--- title: Eggnog, Mulled Wine: A Short and Sweet History of Winter Boozing description: And the unexpected origins of eggnog canonical: https://time.com/3642195/winter-alcoholic-drinks-eggnog/ author: Tristan Stephenson article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-12-23T05:01:54.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T03:01:17.899Z article:section: Ideas og:title: A Short and Sweet History of Winter Boozing og:description: And the unexpected origins of eggnog og:url: https://time.com/3642195/winter-alcoholic-drinks-eggnog/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt48af0c67888b0e7e/69877023f887dca5a0e892bf/524154287.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3840 og:image:height: 2160 og:image:alt: 524154287 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: A Short and Sweet History of Winter Boozing twitter:description: And the unexpected origins of eggnog twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt48af0c67888b0e7e/69877023f887dca5a0e892bf/524154287.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # A Short and Sweet History of Winter Boozing > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a8d458e1-d51a-4651-baec-adcb183371ab&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a8d458e1-d51a-4651-baec-adcb183371ab&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=a8d458e1-d51a-4651-baec-adcb183371ab&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a8d458e1-d51a-4651-baec-adcb183371ab&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) by [Tristan Stephenson](https://time.com/author/tristan-stephenson/) ## Tristan Stephenson Dec 23, 2014 5:01 AM UTC  Three eggnogs Three eggnogs DebbiSmirnoff—Getty Images by [Tristan Stephenson](https://time.com/author/tristan-stephenson/) ## Tristan Stephenson Dec 23, 2014 5:01 AM UTC “Admissible indulgence” is a phrase worth adding to your vocabulary at this time of year. It argues the case for all manner of guilty holiday pleasures, and none more so than the alcohol-based kind. Classic winter libations are the enduring pillars of the cocktail world. Unchanged over centuries, unfazed by trends, and essential components of the epicurean Christmas. Best of all, the brevity of time between arrival and departure of our favorite winter drinks makes it all the more acceptable to consume them in (excessively) moderate amounts — hey, it’s always been this way! Mulled wine first spread in Europe with the Romans, but was also a favorite of the Ancient Greeks, most notably Hippocrates, who was known to sugar and spice his wine in the name of medicine. The Anglo-Saxon equivalent of mulled wine is w_assail,_ a drink based on hard cider and traditionally consumed, or _wassailed_ (taken from the Old English word meaning “to you health!”) during the English apple harvesting period. The Victorians drank _purl,_ which, aside from being the name of my first cocktail bar, was a heady mixture of gin, warm beer, sugar, bitter herbs, and spices. In Colonial America it was the ale-and-rum-based _flip_ that warmed the cockles of tavern patrons, requiring a red hot poker and a steady hand for authentic reproduction. And then there’s [eggnog](http://www.thecuriousbartender.com/#!single-post/c8cv/8D3DFED8-CBE9-49C2-92F7-E4F12EF3B16C)_._ Ticking every single one of the guilt/pleasure boxes, on account of being little more than fat, sugar, and alcohol, it is eggnog’s magical marriage of nutritionally awkward substances that make it so ludicrously delicious. Here is a drink that is all but indistinguishable from melted ice cream and hard liquor, or, to put it another way: alcoholic custard. We don’t invent drinks like eggnog anymore because people would, at best, point and laugh at the ingredients; or at worst, accuse the bartender of physical assault. On the other hand, if surviving a cold winter in the 18th century happens to be top of your priorities, eggnog does make a little more sense: alcohol and sugar provide energy, eggs supply protein, and the fat from the milk or cream gives the drinker the necessary “layers” to deal with the frost. Eggnog actually predates North American drinking, in recipe at least, having existed under various guises for the past 500 years and probably spawning from an old English drink called _posset_. If a posset sounds familiar, that’s because it’s a foodstuff that is currently experiencing a mini-revival on restaurant dessert menus, where it usually takes the form of a lemon-flavored set and soured custard. Early versions of the posset date back to the late Middle Ages, when boiled milk with spices and ale (or mead) were combined with great effect. Later, in the 16th century, recipes included eggs and the drink would be served from a specially designed posset pot resembling a teapot with two handles. The posset also has a much greater claim to fame: it is one of the few mixed drinks to appear in the works of Shakespeare — Lady Macbeth uses “drugg’d possets” to put her husband’s guards to sleep. At what stage these egg-based winter warmers crossed the Atlantic is not entirely clear, and neither is the etymology of eggnog’s rather peculiar name. One explanation is the combination of “egg” and “grog.” Even though grog is usually associated with seafarers and rum rations, it has also been historically used as a generic term for both rum and liquor. Rum, brandy, and whiskey are all acceptable base spirits for eggnog these days, but rum was the colonial spirit of choice so there’s sense in that argument. Another explanation for the “nog” comes from small English wooden cups, called noggins. If the latter were true, it’s possible that the U.S. has the English to thank for both eggnog’s name and recipe. _Tristan Stephenson is the author of_ The Curious Bartender: The Artistry and Alchemy of Creating the Perfect Cocktail and an award-winning _operator of a growing chain of restaurants and bars in the UK._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3642195/winter-alcoholic-drinks-eggnog/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3642195/winter-alcoholic-drinks-eggnog/"},"headline":"A Short and Sweet History of Winter Boozing","datePublished":"2014-12-23T05:01:54.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T03:01:17.899Z","description":"And the unexpected origins of eggnog","url":"https://time.com/3642195/winter-alcoholic-drinks-eggnog/","keywords":["Food & Drink"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt48af0c67888b0e7e/69877023f887dca5a0e892bf/524154287.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tristan Stephenson","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tristan-stephenson/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt48af0c67888b0e7e/69877023f887dca5a0e892bf/524154287.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"524154287","caption":"524154287","creditText":"DebbiSmirnoff—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/food-drink/","name":"Food & Drink"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3642195/winter-alcoholic-drinks-eggnog/","name":"A Short and Sweet History of Winter Boozing"}}]}] ```