Best mulled wine or hot cider in ED?

[Fabricio the Guido]

Okay, it's December. Time for christmas markets and mulled wine, ice skating and yuletide carols, but I would love to have a hot drink in a fairly local establishment. So any recommendations please?

[MrBen]

House of Tippler must be right up there with it's wee stall at weekends?

Anyways why not DIY ...I have found the future of mulled wine and it's called "hot mulled sloe gin". The problem with mulled wine is it seems to separate the tannins and you get these wee bits of clawing gunk in your mouth.

Hot mulled sloe gin (the future of mulled wine) avoids all of this and is a clear, warming and beautifully fruity brew of godlike proportions.

Recipe (for 10 cups):

- 500 ml of sloe gin (Boss Man wines do Sipsmiths which is pricey but I think they also do Gordon's sloe which is about ?16 a bottle)

-500 ml of apple juice (cloudy if you can)

-500 ml water

-5 cinnamon sticks

- Orange slices (about 4-5)

-10 to 12 cloves

Put everything apart from the gin into a pan, cover and heat gently for half an hour. Then strain (but keep cinnamon stick in) and return to pan. Add the sloe gin and warm gently but do not boil. Pour into a mug or better a tea cup and serve.

You can get beyond pi$$ed on this stuff if you make it by yourself so make sure you have some good company.

[MrBen]

p.s. A man called Jared Brown of Sipsmiths invented hot mulled sloe gin and he is clearly a genius.

[Gidget]

What is a 'normal' price for mulled wine, because I don't think it's what House of Tippler were charging last weekend.

[Sue]

Just don't on any account buy the Co-Op mulled wine at ?2.99 a bottle.

Very cheap, but absolutely revolting :))

[Gidget]

Rye Books served some at their anniversary party and it was very tasty. I asked how they made it and they said they hadn't made it but did not disclose the source.