Our solid Mulled Beer Recipe is a good warm mulled cocktail suited to a cold day, post-skiing drink, or tailgate party! If you love mulled wineor Traditional Gluehweinor even any of our beer cocktails or beer-itas, you can LOVE this good warm drink full of spicy, malty flavor!

At Avdaye, we add lots of tips in all of our recipes – because we are a home cook without any formal training, and we find we are more confident making dishes when we understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. Our goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

How To Make Mulled Beer

This mulled drink is easy to make – add to a slow cooker and stir, then let the magic happen!

More of this recipe's process relies on choosing the right ingredients, so pay particular attention to ingredient choice for your slow cooker mulled beer!

Mulling Spices Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground ginger – Adds a zingy, spicy heat that brightens the beer and keeps the drink from feeling too sweet or heavy.
1 teaspoon ground cardamom – Brings a fragrant, floral-citrus note that lifts the whole mixture and adds a bit of exotic warmth.
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – Gives the classic cozy, sweet warmth you expect in any mulled drink, tying all the spices together.
2 cinnamon sticks – Reinforce the cinnamon flavor slowly and naturally, adding depth and a smoother spice note than ground cinnamon alone.
10 whole cloves – Add bold, punchy spice and that unmistakable holiday aroma. Cloves warm the drink from the inside out, but a little goes a long way.
2 star anise – Bring a sweet, subtly licorice-like flavor that adds elegance and rounds out the spice blend beautifully.
Orange slices – Add fresh citrus brightness and natural sweetness, helping balance the richness of the beer and adding a fragrant, festive lift.

Steps to Make Mulled Beer

Once you've gathered your ingredients, we will use the following process:

Add Beer

Pour beer into slow cooker, set to high.

Add Mulling Spices

Stir in mulling spices. If using spices that arent finely ground, consider using a cheesecloth.

Add Citrus

Add in lemon or orange slices – remove after cooked down slightly, as pith does get to be overly bitter.

Cook

Cook on high 1-2 hours, until steaming hot. Remove citrus before the pith cooks down to prevent bitterness.

Serve & Enjoy!

Serve with a fresh orange slice, cinnamon stick, and anise star if desired.

Kitchen notes

Warm it gently—never boil. Beer can turn bitter if it gets too hot, so keep the heat low and aim for a gentle steam rather than a rolling simmer.

Use a malty beer, not a hoppy one. IPAs and heavily hopped beers get harsh when heated. Choose something smooth and rich like a brown ale, lager, stout, or amber.

Add ground spices sparingly. They're strong and can overwhelm quickly; a little goes far. Whole spices give you a gentler, smoother flavor.

Let whole spices steep longer. If you want bold flavor, let the drink rest off-heat for 5–10 minutes before serving so the spices can fully bloom.

Sweeten to taste. A spoonful of brown sugar or honey helps balance any bitterness and adds a cozy caramel note.

Don't skip the citrus. Orange slices or zest brighten the drink and keep the spices from feeling too heavy.

Strain before serving. Whole spices can be intense if left in the mug—strain them out for a smoother sip.

Serve warm, not piping hot. Mulled beer is best at a cozy, drinkable temperature so you can enjoy the aromatics without cooking out the alcohol.

Garnish lightly. A cinnamon stick or orange twist adds a festive touch without competing with the spices already in the drink.

Make it yours. Add a splash of brandy, rum, or whiskey if you want extra warmth and a richer finish.

What Mulling Spices to Use

The actual mixture of spices in mulling spices can vary wildly – but it usually contains cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg, star anise, – and sometimes peppercorn or cardamom. It also usually includes dried fruit (such as raisins, apples or orange rind).

If you want to buy our favorite pre-mixed mulling spices, check out Aspen Mulling Spices! They come ready to add to drinks. We prefer the no sugar variety, as it is already quite sweet on its own.

You can also use our Mulled Simple Syrup to kick up the flavor of this drink.

What Beer To Use

This easy cocktail is great to use with lots of popular beers – but some styles work much better than others.

Choose a beer you already enjoy, but we recommend sticking with a European ale or lager for best results.

Avoid dark beers and stouts and we also wouldn't recommend using an IPA.

We'd also encourage you to use a winter blend that already has spicy notes in it.

You can find our entire drinks recipe archive here.

Mulled Beer Recipe FAQs

How long can mulled beer simmer?

Keep your mulled beer from boiling – we keep it on warm or low after the original cooking time – for up to four hours. Add more beer if it cooks down too much.

Can we store leftover mulled beer?

Let mulled beer cool and store in an airtight pitcher or a jar with lid in the refrigerator. Remove orange peel from leftovers, as it will make it more bitter.

Can we use any kind of beer for mulled beer?

You canbut malty beers work best—think brown ales, lagers, ambers, or stouts. Hoppy beers like IPAs tend to get bitter when heated, so it's better to avoid them.

Do we have to strain the spices before serving?

It's optional, but straining makes the drink smoother and prevents the spices from becoming overpowering. You can always add a fresh cinnamon stick or orange slice for garnish instead.

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Ingredients

48 ounces beer, preferably a European ale or lager
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cinnamon sticks
10 whole cloves
2 star anise
1 orange, sliced
Nutmeg, for garnish

Method

Add the beer, sugar, spices, and half of the orange slices to a small crockpot and cook on low for 2.5 hours.
Ladle into a mug and add a fresh orange slice and a dash of nutmeg and enjoy.