Hip Flask

Highland Park Hip Flask

A hip flask is a small, thin flask that holds distilled liquor such as whiskey. It's the cool thing you sometimes see in movies and dramas, where you take it out of your pocket and take a sip. It's called a hip flask because it's put in the back pocket of your pants. For that reason, it's usually small, thin, and curved.

Of course, it's practical, but it's more of a men's accessory.

Traditionally, it was made of glass or a tin alloy called "pewter." In recent years, stainless steel has become mainstream, and materials such as titanium are also used.

It's okay to put distilled liquor such as whiskey or vodka in a flask. On the other hand, it's better not to put brewed liquor such as wine or sake in it, as it may stain or corrode the metal.

Usage scenarios for hip flasks

In terms of its original purpose, hip flasks are useful for outdoor activities and leisure. Below are some examples.

Walking

How about taking it with you on a walk? It is common to see people taking hip flasks with them when walking their dogs overseas.

Barbecue

This is a practical use. However, the key point is whether you drink it by yourself or share it with the people around you. If you drink by yourself, there is a risk that people around you will think you are trying to look cool. We recommend sharing it with the people around you.

Mountain climbing

It seems that it is more acceptable to drink by yourself than at a barbecue.

Watching sporting events

Convenient and practical to use, and a common sight abroad. Follow the venue's rules on whether you are allowed to bring your own alcohol.

Use it at home for a slightly fancy night

If you don't have the opportunity or the courage to use it outside, you can use it at home. It's unproductive to go to the trouble of transferring from a bottle of whisky to a hip flask once, but it's sure to lift your spirits.

Use it as an interior decoration

Given that a hip flask is a kind of accessory, it is very practical to use it as interior decoration. They look great in your room as well as in the bar interior.

How to use a hip flask

Just pour the whiskey in and drink, but I'll go into it a little more.

[How to pour] Use a funnel

The mouth of the hip flask is narrow, so use a funnel to pour the whiskey. Many hip flasks come with a funnel.

[How to drink 1] Drink directly

Remove the cap from the hip flask and drink by putting it to your mouth. This is exactly the way you wanted to drink. This is fine if you're alone.
In Japan, it's a little dangerous to drink directly from the flask and then ask your friends, "How about you try it too?", as in Western movies. They may secretly hate it.

[How to drink 2] Pour into a cup or glass and drink

When sharing with friends, it's best to pour into a glass and drink. In that case, adding a comment like "I haven't put my mouth on this" will make the people around you feel at ease.

About the name "Hip Flask"

It is called a hip flask because it is thin and curved to fit in the back pocket of your trousers. It is also called a "coat flask" or "pocket flask", and might be called "whisky skittle".

Differences in hip flask materials

Stainless steel

The most common hip flasks are made of stainless steel.

■Advantages
Rust-resistant, durable, relatively easy to maintain

■Disadvantages
If you leave whiskey in it, it may transfer the metal's unique odor

Titanium

It is difficult to process and expensive, so there are relatively few of them.

■Advantages
Very resistant to rust, light, durable, does not transfer odors easily, relatively easy to maintain

■Disadvantages
None in particular

Pewter (tin alloy)

Has the most traditional feel.

■Advantages
Slightly mellows the taste, very resistant to rust, does not transfer odors easily, many have beautiful decorations

■Disadvantages
Heavy, soft and easily bent, requires a bit of effort to maintain

The order of price of the materials is pewter, titanium, and stainless steel.

Pewter is said to mellow the taste (ionic effect), but there is little scientific proof. However, there are many people who say that pewter actually mellows the taste through actual experience and drinking comparisons, and it seems to have the effect of reducing the stimulation of alcohol.

As a whisky freak, you may resist the taste change itself, but considering the casual use of hip flasks, the slight taste change of whisky by pewter may be interesting.

Glass and plastic are other materials used for hip flasks.

Glass is even used for whisky bottles in the first place, so it is recommended without affecting the taste. Please take care not to break it.

Plastic is not visually so cool. It may sound strange, but the advantage of plastic hip flasks is that they do not set off metal detectors.

Precautions when using a hip flask

Alcohol that can and cannot be put in

Put in distilled alcohol (hard liquor). Avoid brewed alcohol and liqueurs.

