulled wine needs a little boost :)

Erroll

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-34975 Erroll Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:23:19 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-34975 Hi Matt, I thought about heating everything up together in one pot. It's a lot simpler than doing the extraction separately, and I went back and forth between them for a while. In the end I was just too worried about "overcooking" the wine. It sounds like it worked out for you, so I might reconsider. I like the idea of adding brandy - how much did you use? Erroll Hi Matt,

I thought about heating everything up together in one pot. It’s a lot simpler than doing the extraction separately, and I went back and forth between them for a while. In the end I was just too worried about “overcooking” the wine. It sounds like it worked out for you, so I might reconsider.

I like the idea of adding brandy – how much did you use?

Erroll

]]> By: Anise http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-34974 Anise Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:54:26 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-34974 I love making mulled apple cider. One ingredient I always add is allspice, just a pinch of whole pods. I find it really adds that extra layer. Depending on the type of cider, sometimes I will add a dash of dark rum. Mulled drinks are the best part of the holiday season, especially when it gets cold and snowy. I love making mulled apple cider. One ingredient I always add is allspice, just a pinch of whole pods. I find it really adds that extra layer. Depending on the type of cider, sometimes I will add a dash of dark rum.

Mulled drinks are the best part of the holiday season, especially when it gets cold and snowy.

]]> By: Matt http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/comment-page-1/#comment-34972 Matt Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:28:49 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/?p=1025#comment-34972 We made mulled wine last year for a pumpkin carving party from a few bottles of two buck chuck. This year I had made some apple cider that turned out rather sour so we mulled that, the sweetness from the added sugar balanced out the sourness in the cider and it actually turned out quite tasty. (I didn't add any citrus to the mulled cider). We just heat it in a pot on the stove and add ingredients to taste. I don't know the exact flavor profile of your bland wine, if it's not very sour you may want to add more orange/lemon than normal. Another thing that may be worth trying is adding a little brandy to your mulled wine, that really helps to warm you up on a cold winter's night. ;) We made mulled wine last year for a pumpkin carving party from a few bottles of two buck chuck. This year I had made some apple cider that turned out rather sour so we mulled that, the sweetness from the added sugar balanced out the sourness in the cider and it actually turned out quite tasty. (I didn’t add any citrus to the mulled cider).

We just heat it in a pot on the stove and add ingredients to taste. I don’t know the exact flavor profile of your bland wine, if it’s not very sour you may want to add more orange/lemon than normal. Another thing that may be worth trying is adding a little brandy to your mulled wine, that really helps to warm you up on a cold winter’s night. ;)

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