Mulled cider is a warm or hot drink made with apple juice or cider, typically served in fall and winter. It includes spices, citrus fruits, and can be made with apple or cranberry juice. Hard cider is used in Europe for mulled cider recipes. The drink is best when apple cider is used, and common spices include allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. It can be served in mugs or punch glasses and should be heated in stainless steel, ceramic, or clay pots.
Mulled cider is a warm or hot drink, typically made with apple juice or cider, and is most popular in the fall and winter. It is sometimes called wassail or wassail punch. However, typically wassail would be made with ale or ale. Modern, kid-friendly versions are more likely to be made with apple or cranberry juice, or a combination of fruit juices.
Wasted cider takes its name from the definition of mulled wine, which means to flavor a drink by heating it and adding spices. Often, this drink also includes slices or the zest of citrus fruits such as oranges. It is usually served hot, although spiced cider can be purchased. In fact, if you’re short on time, reheating spiced cider is an excellent shortcut to making mulled cider.
Confusion exists as to whether a difference in taste occurs when using products labeled with apple juice or apple cider. Apple cider tends to be associated with a darker, unfiltered apple juice that may not be pasteurized. Apple juice is usually clear and has been strained several times to appear golden.
Cider, by this definition, tends to have a spicier flavor, and is more likely to ferment rapidly. Indeed hard cider, which is fermented, is now a popular drink. Hard cider is most commonly used in Europe for mulled cider recipes.
Within this narrow, not universally recognized definition, mulled cider is generally best when apple cider is used, even if it is unfermented. It should be a little spicy, and a little stronger in taste than a strained apple juice. In fact, many recipes for this drink call for the use of a small amount of apple cider vinegar to deepen the flavor if strained apple juice is used.
However, to combat too acidic cider, some recipes also include a little sugar. Common spices include allspice, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Some people use a premade pumpkin pie spice. Often the spices are kept in a cheesecloth bag during the heating process, so they simply taste, but don’t mix into the cider.
This drink can be served in mugs. Many like to garnish the drink with a cinnamon stick or a thin slice of orange. It can also be served in punch glasses if it’s not excessively hot.
Some care should be observed in selecting the appropriate heating vessel. Aluminum and cast iron pans should be avoided. The acidity in cider tends to leach metals from such vessels and can give the cider a bitter, metallic taste. Stainless steel, ceramic pots or clay pots are preferred.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