Alcohol that can be put in

• Whisky
• Rum
• Gin
• Brandy
• Vodka

Alcohol that cannot be put in

• Beer
• Wine
• Sake
• Cocktails
• Liqueurs
• Other brewed alcohol

Putting in liquor that should not be put in may cause deterioration of the liquor, staining or deterioration of the hip flask.

How long can alcohol be put in?

The basic rule is one day. Fill the flask with what you will drink that day, empty and wash it before the end of the day. The image is the same as a normal water bottle in which you normally fill water or tea.

How to wash and care for a flask

There are several specialty stores in the UK that offer slightly different methods for washing flasks.

[Washing method 1] Using dishwashing detergent

Use a mild dishwashing detergent (neutral detergent) with as little odour as possible.

1. Fill the flask with water to about 70% of the capacity
2. Add a few drops of neutral detergent
3. Close the cap and shake the flask well
4. Open the cap and drain the liquid
5. Add only water and repeat steps 3 and 4 to rinse thoroughly
6. Drain and dry thoroughly

You can also clean the inside with a soft brush such as a baby bottle brush. Be careful not to damage the inside of the flask.

[Washing method 2] Using white vinegar

You should always use distilled white vinegar. For example, you should be able to get Heinz white vinegar.

1. Fill the flask with about 5/10th of the white vinegar
2. Close the cap and shake the flask well
3. Open the cap and drain the liquid
4. Add only water and repeat steps 2 and 3, rinsing thoroughly
5. Drain and dry thoroughly

If the flask is very dirty, it is also recommended to add 50ml of vinegar + a spoonful of raw rice and follow the above steps.（refer to: https://swigflasks.com/）

Caution

Many websites recommend using bleach, sand, etc. to clean flasks, but these are like folk remedies and are not recommended. Do not use the following products.

• Thinners
• Cleansers
• Bleach
• Sand

Do you want to use ‘sand’ in the first place? Where on earth would you use sand?

Pros and cons of using a hip flask as a whiskey lover

Some serious single malt whiskey lovers may say that drinking whiskey from a hip flask is sacrilege.

It is true that a flask is not the best way to fully enjoy the aroma and flavor of a single malt. But would you go out of your way to use a flask when tasting whiskey? If someone at a bar said, "Master, I'll put Laphroaig 25 years in this flask," it would be quite a weirdo.

When you think about the uses of a flask, the main use is outdoors. Taking a sip of whiskey from a flask on a walk on your day off. Making a whiskey cocktail at a barbecue. In such casual situations, using a flask will provide you with a "nice moment."

Some distilleries, such as Glenfiddich and Ardbeg, officially sell flasks, and you could say that a flask is a tool for enjoying whiskey in various situations.

What kind of whiskey should I put in the flask?

It can be anything. But if someone says ‘I put Macallan 30 years old’ at a barbecue, I have to say that it's not a good idea in general.

This is my personal opinion, but bourbon has a casual image, so I think it is suitable for flasks. As for Scotch, I think an official 10-year-old single malt would be just right. If the official company sells flasks, I recommend them. Here are some examples.

Maker's Mark

Officially sells hip flasks. I also saw an article that said, "Maker's Mark, which uses wheat instead of rye, is a great match for summer barbecues."

Jack Daniel's

Officially sells several types of hip flasks. I feel like there are a lot of fake hip flasks on the market that are not official for Jack Daniel's.

Highland Park 12 Year Old

Official standard bottle. Skittles are sold by the official.

Glenfiddich 12 Year Old

Official standard bottle. The official website sells hip flasks, including a 700ml large-capacity flask that can hold an entire bottle of Glenfiddich.

Ardbeg 10 Year Old

The official website advertised making cocktails using Ardbeg at barbecues. There was also a limited edition bottle with a smoking kit called the "Ardbeg Smoker."

Old Pulteney Navigator or Old Pulteney Duncan's Byhead (for duty-free)

The official Old Pulteney website says, "These two have good flavors and aren't too expensive, so they would be good to put in a hip flask."

That's all.

These choices are a little more barbecue-oriented. The above is just one example. Fill it with your favorite whisky and enjoy.

Recommended whisky hip flask

As this is a skittles for whisky lovers, we would like to introduce a genuine distillery product.

Highland Park

The round shape with the Highland Park logo "h" in the center makes a visual impact, and it also has a bad-boy vibe that is typical of Highland Park, which has Viking roots.