BEST Mulled Cider Recipe - The Perfect Fall Drink, Spike it too! (2024)

FAQs

What alcohol is good for mulled cider? ›

Bourbon, brandy, or even a dark aged rum have enough oomph to stand up to the sweet flavors of the spices and apple cider. As to when to add in the booze, it's best to wait until the mulling spices have flavored everything first.

Brown liquors are a traditional pairing with apple cider. It's hard to deny that the warm flavors of whiskey or spiced rum mingle beautifully with the tart sweetness of apple cider. But, if you're looking for a simple way to spike your cider while allowing its natural flavors to shine, you may want to turn to vodka.

The best rum

Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum has bold flavors of cloves and cinnamon spice finished with vanilla and oak and is light on sweetness. At times, you can pick up hints of toffee and caramel, which would be perfect with hot apple cider.

Here's the difference between apple cider and apple juice: Apple cider is just unfiltered apple juice that can be served hot or cold. Mulled apple cider is unfiltered apple juice that's been heated and flavored with mulling spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; and fruits like oranges, lemons, and apples.

Very little alcohol will cook off. The boiling point of ethanol is 79C - you should WARM mulled wine and certainly not bring it anywhere near close to 79C.

With the goal of consuming the alcohol, any evaporated alcohol is a small affront to the holiday season. But fear not, hot cider, hot toddy, and mulled wine lovers: Around 85 percent of your beloved alcohol will survive the heating process.

To raise the gravity by 5° add about 10g of sugar per litre of juice. i.e. 10g of sugar in one litre of juice will give a potential alcohol increase of 1%. Once you have added your sugar, re-test the juice with the hydrometer until the desired specific gravity is reached.

Apple cider is apple juice that has not been filtered and still contains all the apple pieces, pulp, and sediment. It is the raw, purer version of apple juice. To make an alcoholic cider, yeast is added which converts the sugar into alcohol. Simple right? Hard cider is the adult version of apple cider.

Traditionally cider is spiked with dark spirits, like the rum and bourbon in the recipes above. But what if you want something a little lighter? Vodka can do the trick. Since it doesn't contribute much in the way of flavor, we add fresh ginger for its distinctive, peppery-sweet flavor.

Why is my mulled cider bitter? ›

Between day 9 and 12 of active fermentation the cider loses all apple flavor and becomes bitter.

Liquor. We recommend spiking apple cider with your favorite kind of whiskey or rum. Whiskey adds warmth to the cider while rum adds sweetness. For a combination of sweet and spicy, try Fireball or another cinnamon whiskey.

Storage: Mulled cider can be refrigerated for up to a week. Just bring it to a simmer before serving. Garnish: Orange wheels, a curled orange peel, thin apple slices, a cinnamon stick, or nothing at all.

Mulled apple cider contains nutrients found in apples, including antioxidants like polyphenols. Antioxidants help protect against oxidative stress to keep cells healthy.

It is not harmful. So, does apple cider go bad? Technically no, but the cider will slowly transform into a more acidic-tasting beverage. Yes, a science lesson was needed to understand the expiration timeline of your favorite fall drink.

Best rum for spike hot apple cider:

I love a good, spiced rum. My favorite is good old Captain Morgans!

Spiked Hot Apple Cider – hot apple cider is a classic fall drink, this version is spiked with caramel vodka for a fun and delicious drink! Fall co*cktails are a must for fall entertaining. Warm Vanilla Cider is great for carving pumpkins and having fall get togethers. But sometimes you want a grown up version.

A simple and tasty aperitif, vodka and apple juice is an elegant, tart mixed drink that can be garnished with a slice of apple for extra effect.