Different Liquids in Hookahs

Hookahs are an alternative way to smoke tobacco.

Hookahs, or water pipes, usually use water to cool tobacco smoke before it's inhaled by the smoker. Adding ice cubes to the water, or surrounding the vase of the hookah with ice is an effective method of cooling the smoke further. Mixing other liquids in the water or replacing the water with a different liquid can cool and change the flavor of the shisha smoke. Hookahs have been used to smoke tobacco for centuries; in that time, several alternatives to water as a coolant have been discovered.

Milk

Add skim milk or a mixture of milk and water to a hookah base to create thicker, creamier smoke. Milk is known to work with most flavors of shisha but has a tendency to bubble up into the stem or hose of the hookah. Add more water to dilute the milk if it bubbles up too much. Milk used in a base can spoil quickly and should be cleaned out immediately after using the hookah.

Tonic or Soda Water

Use flat tonic water, or other flat, carbonated beverages, to add some unique flavor to the smoke. Sodas may overpower weaker shisha flavors, so use either strongly flavored shisha or a flavor that complements the soda. Leave the bottle or can of soda opened for a couple of hours before adding it to the vase to make sure it goes flat. Carbonation can cause soda to go up the hose or stem, potentially ruining the bowl.

Fruit Juices

Fill the vase with a fruit juice that complements the taste of the shisha. Use low- or no-pulp juice to help the flow of smoke through the vase. Stronger juices, such as lemon or lime, can be mixed with water to add a subtle taste to the smoke.

Liquors

Mix strong-tasting liquors in the water to add their taste to the smoke. Rum, whiskey, or gin will add their distinct flavors to most shisha smoke. Lighter-flavored liquors and alcohols, like wine, do not add much flavor to the smoke. Note that some alcohol can be inhaled by smoking this way. Do not mix more than one serving of alcohol in the vase to minimize the risk of alcohol poisoning.

References

• Hookah & Shisha Central: What Liquids Can I Put in the Hookah Base Instead of Water?
• Hookah Lounger: Milk in Hookah Base Will Make Your Smoke Thicker - True or False?
• Buy Hookah: Putting Wine in the Hookah's Base
• The HoBlog: Hookah Handbook Part 11: 6 Other Liquids to Try in Your Vase