Fluorescing gin & tonic

Tonic water contains quinine, a fluorescent alkaloid. Put some in the path of a UV light, and you'll see a beautiful bright blue beam. You can create fantastic effects in a gin & tonic with a UV keychain flashlight - serve some up at your next party, or just take along the flashlight next time you go out, and order a G&T (you'll soon find out if you've been served a gin & soda instead - it won't work!).

Note: you'll see this effect any time you have a tonic-containing drink under a blacklight. See How to Make Edible Glowing UV Reactive JELLO, for example.

Step 1: Ingredients

You'll need: Gin ~ tonic water ~ lime ~ ice ~ UV LED keychain flashlights

I bought the flashlights from DX as "UV Money Detector LED Flashlight Keychain 10-Pack" for $5.24. Allow a couple of weeks for them to show up. You can buy them at the dollar store, too.

Comments

[tinker234]

wow this is non alchoholic right also for the light you could use led taplights mod the lights to use uv leds from ebay

[renegadezombies]

The gin used for this instructable is 94 proof, so no, it is an alcoholic beverage.

[chanara]

Watch out Heston, Makendo you're amazebomb!

[ilpug]

this is great... i have been inspired!

[rsingh3]

I cant wait to try it! But do you really need all the other stuff if the glowy part is in the tonic water? Also will the LED keychain flashlights they have on http://LEDKeychainFlashlights.com work for this? Or do I have to go to amazon or something? Thanks!

[makendo]

You only need the tonic water and a UV keychain flashlight. You can buy them at the dollar store. Have fun!

[lemonie]

Quinine is useful for other things too...
Sharpless_asymmetric_dihydroxylation

L

[abigail-nicole]

but I doubt you can put that in a gin and tonic, the two alcohols not withstanding

[lemonie]

I think it's "bloody-expensive", and probably wouldn't improve the taste either...

L

[scoochmaroo]

Cool! Now to build glasses that have a light shining up through the bottom that goes on when you set them down. . .

[92033]

Use LED lighted plastic Ice Cubs in the drinks as described below. Ironically, I have a pair of bottom lighted glasses as you suggest. They were made by Geni Ware Company many moons ago. Don't know if they are still in business...this was 30 years ago. :-) Uses small battery and twist on switch at bottom to turn on the light.

[zvillesurfer]

lol or waterproof that keychain thing so you can drop it right in your drink.

[92033]

Use LED lighted plastic Ice Cubes sold in Novelty Shops and various catalogs.

[makendo]

Or the UV version of the disco coaster... groovy, man

[Javin007]

And now I know how they make those funky drinks on Stargate/Star Wars/Star Trek!