A fun, science-inspired hip flask might inspire any number of experimental chemical concoctions. Concealed in a chemistry book gift box, this 4 ounce flask makes a fun gift for anyone who enjoys partaking in alcoholic beverages.

The hip flask began to appear in its present form in the 18th century. Up until the Civil War, flasks were usually molded with uniquely American motifs, including the faces of favored Presidents, eagles, flags, and sometimes political slogans.

Following ratification of the 18th Amendment, which mandated the nationwide prohibition of alcohol on January 17, 1920, the need for concealment caused more flasks to be sold in the following six months than during the entire previous decade. Originally, flasks were mostly made out of glass, but upon noticing a suspicious bulge in someone's pocket, police officers indulged in "hip-hitting" with their nightsticks to break the flasks. A metal flask provided a little more security.