Channel Your Inner Viking, Drink Some Glogg
Photo: Daniel Krieger
Glogg
Serves 8-10
If glogg (or glögg, if you’re feeling Scandinavian) does not immediately conjure Vikings or some later breed of burly, bearded Nordic men, nothing will. While the process of “mulling” wine with spices dates back to Roman times, the word glogg—which once described a mixture of wine (dry red and port together, generally), a spirit (cognac) and spices, heated up—first appears in print in 1870 as the shortened version of “glödgad vin” or “glowing wine.” By the 1890s glogg had firmly rooted itself with the canon of American (and European) holiday drinks. While our version toes a line between modern and classic, many contemporary American versions can include everything from sherry to brandy to vodka. So, by all means, get weird.
750 ml red wine, full-bodied
1 cup aquavit (optional)
1 cup port
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves, whole
5 cardamom pods, crushed
2 star anise
1 whole orange peel
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Garnish: raisins and sliced almonds
Glassware: mug or wine glass
Add all ingredients to a large sauce pot. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low. Let simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Sweeten to taste with additional brown sugar.
Strain Glögg and serve into individual glasses. Garnish each glass with a tablespoon of raisins and a tablespoon of sliced almonds.
Punch is an online magazine about wine, spirits and cocktails, done in collaboration with Ten Speed Press.
More winter cocktails:
New Year’s Eve cranberry sparklers
