The Gluhwein Problem

 So we have this odd problem developing in Germany over Gluhwein (mulled wine).

First to describe the beverage....it's basically a cheap 7-percent alcohol wine, that has some  spices added (sometimes raisins), and heated up.  On a bitter cold day....standing outside, it warms you up.  Typically....one is enough.  If you were stupid and drunk through three or four in ninety minutes...you'd be a somewhat drunk.

It's a beverage that comes around in November, and is basically gone by mid-January.  A Christmas drink?  Yes.

So, here's the problem....the catering folks went out in the early fall, and figured that things were good enough that Christmas markets would occur, and bought literally 'tons' of bottles of Gluhwein.   As Covid advanced....the smaller markets were shutdown, and you are left with the big urban areas running marginal situations.  Most of them are speculating over closure coming in a matter of days.

In simple terms....some of these catering groups have a thousand bottles of the Gluhwein sitting there in a structure, and no hope in 2021 of using up their inventory.  

Trying to donate the stuff away?  To who.....homeless shelters?  

It's an odd problem with no solution.