Shaking a water bottle to check for alcohol

[CeeAngel]

Hi,

 

I have seen references to the fact that the screeners will sometimes shake a bottle that has, what appears to be, water in it to make sure it is not alcohol. What exactly are they looking for when they do that? How does water react differently than alcohol?

 

Thanks

[cb at sea]

Alcohol is "oilier" looking than water.....

[ChipLondon]

The bubbles, and the legs.

[galavant3]

I'm not sure what they are looking for but that happened to my daughter. She was in college and paying for her own cruise AND recovering from mono. So, she took a large amount of water on board. Since she was financially strapped, she was reusing water bottles (not a good idea) so all the seals were broken. They checked every single bottle!

 

I'm sure the fact that she was a college student traveling over spring break had something to do with it.....

[sparks1093]

I'm sure the fact that she was a college student traveling over spring break had something to do with it.....

 

Coincidental, purely coincidental:).

[reallyitsmema]

The bubbles tell it all. Shake a water bottle, bubbles happen but go away quickly. Alcohol bubbles will stay on the surface for a while.

 

CB, if you are drinking oily vodka, it is time for new vodka.:rolleyes:

[luddite]

If it explodes, it's alchohol.

[bouhunter]

CB, if you are drinking oily vodka, it is time for new vodka.:rolleyes:

 

I thought the same thing:D

[KJBBrett]

LOL at the "oily" comments.

 

But there is truth to that. (while I may not have chosen the word oily)

 

Take a glass of vodka and swirl it around. You'll notice it "clings" to the edges very briefly. That's what I think they meant by "oily". Water has a very distinct drip pattern and will flow off the side of a bottle very quickly. Things with alcohol in them will slide down a bit slower.

 

That's why it always cracks me up to watch people drink "whiskey" on TV. It's quite obvious for anyone who's stared into a glass before. (Oh wait, am I revealing a bit too much here? :) )

[island lady]

Just got up to walk to the liquor cabinet. Shook a bottle of white rum, and a bottle

of water next to it. Yup....bubbles in the booze....who knew!! :eek:

[sandinmypants]

Water has a very distinct drip pattern and will flow off the side of a bottle very quickly. Things with alcohol in them will slide down a bit slower.

 

I think that's what chiplondon meant when he said it had "legs".

[bostonbucky]

We bought those little bottles of Canada Dry club soda on Liberty with us last year - they were sealed and in the plastic 6 bottle holder they come in -needless to say it was hot in miami that day too - guy at x ray - shook then opened it- the club soda explosed everywhere - the x ray belt, us, the two security guys - thank god it was club soda and nothing sticky.

[kentalope]

This reminds me of a funny story.

 

We were on a NCL-America cruise in Hawaii. I was tired of being nickel and dimed by NCL at every turn so while in port I purchased a small bottle of rum put it in an empty water bottle and put in my backpack.

 

Upon re-boarding the ship a very gung-ho young security officer x-rayed my bag and noticed the water bottle. He told the much older and much more laid back security officer behind the machine to check the water bottle. I thought, "I'm cooked and I am going to look silly in front of all of these people just because I wanted to stick it to NCL a little for nickel and diming me at every turn". The security officer shook the bottle (and it boy did bubble) and quietly said just loud enough so I could hear "that's booze". The younger security officer running the machine in his very gung-ho way quickly asked if it was OK. The security guard who shook the bottle responded, "It's water" put the bottle back in my bag and said "Enjoy" to which I responded "Thank you I will".

 

Gotta love the Aloha spirit!:D