MONTEREY BAY HERB COTraditional Mulling Spices - Spice Blend for Mulled Wine Spices, Apple Cider, Tea, Wine, and Immune Support (1lb Bag)

This product came with a warning sticker on the back stating "this product can expose you to chemicals including lead...". I had no idea about this before purchase and now it is not refundable. We will definitely not be using this. Very disappointed.

I was so excited to make some mulled cider for the kids and mulled wine for me for the holidays. Ordered these mulling spices based on the great reivews, opened it up -- it smelled good. I made up a batch of cider, cranberry juce and mulling spices -- it was absolutely awful - tasted bitter, toxic and poisonous. I assured the kids it was probably the unsweetened cranberry juice, so I made a second batch w/ just 100% apple cider and spices -- it was just as putrid. I thought maybe it would be better in wine, so made a third batch with wine; it was equally horrendous.In fact, it was so bad, I thought, oh my goodness - maybe I've been trying to feed myself and the kids a bathroom potpurri that was not intended for human consumption. But then I checked the reviews again, and sure enough, it's intended to be consumed. I don't know if I just got a putrid batch, but I'm frustrated that I have now wasted my evening, some good apple cider, cranberry juice and wine making disgusting undrinkable beverages; will definitely be returning immediately.

There is so much orange peel with the pith that any beverage you make will be bitter. If you want to just steep it to make aromatic steam, it would work. But I took the time to pick out the cloves and allspice by hand, and it is only about 1/3 spices and 2/3 orange rind. It is inedible for mulling cider or wine.

German Glühwein —One full tablespoon of spices per mug (typically German Glühwein mug is 250ml). A bottle of wine is 750 ml makes about 3 mugs Glühwein. I skipped the sugar part for been healthier, lol. Simmer it only for a bout 15+ mins on a large spice balls - William Sonoma sell a nice large spice ball. Boiling the wines will burnt off all alcohol in the wine, so just simmer or low heat. Unless you want an alcoholic free Glühwein lol. Once is hot it is ready to serve.Try without sugar, it is getting popular in Germany recently for sugar free version. You can make 2 bottle of red wine (6 full tablespoon of spices) and it is about 6 serving mugs. Just buy a cheap Cabernet, merlot or red blend wine about $3-5 a bottle. Trader Joe’s $3 a bottle works great! No body used fancy red wines to make Glühwein. In Europe usually they used table red wines or much cheaper wine to make Glühwein. Save that fancy $15- $30 bucks a bottle red wine for other occasions. Try using white wine too! Enjoy!!

Several years ago around the holidays Whole Foods sold a little container of mulling spices with bits of orange peel that made hot apple cider absolutely delicious. The next year I couldn't find it and I've been looking for it ever since. After looking at a bunch of options on Amazon I decided this looked and sounded like what I was looking for and I was right. This has orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.I took a gallon of apple cider and put it in a crockpot. I added about 1/4 C of spices and heated through. There's no need to use a tea ball or anything else to strain the spices. The pieces are big enough to be scooped off the top and the bits of orange peel are nice to eat while sipping.This 1 lb. bag is waaay more than I need but I'm going to divide it up into little baggies with ribbon and give it as a take home to people who come to my New Year's Day brunch.