Hurricane glasses
A hurricane glass is a tall, curved glass on a short foot, usually 400ml to 600ml. It suits frozen and tiki drinks served over crushed ice, including the Hurricane it is named after and the Pina Colada.
- Hurricane glasses usually hold between 400ml and 600ml
- Named after the New Orleans Hurricane cocktail
- Suits frozen drinks, Pina Coladas and long tiki serves
- The narrow waist is the weak point, so wash and stack carefully
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A hurricane glass is tall and curved, flaring out at the top, pinching in at the waist and sitting on a short stem or foot. The shape is often said to echo a hurricane lamp. Capacity usually runs from 400ml to 600ml, which is far more than a highball, because these drinks are built on crushed or blended ice and take up plenty of room.nnIt takes its name from the Hurricane, a rum and passion fruit drink associated with New Orleans, but it does the same job for a Pina Colada, a frozen daiquiri, a Zombie or almost any tiki serve. The wide mouth takes a fruit garnish, a paper parasol and a straw without a fight.
Which type do you need?
Hurricane glasses come in a few sizes and materials, and one close relative that suits smaller frozen drinks.
| Type | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Standard hurricane, 400ml to 450ml | Pina Coladas and single frozen drinks at home | Fills quickly once blended ice is added, so pour with care |
| Large hurricane, 500ml to 600ml | Zombies, big tiki builds and heavily garnished serves | A lot of drink in one glass, and slow to finish before it melts |
| Poco grande | A shorter, more flared take on the same frozen drinks | Holds less, so it is not a direct swap for a full hurricane recipe |
| Polycarbonate hurricane | Gardens, poolsides and events where glass is a problem | Scratches and clouds over time in a way glass does not |
How to choose
What is a hurricane glass actually for?
It is built for long, cold, ice-heavy drinks. Blended and crushed-ice cocktails take up far more volume than the liquid alone, so a 400ml to 600ml glass holds what would be a modest drink in a shaker. The curved shape gives you a wide mouth for fruit, mint and straws, while the narrower waist keeps the glass easy to hold when the outside is wet with condensation. It is the standard serve for the Hurricane, the Pina Colada and most frozen or tiki cocktails.
What size hurricane glass do you need?
For home use, 400ml to 450ml is the sensible size. It holds a full Pina Colada with blended ice and still leaves room for a wedge of pineapple on the rim, without producing a drink so large it turns watery before you finish it. Go up to 600ml only if you make Zombies and similar multi-rum builds, or if you like a heavily garnished serve. Bear in mind that a big frozen drink melts steadily, so more capacity is not automatically better.
Hurricane glass or tiki mug: which suits frozen drinks better?
A hurricane glass shows the drink off, which matters for layered or brightly coloured frozen serves, and the wide mouth makes garnishing straightforward. A ceramic tiki mug hides the drink entirely but insulates it, so a crushed-ice cocktail holds its chill longer and the outside of the mug does not run with condensation. If you want to see what you are drinking, use the glass. If you want it to stay frozen longer on a warm day, use the mug. Many home bars keep both.
Common questions
What drinks go in a hurricane glass?
The Hurricane itself, plus Pina Coladas, frozen daiquiris, frozen margaritas, Zombies, Bahama Mamas and most tiki cocktails. Anything built on crushed or blended ice with a decent amount of juice suits the shape. It also works for large non-alcoholic fruit coolers and mocktails, which need the same volume once the ice goes in.
How many ml is a hurricane glass?
Most hold between 400ml and 600ml, with 440ml a very common size. That sounds enormous next to a coupe, but blended and crushed ice takes up a great deal of space, so the actual liquid content of the drink is far smaller. Larger 700ml versions exist for shared or novelty serves.
What is the difference between a hurricane and a poco grande glass?
Both are curved, stemmed glasses for frozen drinks. A hurricane is taller with a pronounced pinched waist and a flared top. A poco grande is shorter and squatter, with a wider, more open bowl and generally a smaller capacity. Poco grande glasses are common for Pina Coladas, while hurricanes suit taller, more heavily garnished tiki drinks.
Can you use a hurricane glass for drinks without ice?
You can, but it rarely looks right. The glass is sized around the volume that crushed or blended ice adds, so a spirit and mixer poured into one sits low in the bowl and looks lost. For long drinks over cubed ice a highball works better. Save the hurricane for frozen, blended and crushed-ice serves.
Are hurricane glasses dishwasher safe?
Most machine-made ones are, though the pinched waist and tall profile mean they need a stable spot in the basket where they cannot rock into other glasses. The join between the bowl and the foot is where breakages usually happen. Rinse sticky fruit juice and syrup off promptly, since dried residue is harder to shift later.