Mulled Wine (Glühwein)

Germans enjoy Glühwein or "Glow Wine" quite a bit around Christmas and New Year's Day. A favorite place to sip a warming glass is outside at the Christmas market. Unfortunately, the recipe did not say what size bottles of wine, so I've estimated that here. From "German Holiday Recipes from the German Embassy 2007" and the "additions" are my own from my experiences at the Christmas Markets in Berlin. Posted for ZWT6.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 24 drinks

Ingredients

• 2 (1 liter) bottles red wine
• 1  cup sugar
• 3  cups water
• 1  lemon, sliced
• 20  whole cloves
• 6 -8  cinnamon sticks
• 1  orange, sliced for garnish

• NOTE

•  add 1 ounce Amaretto or 1  ounce rum, to your drink for extra warmth

Directions

1. Mix water, lemon and spices and simmer for an hour. Strain.
2. Heat but do not boil the red wine.
3. Add wine to hot water mixture.
4. Ladle into cups and serve with half a slice of orange.
5. Add additions if desired.