Rummer
A rummer is a drinking glass with a large bowl on a short stem and a broad, heavy foot, about 200 to 300ml by our guidance. English rummers were made in quantity from the late eighteenth century through the nineteenth, and today one suits a warm drink such as a toddy or mulled wine, cold punch, or wine. Despite the name, no link to rum has been shown.
About the Rummer
The Name Comes From the Römer
Römer is German for Roman. The Römer was a drinking glass of the Rhineland and the Netherlands from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century, usually green, with a hollow stem studded with glass prunts that gave a sure grip.
English glassmakers took the name, as rummer, and made their own versions in quantity from the late eighteenth century through the nineteenth. No link to rum has been shown; the spelling is the only connection.
Short Stem, Big Bowl, Heavy Foot
A rummer sits lower than a wine glass of the same capacity, and its broad foot makes it hard to knock over. Our guidance is 200 to 300ml, a good size for a drink held at a table through an evening.
The rummer beside other glasses for warm drinks and punch (sizes are our guidance)
Antique rummer
- Capacity
- About 200 to 300ml
- Hot drinks
- Risky: old glass cracks with sudden heat
- Best use
- Wine and cold punch
Reproduction rummer
- Capacity
- About 200 to 300ml
- Hot drinks
- If the maker says it is heat-resistant
- Best use
- Toddies and mulled wine
Heatproof glass mug
- Capacity
- Varies by maker
- Hot drinks
- Made for them
- Best use
- Hot Toddy, Tom and Jerry
Punch cup
- Capacity
- Small
- Hot drinks
- Thick ones cope with warm punch
- Best use
- Ladled punch
| Glass | Capacity | Hot drinks | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antique rummer | About 200 to 300ml | Risky: old glass cracks with sudden heat | Wine and cold punch |
| Reproduction rummer | About 200 to 300ml | If the maker says it is heat-resistant | Toddies and mulled wine |
| Heatproof glass mug | Varies by maker | Made for them | Hot Toddy, Tom and Jerry |
| Punch cup | Small | Thick ones cope with warm punch | Ladled punch |
A Warm Drink Needs a Warmed Glass
Our Hot Toddy is 60ml of Scotch, 15ml each of honey syrup and lemon, and 120ml of water from a kettle left off the boil for about 30 seconds: about 210ml, which a 250ml rummer holds comfortably. Mulled Wine is kept at a bare steam and never boiled.
Glass cracks when one part heats faster than another. Rinse the rummer with hot tap water first, then pour the drink in steadily. An antique, with its uneven walls, is the most likely to fail.
Old Lead Glass Is for Serving, Not Storing
Many old English glasses are lead glass. Lead can pass into a drink, more so with acidic drinks and the longer they stand, so an old rummer is fine for a drink but never for keeping one.
Run a fingertip round the rim and look through the bowl under a bright light before each use. A chip or a hairline crack means display only.
Using the Rummer
Usage
Toddies, mulled wine, warm slings and punch, and wine. A rummer of 250ml or more takes our Hot Toddy, about 210ml, with room to hold it by the stem. Warm the glass with hot tap water before a hot drink goes in.
Pro Tip
Pour a hot drink in two stages: a little first, swirled to warm the bowl, then the rest. Old glass copes far better with a gradual change of temperature than a sudden one.
Professional Tips
- Rinse it with hot tap water first when the drink is hot, never with boiling water.
- Lift it by the stem or the foot; a hot toddy heats the bowl.
- Use a reproduction for regular hot drinks and keep an antique for wine.
- Fill to about two-thirds so it carries without slopping.
Alternatives
Budget Alternative
A modern short-stemmed goblet of similar size, or a heatproof glass mug. For hot drinks, heatproof glass is the safer choice.
Premium Option
A sound Georgian or Victorian rummer from a reputable dealer, kept for wine and cold punch. It is a pleasure to hold; it adds nothing to the drink.
Specifications
Material
Glass; many old English rummers are lead glass
Capacity
About 200 to 300ml, our guidance
Details
Round or bucket-shaped bowl on a short stem, sometimes with a knop, over a broad, heavy foot
More to explore
Common Questions
Why is it called a rummer?
What size is a rummer?
What do you drink from a rummer?
Can you put a hot drink in an antique rummer?
Is it safe to drink from old lead glass?
Can a rummer go in the dishwasher?
Made with the Rummer
Used In These Cocktails
Related Equipment
Related Ingredients
Guide by Jerry Can Spirits · Updated 18 October 2026