How do you make wassail?
Wassail is a hot spiced cider (or ale) punch for winter gatherings. Modern recipes warm hard cider or apple juice with sugar, citrus and spices such as cinnamon and cloves. Cambridge lists wassail as a hot drink made from ale or wine with spices; cider versions follow the same mulled logic.
Updated
Key facts
- Definition. Hot spiced festive drink — Cambridge notes ale or wine with spices; cider wassail is common today. [1]
- Base. Dry hard cider or a mix with juice.
- Spices. Cinnamon, cloves, citrus; sweeten to taste.
How do you make a simple cider wassail?
Warm cider with spices and citrus without a hard boil if you want to keep more aroma — same kitchen logic as how to make mulled cider and BBC-style dry-cider mulling. [2] Base bottle choice: best cider for mulled cider.
Is wassail always alcoholic?
Historical wassail bowls used ale or wine; modern cider wassail is alcoholic when the base is hard cider. A juice-only pot is a different non-alcoholic punch. Cambridge’s definition points to a hot spiced festive drink. [1] For measured mulled-cider spice quantities, follow how to make mulled cider.
Related answers: how to make mulled cider · best cider for mulled cider
Related on Cider Radar
- Glossary: cider · Guide: sweetness
- Open the map: app.ciderradar.com · iPhone · Android
Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
Questions
Is wassail the same as mulled cider?
Closely related hot spiced fruit drinks; mulled cider is the clearer modern recipe name. Method: how to make mulled cider.
Sources
- wassail (definition) — Cambridge Dictionary
- Mulled cider recipe — BBC Good Food