Tumbler
Tumblers are the absolute classic among cocktail glasses. The short drinking glasses usually have a thin and delicate outer wall and a thicker, very stable base. Tumblers are versatile and can be used in many different ways. Spirits can be drunk straight from the glasses, and it is also possible to enjoy whisky (or any spirit) on ice or with whisky stones (“on the rocks”). You are also welcome to serve and forgive cocktails in the tumblers. Cocktails that can be served in these glasses include the Whisky Sour, the Sazerac, White Russian, Gin Basil Smash, Cuba Libre and of course the Old Fashioned.
How the name "Tumbler" came about
The name “Tumbler” comes from an amusing story. “To tumble” is English and means something like “to wobble, tumble or fall”. The classic old fashioned glasses had a thick base, but in the past this was still very rounded in shape. This made the bar accessories look incredibly aesthetic, but they often fell over. Especially people who were already drunk had problems standing the glass upright. For this reason, the glasses were given the nickname “tumbler”.
Old Fashioned Glas Varianten
Standard
“Standard” tumblers have a maximum filling volume of 300 ml and are ideal for serving whiskies, rum but also whisky liqueur or pisco. On the other hand, you can also serve various cocktails in the glasses, such as the Mai Tai, Negroni or Mojito. The glasses can look different and have various decorations.
Double Old Fashioned Glasses
A Double Old Fashioned Glass (D.O.F.G.) has, contrary to the name, only a maximum capacity of 470 ml and not 600 ml. However, the filling volume of 470 ml is perfectly sufficient to serve delicious sour cocktails, Calvados cocktails and cognac cocktails. You can also drink various other drinks, such as soft drinks, tonic water, ginger beer or mineral water from the Double Old Fashioned glasses.
Perfect for various cocktails
Actually, almost any drink can be served in an Old Fashioned glass that does not exceed a filling volume of 30 cl (including ice cubes). The best-known cocktails served in tumblers are the Whisky Sour, the Sazerac and of course the Old Fashioned Cocktail. However, it is also possible to serve other drinks, such as the Moscow Mule, Mint Julep or Mojito in these glasses if you do not have the other, more special glasses in your home bar. As long as the cocktails are well prepared, it doesn’t really matter which glass you use for the preparation.
Tumbler FAQ
What is a tumbler?
A tumbler is a relatively small and compact cocktail glass in which various drinks can be served, but from which various spirits can also be enjoyed neat.
Which cocktails can be drunk from the Old Fashioned glass?
Various short drinks can be enjoyed in the glass, but spirits can also be drunk straight from this glass. The most famous drinks served in an Old Fashioned glass are the Mai Tai, the Negroni, the Whisky Sour and of course the Old Fashioned Cocktail.
What does the name Tumbler mean?
The name tumbler is derived from the English verb “to tumble”, which means “to wobble”. This can be traced back to the classic Old Fashioned glasses, which had a rather rounded base and therefore usually wobbled a lot or fell over after being put down.
Where can I buy the glass?
Tumblers can actually be bought in any interior design shop, in supermarkets and decoration shops, but also online. The glasses come in different shapes and variations.