How to Drink Without Getting Caught

Last Updated: October 25, 2022

In some cases, you might want to be able to drink without getting caught. If you're going to an event without alcohol, for example, you may have to conceal your booze. There are many safe ways to drink without getting caught.

Things You Should Know

Put your alcohol in a concealed flask, soda can, or coffee mug to conceal it.
Vodka is the ideal choice since it’s colorless and doesn’t carry a super strong scent.
Use mouthwash or gum to cover up the odor of alcohol on your breath and use eye drops if your eyes are a little red.
Don’t overdo it; no matter how good you are at covering your tracks, people will know you’re drinking if you’re visibly drunk.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Hiding Alcohol

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Hide alcohol in other containers. If you want to drink subtly, try to conceal your alcohol in other containers. Pour beer into a soda container. Mix liquor into half a bottle of soda or juice. Pour alcohol into a paper fast food restaurant cup. Pour clear liquor into a mouthwash container.^{[1]
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Buy a concealed flask. Many online retailers, such as Amazon, sell flasks specifically made to help you conceal alcohol. Prices vary depending on the type of flask you get.
- Most flasks are hidden in clothing. They may strap under a tie or bra or can be secured up your sleeve.^{[2]
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- Other flasks are disguised as bags or purses. If you want to drink at an event that forbids alcohol, these devices could come in handy.^{[3]
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Use a coffee cup to hide alcohol. The styrofoam, plastic, or paper coffee cups given out at coffee shops are great for concealing alcohol. Save a cup the next time you get coffee out.
- If the coffee cup is Styrofoam or unclear plastic, you can use it to conceal virtually any type of alcohol as the liquid will not be visible through the cup.^{[4]
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- A clear plastic cup can still be useful. Red wine looks like coffee and you can also mix a dark liquid, like soda or pomegranate juice, with a liquor of your choice. You can also simply spike your coffee.^{[5]
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Choose vodka. Vodka produces less smell than many types of alcohol. It is also easier to conceal as it looks like water to a causal observer. You can easily drink vodka out of a water bottle without getting caught.^{[6]
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Hide odor by creatively spiking drinks. If you want to add alcohol to drinks, there are many ways to creatively spike a beverage that masks the odor. Consider some of these tricks.
- Spike your coffee. Coffee has a strong scent that covers the smell of most alcohol. Adding a dash of liquor to a cup of a coffee is unlikely to cause too much smell.^{[7]
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- Choose a peppermint flavored drink, like peppermint hot cocoa or tea. Peppermint gives off a strong scent that usually overpowers alcohol.^{[8]
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- Around the holiday season, non-alcoholic drinks made with flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and other strong, earthy scents are easy to spike without getting caught. Much like peppermint, these smells are hard to detect.^{[9]
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Drink carefully to avoid getting caught. Be aware of the manner in which you are drinking. Taking extra caution when imbibing can decrease the likelihood of getting caught.
- If you're using a flask to conceal alcohol, drink when others are not around. Sneak off to a private location to steal a drink. If you're hiding alcohol in something like a coffee container, drink as you normally would.
- Keep the container in which you're hiding alcohol away from others. If they take a sip or smell the alcohol, you'll end up getting caught. If someone asks to try your drink, make up an excuse. Claim you have a cold or flu and do not want to infect them.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Covering Up the Symptoms

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Freshen your breath. Alcohol tends to cause bad breath. If you want to hide the fact you're drinking, use mouth wash, breath strips, and mint flavored gum. Try to always be chewing on something with a strong odor, like foods with red onions and garlic, in order to cover up the smell.
2
Use eye drops. Some people are prone to bloodshot eyes when drinking. If this is the case with you, try to carry a small eye drop container with you when you drink. You can purchase one at a local drugstore. If you feel your eyes getting itchy, irritated, or dry run to the bathroom and use the container.
3
Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water when you're drinking. Not only can this prevent hangovers, it can help cover up the smell of alcohol.
- Strive to drink one, 8 ounce glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you drink. A 8 ounce beer or glass of wine counts as a drink. One shot of hard liquor also constitutes roughly one drink.
- Sports drinks that contain electrolytes can also be helpful when it comes to concealing alcohol.
4
Keep quiet. People tend to slur their speeches when drunk. They also tend to lose track of the volume of their voice. If you're trying to avoid getting caught drinking, try to keep quiet and listen.
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Know when you've reached your limit. After a certain point, you cannot hide your drinking no matter how hard you try to conceal it. Inhibitions fall with drinking and you'll be less vigilant the more you drink. If you begin to feel tipsy, you might want to stop. You may notice you feel unbalanced or lightheaded. Many people also feel increasingly social and happy when they're beginning to become drunk. If you notice these symptoms, stop drinking.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I steal my dad's beer without getting caught?

Community Answer

Only take beer when there's a large enough supply that he won't notice, like if there's 8-10 beers in the fridge, you could probably swipe a couple, or if you have a brand that's not his favorite, say something that was bought for company, take those.
Question

How do I get a drink in an all-inclusive resort when I am 17?

Community Answer

Get a wristband from someone leaving the resort who's of legal age, then use tape or a safety pin to put the wristband on your wrist.
Question

Where can I hide alcohol in my room?

Community Answer

Try your closet or underneath clothes in a dresser drawer or behind shelved books.

Warnings

Never attempt to conceal alcohol while driving. Drunk driving is both illegal and incredibly dangerous. Never hire a drunk driver.

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If you think you have a drinking problem, seek help. Hiding alcohol is one of the signs of alcoholism.

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Keep in mind you could get in trouble for hiding alcohol in certain places. Drinking on the job could get you fired, for example. You could end up getting kicked out of a concert or event if you're caught with alcohol.

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