It is not uncommon for people to have heard of hashish, better known as a hash, and still not know how to smoke it. Hash is the cannabis concentrate first used by Arabic cultures.
There are several different ways to go about it, but what is the best way to smoke hash? Thus, today, we will talk about the various techniques you can use to consume it best. We’ll also highlight some ways to tweak each technique so that you can best consume your hash.
What Is Hash: Some Basics
Before we get started on the best ways on how to smoke hash, you might still want some general information about it.
Hash has been consumed for centuries and is really just a potent version of cannabis. It can be consumed through smoking, eating via edibles, and vaping.
It is made from the female cannabis plant called trichomes. It is the resinous glands, specifically, where you find hash. Those glands have the highest concentration of cannabinoids in all of the marijuana plant.
As such, hash usually has a THC concentration ranging from 20% to 60%. This is a great deal higher than the concentration found in cannabis flowers.
In addition, hash also has a high concentration of terpenes, which are essential oils that work with cannabinoids to strengthen the effect of cannabis. Those terpenes are also what give marijuana its aroma.
Hash is made from purified or compressed preparations of trichomes, which means it can come in several forms, ranging from sticky to dry and pasty. It usually has a light brown to dark brown tint to it, but can also sometimes come in red or black. It may even be transparent in appearance.
Different Types
There are also various types of hash, including:
- Traditional
The traditional form of hash comes in dark brown balls, and it often has filmy grease on it. It is created by separating the trichomes on the flower from the other plant parts.
The separation can be done just by dry-sifting the flowers or simply using the hands. Then, those trichomes are firmly pressed to each other, which ruptures some of the glands.
- Ice Water
Ice water hash can also be referred to as bubble hash. It is created by washing the trichomes away from the flower using ice water and then filtered through a micron bag.
This form of hash can come in a variety of consistencies. It may be pressed, or it might be a fine powder. It may also be sticky. In terms of color, it can be anywhere from black to a light tan hue.
- Solvent Hash and Butane Hash Oil
Solvent hash and butane hash oil is created by using a solvent, such as butane, CO2, and alcohol, to extract the compounds from the flower. Solvent hash and Butane hash oil can come in a few different forms, including shards, liquid oil, or wax crumbles.
Specifically, to create this variety of hash, the flower gets exposed to the chosen solvent to extract the essential oil from marijuana. It is that oil that is full of terpenes and cannabinoids. Those two compounds are what give marijuana its effects and flavors.
The oil extracted gets put in a vacuum and heated to help the solvent evaporate. What remains is a highly concentrated hash.
This type of hash is considered more dangerous than others because the solvents used are flammable. In some places, it is completely illegal. Even where legal, it should not be created at home.
Ways to Make Hash
It is pretty easy to make your own hash, which is helpful as you search for ways on how to smoke hash. You really only need a few inexpensive, simple tools and a bit of patience. There are two primary ways to make your own hash. You can use the dry-sift procedure or the hand-rolling one.
- Dry-Sift
This method is the one that will reap you the most hash. Sometimes, though, that hash is not the highest quality.
To get started, you need a silkscreen, cured frozen cannabis flower, a pair of gloves, a tea strainer, a clean surface to catch the resin, a cellophane bag, paper, a rolling pin, oven, and cellophane tape.
The steps to the dry-sift procedure are:
- Put the silkscreen on a flat and clean surface. Then, put your frozen cannabis onto that silkscreen.
- Wear your gloves and move the flower around on the screen. You want to work toward separating the trichomes from the rest of the plant. They will essentially fall right through the silkscreen and onto the surface beneath.
- Gather all of the trichomes that have fallen and sift them using your tea strainer. Then gather the strained trichomes and put them in the cellophane bag. Seal it.
- Take the bag and wrap it with paper. Then seal it up with the cellophane tape. Submerge the bag in hot water.
- Put that bag in the oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake it for ten to fifteen minutes. This will be enough time for the resin to melt properly.
- Take the bag out of the oven and put it on a hard surface. Don’t take the hash out of the bag just yet. Instead, use the rolling pin to even it out.
- Put the whole bag into the fridge and let it cool off.
- Hand-Rolling
This is the most traditional way to make hash. It is also the oldest procedure used. It is quite straightforward but can get a bit messy.
It also does not produce as much hash as the dry-sift method. The only ingredients you need are the marijuana flower and gloves if you want to wear them.
To start, simply wash your hands. Then, roll the marijuana between your palms, making sure you don’t put pressure on the flower since this will produce a film on your hands, which you don’t want to happen. You can roll the flower in your hands for as long as you want.
Then, scrape away the resin from your palms. Press it all together, creating a ball or block.
