{"id":736,"date":"2024-12-04T01:10:48","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T01:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/2024\/12\/04\/mulled-beer-is-more-than-just-hot-beer\/"},"modified":"2024-12-04T01:10:48","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T01:10:48","slug":"mulled-beer-is-more-than-just-hot-beer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/news\/mulled-beer-is-more-than-just-hot-beer\/","title":{"rendered":"Mulled beer is more than just hot beer!"},"content":{"rendered":"

You may have enjoyed a glass of mulled wine, but how about a glass of mulled beer? At its essence, mulled beer is hot beer. There\u2019s cold beer for the heat of summer, so why not hot beer for the cold of winter?<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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By:<\/span> <\/span>Living a Stout Life<\/a><\/p>\n

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What is mulled beer?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Before you start being judgy and uppity about this thing called hot beer, let\u2019s learn a bit about it, shall we? After all, the more you know, the more you might like it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mulled beer often starts with a full-bodied, complex beer with a good malt presence without too much bitterness. Many enjoy a sweet, high-ABV base, but others have started with lighter beers, even using a Hefeweizen or a light lager.<\/span><\/p>\n

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From there, anything goes. Anything with spice, that is, especially spices that are reminiscent of the holidays. Those spices may include nutmeg, juniper, clove, cinnamon, sugar, coriander, cardamom, or even star anise. <\/span><\/p>\n

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But you don\u2019t have to stop there. Add in honey, maple syrup, or molasses for increased sweetness and more holiday flavors. Fruits are favored flavors, too, whole or juiced. Try oranges, cherries, or apple juice. <\/span><\/p>\n

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And if you\u2019re really looking for that winter warmer added oomph, add in a shot or two of your favorite warming spirit. Try a sherry, rum, port wine, or brandy. There are no limits.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Simmer it all together and you might have just found your new favorite beer\u2026hot beer!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Where did hot beer\u2026err, mulled beer come from?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Hot beer is nothing new. It\u2019s been around since beer has been around\u2026for over 10,000 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Think about it, refrigeration hasn\u2019t always been a thing. Ice boxes weren\u2019t even thought of until the 17th century. The first home electric refrigerator came into being in 1913.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Keeping beer cold was not a simple task.<\/span><\/p>\n

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So why not drink it warm, instead? And people did just that. While it may not have always been hot beer, the concept of cold beer was unheard of when people first began brewing beer.<\/span><\/p>\n

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However, the concept of adding spices to fermented beverages was quite common, even beer. It was believed that adding spices helped to prevent common spoilage due to a lack of refrigeration capabilities, and it made bad beverages taste better.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In England, prior to the 20th century, porters and stouts were heated up for drinkers from all walks of life. Nobles to common workers enjoyed these mulled ales (mulled meaning heated) during the fall and winter seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

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These mulled ales also became quite popular in the U.S. when the first settlers made their way across the seas. Some beer lovers even added extravagant ingredients such as milk and eggs to their heated beers. Other countries across the globe, Poland, for instance, with its Grzane Piwo (mulled beer), partook in warm beer, as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The flavor must have been quite pleasant and warming to the body, but there was also chatter that warm beer was better for one\u2019s health, at least according to a story in The Atlantic, as quoted by <\/span>Tap Trail<\/u><\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIndeed, heated ale was often perceived as being more healthful than cold beer. A pamphlet first published in 1641 with the title \u2018Warm Beer\u2019 cautioned that although a cold drink is pleasant when one is thirsty, \u2018pleasant things for the most part are very dangerous.\u2019 The unknown author of the preface claims that drinking cold beer caused him to suffer a headache, toothache, stomachache, cough, cold, and other illnesses, but drinking his beer \u2018hot as blood\u2019 restored him to good health.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Whether or not mulled beer is good for your health, we cannot say. Time, on the other hand, was not good for mulled beer. With time, comes advanced technologies. And as advanced technologies in brewing and refrigeration became more common, mulled beer became less so.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mulled Beer Today<\/span><\/h3>\n

