Alcohol Art Is Really Beautiful

Maryse Chevriere|March 5, 2012 11:49 am EST

A well-made drink is a beautiful thing — any cocktail enthusiast can attest to that. But thanks to microscopy scientist Michael Davidson, we can see that booze is beautiful on the inside, too.

Back in the 1990s, while at the Florida State Research Foundation, Davidson used a cross-polarized light microscope (basically, a very high-tech one) to take hyper zoomed-in photographs of various drinks and cocktails. The effect was nothing short of awesome — the refracted light creating stunningly vibrant colors and mesmerizing patterns. And, per a report on The Huffington Post, "The images have not been retouched and the crystallized drinks on the microscope slides haven't been dyed."

Originally, Davidson sold the images to a necktie company (the collection sold some 5 million ties), but now the images are licensed by BevShots, which has produced a series of affordable art pieces and products. You can find everything from metallic prints and women's scarves to coasters, flasks, and shot glasses (how appropriate) emblazoned with microscopic images of drinks like vodka tonics, champagne, and whiskey. Even if you don't like piña coladas, we're pretty sure you'll be impressed by how beautiful they look under a microscope.

Check out more images after the jump, and click here if you want to pick up some of the merchandise.

Piña Colada

English Oatmeal Stout

Dry Martini