What is the Best Liquid to Put in a Hookah?

What is the Best Liquid to Put in a Hookah? – Hookah Experiments

Ever wonder how different liquids in your hookah base will affect a session? You’ve seen the photos of other smokers with milk, juice, fruits and even alcohol instead of water. Does it add to the shisha flavor? Having liquid in the base is pretty important to a hookah session, after all. Sometimes it’s better to learn from others’ trial and error. In the case of hookah base liquids, this is probably the move. SouthSmoke.com has experimented and learned from some of the top hookah enthusiasts in the US. So, what is the best liquid to put in a hookah? Read on to find out.

Does Milk Make Your Hookah Smoke Thicker?

Will milk make your smoke thicker? Everyone has heard of it; some have tried it. One of the most popular questions in hookah. Find it on the menu at hookah lounges, in videos on YouTube, and all-over social media. It is said that something about the fat content in milk has an effect on your clouds. We say, it's not worth the hassle. Milk can have many more negative effects on your shisha pipe than benefits to your session. It won’t change or add to the flavor of your shisha aside from a slight creaminess or feeling of thickness. And, the size and shape of your hookah clouds are not affected. Consider this hookah myth busted. If you would still like to give milk a shot, be ready to clean your pipe thoroughly. Milk spoils. Any milk residue left in the crooks and crannies of your shisha pipe will grow bacteria. Not something you want to inhale during your next hookah session. Milk also bubbles much more than water. With each pull of smoke, milk bubbles rise and may enter the heart of your pipe as well as the hookah hose. A deep clean of every hookah part is absolutely necessary after a session with milk in your hookah base.

Can I Put Juice in a Hookah Base?

Most hookah smokers enjoy at least one fruit flavored shisha tobacco. For many, that’s all they smoke. If you consider yourself a fruity shisha smoker, fruit juice in the hookah base may be a viable experiment for you. For the best results, pair your choice of fruit juice with the flavor packed in your hookah bowl. The sweetness of the juice may slightly amplify the taste of your shisha if paired correctly. This really only works with fruit shisha blends and juice may clash with other hookah tobacco profiles. The sweetness in juice is mostly produced by the sugar within. This sugar may cause issues with cleaning your hookah after sessions. Sugar is sticky and can be difficult to eradicated from your pipe. Be sure to deep clean all hookah parts after smoking with fruit liquids in your hookah. The taste of mold isn’t something you want to smoke and its probably not healthy, either.

Soda Sweetness in a Hookah

Soda, or if you live in the north “pop”, is very similar to fruit juice when added to your hookah base. A slight sweetness is added to the hookah shisha flavors that you’re smoking. One side effect: carbonation. We all know how soda carbonation tingles when you drink it. Now imagine smoking that same feeling. It’s not pleasant. If you do plan on experimenting with soda in your hookah base, we suggest watering it down a bit or letting it sit for the carbonation to dissipate. Once again, clean thoroughly as the sugars we talked about earlier can cause harm to your shisha pipe and to you if left to mold.

Can You Put Alcohol in a Hookah Base?

You can, but its not recommended. Alcohol in your hookah isn’t the best idea for several reasons. First, it can cause health issues due to inhaling alcohol vapors into your lungs. Second, what a waste of expensive alcohol. Stick to mixing a tasty drink and enjoying it WITH your shisha, not in it. That’s it.

How Does Tea Affect Your Hookah Session?

Brewing tea and chilling it before placing the liquid in your hookah base can be a pleasant experience. In fact, sometimes the tea flavor can be a bit overwhelming! There really isn’t a negative side effect to giving tea a try. It adds a bit of flavor to your shisha if paired correctly and doesn’t make clean up a chore. SouthSmoke still recommends drinking tea on the side instead of placing it in your hookah base, but we aren’t completely against this one either.

Just Add Water

The only real answer to “what is the best liquid to put in a hookah?”. Water. The purpose of liquid in your hookah base is to cool and filter smoke. Water is the overwhelming favorite for doing exactly that. It does not affect the taste of your shisha tobacco, allowing you to enjoy what you are smoking. It doesn’t create a mess in your stem or base that takes extra care. Water just does what it needs to do and doesn’t give any grief. That is why SouthSmoke.com only recommends putting water in a hookah base when you decide to smoke shisha. Is water too boring? Add ice to the hookah base to create a slight cooling sensation when smoking. Or, place mint leaves in the water for decoration and a bit of taste. Trying to make your hookah look even more bouji? Slice up your favorite fruit like lemon, lime, or mango and place it in the base as well. Most of this may be for looks, but it’s a cool effect and doesn’t do any harm. Have fun, experiment, and most of all, happy smoking!