Today, however, there has been a resurgence of this ancient practice of warm beer. Many craft breweries are venturing into craft beer cocktails and mulled beer is finding its place back on the menu once again.<\/span><\/p>\n

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More commonly, though, in craft breweries today, mulled beer has transitioned into what is more commonly referred to as winter warmers or spiced beer. And while rarely served hot, they are still reminiscent of their ancestral origins, full of holiday spices and bold flavors. And many with an ABV hovering around nine or 10 percent or higher.<\/span><\/p>\n

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While mulled beer doesn\u2019t have a BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Panel) category, <\/span>Spiced Beer<\/u><\/span><\/a> does, including subcategories that match quite nicely the flavors of these festive beers: an Autumn Seasonal and a Winter Seasonal. Sounds like beers for warmth, indeed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Autumn Seasonals<\/u><\/span><\/a> are defined as \u201cbeers that suggest cool weather and the autumn harvest season, and may include pumpkins, gourds, or other squashes, and associated spices.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Winter Seasonals<\/u><\/span><\/a> are defined as \u201cbeers that suggest cold weather and the Christmas holiday season, and may include holiday spices, specialty sugars, and other products that are reminiscent of the festive season.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mulled beer, winter warmer, spiced beer – it\u2019s the warmth that counts!<\/span><\/h3>\n

Brewer or consumer, when it comes time to create your version of a mulled beer, the only limit is your imagination. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The only goal? The warmth you get from sharing it with friends!<\/span><\/p>\n

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MMC Knows Malts<\/span><\/h3>\n

Whatever style you choose to brew for your festive seasonal beer, you\u2019ll want a quality malt such as our <\/span>2-Row<\/u><\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Vienna<\/u><\/span><\/a>. Whatever malts you need for your recipes, they\u2019re all exceptional. So when you\u2019re ready to craft your winter warmer, we\u2019re ready for you! <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cMalt should not be something that somebody has to worry about. That\u2019s our job as maltsters. We produce something consistent and to specification every time and take that off of your plate.\u201d  (Joel Grosser, Director of Operations for North America)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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Premium grains from field to flavor.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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– – – – – <\/span><\/p>\n

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About Malteurop Malting Company (MMC)<\/span><\/h4>\n

Malteurop Malting Company (MMC) is based in North America – specializing in growing and producing quality malts for the beer, whiskey, and food processing industries. <\/span><\/p>\n

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With local farms and Malthouses spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Malteurop’s commitment to excellence is fully ingrained into every batch it produces, ensuring businesses of any size can create the finest beverages and food products on the planet.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Visit <\/span>www.malteuropmaltingco.com<\/u><\/span><\/a> to learn how we can support your malting needs. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Contact us at <\/span>customersuccess@malteurop.com<\/span> or (844) 546-MALT (6258) for questions or to place your order.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Malting is our passion. Quality is our promise.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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– – – – – <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.wineenthusiast.com\/culture\/spirits\/make-best-mulled-beer-recipe\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.vinhood.com\/en\/magazine-en\/mulled-beer-a-qualcuno-piace-caldo\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.taptrail.com\/hot-beer-history-and-recipes\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/health\/archive\/2015\/02\/hot-beer-anyone\/385031\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/northamericanbrewers.org\/warm-beer\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/health\/archive\/2015\/02\/hot-beer-anyone\/385031\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.bjcp.org\/style\/2021\/30\/spiced-beer\/<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.whirlpool.com\/blog\/kitchen\/history-of-the-refrigerator.html<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you ever enjoyed a glass of mulled beer? There\u2019s cold beer for the heat of summer, so why not hot beer for the cold of winter?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":681,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Mulled beer is more than just hot beer!","_seopress_titles_desc":"You may have enjoyed a glass of mulled wine, but how about a glass of mulled beer? At its essence, mulled beer is hot beer. Learn more in this Malteurop Fun Fact.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technical-spotlight"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=736"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/736\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/681"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}