Beyond the H2O: Creative Fillings for Your Bong

From the time water pipes were first invented, the overall goal was to make the smoking experience smoother. When you fill your bong with water, the smoke is funneled through the water and comes out with fewer compounds from the burned plant matter and with an overall better taste.

While there is nothing wrong with using plain old water in your Pipe for the People glass water pipe or other glass water pipe, what if you want to get a little more creative? Check out a few bong-filling fluids that go way beyond the H20 to add a new layer of flavor to your smoke sesh.

Try These 7 Bong Water Alternatives

1. Ice Water

Some may say this isn’t much different than regular water. However, when you add ice to the mix it changes everything for the better. Ice water drops the temperature of the smoke even faster than room-temperature water, which means you get a cool, even smoother smoke than usual. As a bonus, the water, of course, does not interfere with the flavor of your herb. Some people claim the addition of ice or simply using ice-cold water gives the terps an even more robust flavor quality.

2. Candy-Infused Water

Does the idea of a watermelon Jolly Rancher mixed with your favorite strain sound amazing? Some water-pipe lovers felt the same and found a way to make it happen. You can dissolve a piece or two of hard candy in warm water before adding it to your bong. The smoke will pick up the flavor of the candy as it travels through, which can be a cool way to highlight certain flavors. Of course, cleanup immediately after is a must because anything sugary will leave a sticky residue.

A few hard candy flavors to try mixed with water include:

• Peppermint
• Butterscotch
• Cinnamon
• Lemon
• Peach

3. Sparkling Flavored Water

Sparkling water makes for a visually appealing smoking experience, especially when paired with a piece like the Atmosphere Series Blue Deco and Color Change Water Pipe. Simply having a bit of carbonation means more bubbles and action when the smoke passes through, which can be pretty cool to watch as you smoke. If you want to add a little extra taste, look for sparkling water with flavors added like lemon or berry-flavored varieties.

Sparkling water flavors do not tend to be all that potent, but they can be enough to give your smoke just a hint of something extra. If you have some ordinary LaCroix or S. Pellegrino on hand with no flavor added, you can also add a few drops of your favorite beverage enhancer or even fruit juice to give the liquid more flavor.

4. Iced Tea

Using tea in a bong is not a new idea—some smokers prefer it. However, for a cleaner, smoother hit, try iced tea instead of hot tea. And for less mess, avoid going with tea infused with cream and sugar. Iced tea seems to purify the smoke and lace it with just a hint of the telltale tea-leaf flavor. So, you can go with a lot of different types of teas here, such as:

• Chamomile tea
• Green tea
• Black tea
• Peppermint tea

5. Sports Drinks

Whether it’s your favorite Gatorade or another sports drink, these liquids can be a fun addition to your water-pipe smoking endeavor. These drinks tend to have vibrant colors that show up pretty amazing under a black light. Therefore, they can be fascinating to use with something like a Terrestrial Series Color Change UV Water Pipe.

6. Fruit Juice

Fruit juice is one of those bong-filler picks that everyone wants to try at least once. Of course, fruit juice can also be acidic and incredibly sweet, which means thorough cleanup after the smoking session is an absolute must. You can also add a splash or two of juice to cool water instead of going with all fruit juice.

A few fruit juices to consider include:

• Pineapple
• Cranberry
• Apple
• Grape

7. Coffee

This one is a relatively new addition to the creative filling lineup, but some smokers swear by using black coffee in place of their bong water. Coffee is rumored to add a new layer of flavor to the smoke, as well as some interesting aromatics. However, coffee is also said to help break down the sticky resin in the smoke to make cleanup a lot easier when the session is over.

Every Great Smoking Session Begins with the Best Glass Water Pipe Whether you’re purely a traditionalist and only use H2O or like to step outside the box with alternative bong fillings, your puff party will only be as good as the pipe you start with. Be sure to explore the full collection of water pipes, chillums, bubblers, and smoking accessories at Chameleon Glass.