Brewery: Störtebeker
Location: Stralsund, Germany
Alcohol: 5%

This was just a beer that I found for sale in Germany. During the Christmas markets in Germany, you can always find Glühwein, which would directly translate to “glow wine” although it is never called that. In the UK, they call it mulled wine, but I have never personally even heard of it in the USA. Glühwein / mulled wine is usually a red wine that is additionally seasoned with spices and sometimes certain fruits. It is then usually heated up so it is hot, like a hot chocolate or coffee would be. When I first came to Germany, I was skeptical of drinking warm wine, but I eventually learned to love it, and now it’s one of the things I look forward to the most when it’s winter and the markets open up.

I was in the store, and I found glüh-Bier, which logic would follow was also a drink that was supposed to be served warm. I bought it, and it stated that the beer could be drank warm or could, so I opted to try both: cold in the glass and warm in the coffee cup.

Cold beer in the glass – a very red tone

Warm beer in the mug

The trinity

Sight: As I first poured the beer, I noticed that there was a mild amount of head, but it had a reddish tone to it. As I turned the glass, I noticed that the liquid itself also had a very deep-cherry color to it. The pictures seem to make it look a little more amber, but I can assure you that it is indeed a brilliantly darker shade of cherry. It basically almost looks like a red wine, or Glühwein, would look. Otherwise, it is fairly clear and it has a mild amount of small bubbles that are rising, which is, with the foam, the only thing that makes me think it isn’t just a Glühwein.

Smell: Definitely more like a mulled wine would smell. It smells like it is seasoned, and I want to say a little sweet. I feel like there is a hint of cherries, and maybe some other citrusy element to it.

Taste: It tastes good. It really reminds me of a Glühwein. It is definitely additionally seasoned and ever so slightly sweet. I feel like the cold version tastes a little zesty for some reason, whereas I feel the warmer version sheds the zest and takes on a slightly more hearty approach,with a slight twang of bitterness.