To clean out a hip flask, rinse it with hot water and leave it open on the counter overnight to dry. Never put soap in a hip flask, because it can be very difficult to clean out thoroughly, and you might leave a soapy residue around for your next shot of scotch. [1] X Research source
Please note that this method involves negotiating a legal gray area. It’s illegal in the United States to consume alcohol in public, technically, and many small-town cops might take pleasure in inventing probable cause to search you if you appear drunk or disorderly. If you want to brown-bag, you’ll do so at a risk.
Make a soda can cozy to keep beers in. If you don’t have a cozy, snip the top inch or so off of a soda can, slot your beer into it, and voila. It’ll look like you’re drinking Dr. Pepper.
Put vodka, gin, and other clear spirits in water bottles. Make sure you leave the cap on at all times, when you’re not drinking, to avoid the strong smell attracting attention. Hide wine in Nalgenes, in fruit-drink bottles, or Vitamin Water containers. These colored liquids should look similar to the color and texture of wine, making it pass an initial eye test.
This works just as well for fountain drinks. If you’ve got a Big Gulp going, spike it and enjoy your mixed drink without hassle.
To get past the security guard or gate at a dorm, hide booze in a backpack, a packing box, or at the bottom of a big bag of groceries. If you can, split up beers into multiple bags, to avoid that noticeable clinking and clanking. If you’re in a big group, split up, and look grim and humorless, not as if you’re about to party on the down-low. [3] X Research source To get booze into the movie theatre, pick something that won’t have a strong smell, mixing some liquor into a big bottle of soda or bringing some wine in other sorts of bottles, and sneaking them in purses. Cans or bottles of beer make noise challenges, as well as an awkward trash situation at the end, and straight liquor will have your neighbors crinkling their noses. To get alcohol into a festival or music venue and drink on the cheap, it’s important to figure out the security beforehand. Often, bags and purses will be searched, and outside drinks will be confiscated, making the vodka water bottle a no-go. Most venues and festivals, however, won’t frisk people or search people hard, not carrying bags, so it’s a better idea to go the hip-flask route.
Ask super-drunk or loud-drunk friends to leave, and cut them off. Aside from being irritating, conspicuous drunks are much more likely to get you caught and attract attention. Make a quiet and calm affair, not a raucous party.
If you’re in the dorm, try to keep some black plastic garbage bags lying around for just the occasion. You won’t have to worry about sneaking out bottles a few at a time if you’ve got an opaque bag to sneak them out in plain sight.
You can tie the neck of the bottle to the ball joint in the toilet, to keep it from rattling around much. Make sure the toilet still functions properly, or you’ll get caught more quickly.
