Mulled Cocktails: A Guide Creating These Winter Drinks With Easy Hacks
Mulled cocktails or cocktails with spices can be an ideal drink on a cocktail menu during winter as they include seasonal ingredients and spices, which are widely available during the season. Different types of mulled drinks and ciders are popular during this time, and they use lots of whole spices and seasonal ingredients, marking a unique theme.
Like the drinks, cocktails are also popular, with the use of the same spice but with a base of spirit. As the spice brings complex flavours to the drink base, it brings out the texture, complementing the drink better with more layered profiles. The characteristics of the drinks are made crisper, too. Get to know easy hacks on how to make alcohol infused mulled drinks.
5 Hacks To Make Perfect Alcohol Infused Mulled Drinks
Choose A Base Spirit
When creating the ideal alcohol-infused mulled drink, choosing the appropriate base spirit is essential. The base spirit dictates how well the other ingredients blend and establishes the overall flavour of the drink. With their distinct qualities, popular options include gin, brandy, whisky, and rum. Consider the flavour profiles of the other ingredients when selecting your base spirit. While a deeper, aged spirit like aged whisky or dark rum adds to the overall complexity, a smoother, lighter spirit like gin might not be as appropriate for a highly spiced drink.
Add Alcohol At the Right Time
When adding alcohol to mulled drinks, timing is key since overcooking the alcohol can result in a harsh flavour. After the spices and other components have been cooked and infused, the alcohol should be added for the ideal infusion. Warming the beverage just enough to let the flavours combine without boiling off the alcohol is the aim. Usually, this takes ten to fifteen minutes. When this infusion is ready, turn down the heat and pour in your preferred alcoholic beverage. Gently stir to mix. Maintaining a low temperature is important since boiling the drink might cause the alcohol to evaporate, leaving behind a weaker and more diluted flavour.
Spiced Infusion
A mulled drink starts with a spiced infusion because the spices provide depth to the flavour. Using whole spices instead of ground ones is essential for a great spiced infusion. When cooked, whole spices like star anise, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg release their oils more gradually, giving them a richer, more complex flavour. Give the spices additional time to steep before adding the alcohol if you want a stronger flavour. Fruits that give sweetness and a citrusy touch, such as apple wedges or orange slices, can also be added to improve the infusion. To establish the ideal balance, taste the drink occasionally. The longer the spices are allowed to infuse, the deeper flavours the drink will have.
Use Fortified Wines
Fortified wines can be added to ordinary wine or used as the foundation for mulled drinks. Because of its sweetness, the port goes well with spices like cloves and cinnamon, which makes it ideal for a mulled cocktail. Especially when paired with brandy or whisky, it can give mulled wine or cider a unique taste. If you want to keep the alcohol concentration of your cocktail a little higher, use fortified wines to add balance. Additionally, these wines have a silky texture, which perfectly balances the taste of the fruits and spices.
Experiment With Liqueurs
Liqueurs are a great way to add sweetness, complexity, and a distinctive twist to your mulled cocktails. Depending on the level of sweetness or complexity of flavour you want, start with a little splash and work your way up. You can make a variety of mulled cocktails for variety.
Using these techniques can not only make the process easier, but it can give the flavours an appropriate balance when using base spirits that can be overpowering and harsh, cutting out other soft taste profiles and aromas. These hacks will also clear out all the confusion that a recipient might face while making mulled cocktails for the first time.
All concoctions listed use 30ml liquor measurements. Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
