Exactly What Is Glögg?
If you’ve been using the terms mulled wine and glögg to refer to any warmed wine beverage simmered with spices, we should tell you that you might be in the wrong. As similar as these two things might feel, they aren’t entirely interchangeable.
Mulled wine is the English term for the drink that resembles glögg, Sweden’s festive wine beverage, but there are a few difference between the two that should be noted.
First, and most importantly, the Swedes add a whole lot more booze to the mix than most nations who partake in the hot wine tradition. They most famously use aquavit, the nation’s favorite liquor, but vodka can be swapped in its place. And they do so with a heavy hand.
Second, the Swedes add dried fruits and nuts to the mix, and they’re meant to be eaten. The drink is served with a spoon to make eating these alcohol-infused snacks easier.
You might be tempted to pronounce glögg like you would clog ― the association makes sense considering the fact that it’s Swedish. But glögg is actually pronounced like glug, producing an auditory sound similar to the experience of taking one of these drinks down.
