Bong water is one of those things that's both beloved and reviled. Beloved for the yeoman's work it does protecting your throat from the ravages of a harsh smoke, and reviled for how unquestionably skanky it can become if not changed on a regular basis. But even if you're fastidious about cleaning your custom bong and keeping the water clear and fresh it's still just water. Bor-ing.

Below we've brought together 10 bong water alternatives that you'll love. So put aside your customized glass pipes for an hour or so and give some of these a try.

Wine

Red or white, it's up to you. Now, before you say anything we know what you're thinking: inhaling alcohol fumes is the practical equivalent of sniffing glue. You're right. Also, fire and alcohol don't really mix. But wine is not vodka or bourbon. It has about 1/8 of the alcohol content of hard liquor so fumes are not really an issue and it poses no fire danger. Once you accept those facts a whole world of possibilities open up to you. You can provide your smoke with a truly compelling edge by using sparkling wine or champagne.

Infused Water

Infused water is water that has had fruits, veggies or herbs added to it. It's easy to make. Just chop up some of your favorite fruits or veggies, add them to some quality bottled water and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Personally, we prefer the light, delicious flavor overtones we get from fruit-infused water. But it's entirely up to you. Just remember that the sugar in fruit will muck up your bong if you don't clean it regularly.

Fruit Juices

If you don't have the time or inclination to create infused water try adding fruit juice directly from the bottle or carton to your custom bong. Preferably freshly squeezed juice. You'll get several times the flavor experience of infused water without any of the hassle of having to buy and chop fruits or veggies and then having to leave it overnight. To optimize the experience add ice cubes to the juice. Just keep in mind that what we told you about infused water mucking up your bong applies 10-fold when you use straight fruit juice.

Tea

We love the flavor effects we get by putting fruit juice in a customized bong, but there is no doubt that it can completely overwhelm the taste of the weed. Using tea in your bong instead of something like wine or fruit juice is a smart alternative. The flavor of the tea will be subtle and will mix with, rather than mask, the flavor of your herb. Try different teas until you find one that's a perfect complement to your weed.

Gatorade

There was a lot of scuttlebutt around the wholesale head shop that Gatorade produced quite a pleasant taste experience when used in a bong. So of course we had to give it a whirl. What we discovered is that we owe a hearty “thank you” to whoever came up with this idea. The flavor is light and complementary on the inhale and lingers in a very pleasant way after the exhale. Who knew? Again, make sure you wash your bong after every use or sugary buildup will become a problem.

Essential Oils

Here's another idea someone turned us on to and it produces some surprisingly pleasant effects. It doesn't take much - just a couple of drops of eucalyptus, peppermint or another oil - to make your bong hits even smoother and more enjoyable than ever. As long as you keep the amount you add modest, the flavor will not overwhelm the natural flavor of your expensive cannabis.

Food Coloring

If you're okay with tap or bottled water but you still want to spice up your experience a bit try adding food coloring to your bong water. You can even change colors to go with the seasons or a particular holiday. Try alternating green and red at Christmas time, orange and yellow at Halloween and red, white and blue on the 4th of July. You'll need to clean up after every use, however, lest the food coloring stain the glass on your expensive customized bong.

Sparkling Water

This is a great, inexpensive, non-messy way to enhance your bong experience. Pick up some flavored sparkling water and use it instead of regular old tap or bottled water. Sparkling waters are available in a plethora of flavors today so there's sure to be one that'll tickle your taste buds.

Cranberry Juice

Cranberry juice stands apart from other fruit juices because of the unique flavor qualities of the cranberry. Simultaneously sweet and tart it creates a compelling experience for your taste buds, and because it's naturally low in sugar it doesn't muck up your custom bong nearly as much as other fruit juices.

Popsicles

A couple of guys at the wholesale smoke shop turned us on to this one. It's a bit off the beaten path but it works like a charm. Chop up your favorite flavor of popsicle and place the chunks in some cold water in the bong. Wait a minute for the popsicle chunks to start melting then smash that sucker. If your experience is anything like ours you won't be disappointed. Just remember to clean your bong well afterward to remove the sugary residue.