Best Way to Smoke Hash: The Top Eight Methods
1. Roll It
You can roll your hash in a joint or a spliff, and there are a few ways to do it. The method depends mostly on what you like to smoke and how you would smoke it.
To start, get your rolling papers and herb ready. If your preference is to use a spliff, you can also get your tobacco ready. Then, you can choose to either spread the hash over your weed or add heat to your hash.
After that, just roll it as you normally would. You want to pay attention to the texture of your hash. If it is very malleable, you may want to consider rolling it into a snake. The size of the snake isn’t super important. You can make it as big as you want, all the way up to the size of the joint you’re rolling.
2. Pack It
To pack your hash, you can use a bong or a pipe, whichever you prefer. This is definitely one of the best ways to smoke hash, as it is the simplest, by far. It is also the most common way of how to smoke hash.
Prime the hash and then put it in your bong bowl or pipe. You can do that really easily by placing the hash on either a spoon or key.
Then, heat the hash with a flame until it is soft enough that it starts to crumble. After, use your hands to crumble it a bit more and just sprinkle it into your pipe.
3. Vaporize It
There are a few ways to consume hash that don’t actually involve smoking it. One of these is vaporizing it.
Vaporizing is an excellent alternative for those who are looking for a healthier way to consume hash. There are a couple of vaporizer options, including:
- Tabletop Vaporizer
If you want to go the route of a tabletop vaporizer, you’ll need a separate bag designed to use with hash. This is because the hash has a residue that builds up pretty quickly. If that residue builds up too much, it can impact the vaporizer’s flavor.
There are usually a few different heating levels available. Some start at levels 1 and 2 while others start at five. They work their way up with each bag and are dependent on the hash’s texture.
You can also make things a bit easier for yourself if you choose to use a tabletop vaporizer. You can mix the hash with dry flower, keeping it on the dryer side.
- Portable Vaporizer
You can also choose a portable vaporizer if the tabletop version isn’t for you. You want to make sure you use a dry herb vaporizer. You also want to keep the temperature set properly, somewhere between 180 and 210 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Use a Hookah
Using a hookah is a great option if you plan on smoking hash with others. The pipes come with several hoses already attached. Overall, you just need to put the hash on the top of the middle part of the hookah, and then simply smoke it through the pipe’s tips.
To get started, you want to roll your hash into balls. Then, put those balls on the hookah’s top section.
Fill the hookah with water, about three-quarters full. Heat up the charcoal, and when it gets very hot, put it on your hash.
5. Use a Glass, Pin, and Straw
This is kind of an old-school technique for smoking hash, but it works well by capturing the smoke in a glass.
Thus, to start, you want to capture the smoke in a glass. It doesn’t really matter what kind. Then, put a small pit of hash on a pin.
Light the hash up until there is a visible flame. Once you see that flame, blow it out and put the glass over the hash right away. Allow the cup to get filled up with the smoke and then lift up the glass a little and use a straw to inhale the smoke.
6. Use a Knife
This is definitely not the safest option for smoking hash. It is perhaps the most ancient of techniques that can pose some dangers. However, it is still an option, though not always recommended.
For this, you need to have two butter knives already heated up. Then, you’ll want a straw to put above the knives. This will allow you to kind of catch the smoke and inhale it.
Now, you’ll want to locate a heat source. You could use a stovetop with coils. You begin by heating the knives some more.
As soon as they are hot enough, you’ll put a piece of hash in between the two of them. Press them together, and the hash will combust instantaneously.
Once the smoke forms, you can catch it using your straw. Then, just inhale. You want to be careful not to put the straw very close to the knives because the straw could get burnt if you do so.
7. Dab It
To use this method, you’ll be dabbing your hash by using a dab rig that resembles a glass bong. The dab rig has a nail you would need to heat up with a torch. So, for this method, you will need to use some equipment.
It isn’t impossible to master this technique, making it a great way to smoke hash. You begin by starting the torch and pointing it toward the nail.
You want the nail to get very hot. Once it does, shut down the torch. Put the dome, made of glass, over that hot nail. Then, use your dabber and put heat right on your hash or dab. Finally, inhale.
8. Toke Using a Bottle
This method makes use of a makeshift bong. Essentially, it is creating a bong with a bottle. You’ll also need a cigarette.
You can start by cutting a hole right at the bottom of the bottle you’ve chosen. You want the hole only to be big enough to fit your cigarette. Once that hole is cut, be sure the lid is securely on your bottle.
Place just a tiny amount of hash resin onto the end of the joint. Light the joint, and then put the joint through the hole.
Give some time for the bottle to fill up and place your hand over the hole you’ve created at the bottom. Take the bottle cap off and inhale.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to the best way to smoke hash, it will depend on your own needs and wants. Just make sure that you choose one or more ways that will ensure your safety, as well as satisfy you.