It is entirely possible to make bubble hash on your own and without any specialized tools. If you are wondering how to make bubble hash, we’ve compiled a complete guide to help you do so safely and right in the comfort of your own home.
Below, you’ll find just nine steps that are easy to follow in your quest to make bubble hash plus detailed information on the materials you would need. We will also provide knowledge about bubble hash for you to have a firm understanding of just what it is.
The Basics of Bubble Hash
Bubble hash has several names, such as ice hash, solventless hash, water hash, and full melt hash. It is unique for three different reasons.
Firstly, it is a solvent-free concentrate, so it is often referred to as a solventless hash. Secondly, it is quite simple to make right at home. Finally, it is often considered the most refined type of hashish; in fact, it is so refined that its potency is close to 60% THC if made properly.
Speaking of which, to make a quality bubble hash, you don’t actually need any specialized equipment. You also do not need to be well-versed in chemical engineering.
You just need an appreciation for cannabis, access to some average materials, and a bit of patience. The process can take a reasonable amount of time, but as anyone who has made bubble hash will attest, the process is worth the product.
How to Make Bubble Hash
Now that you have enough knowledge about bubble hash, let’s learn how to make one properly and easily!
Necessary Materials
To make your own bubble hash, you will need a few materials. All of which are easily accessible; in fact, you likely have most, if not all, already on hand at home.
1. At Least Two Buckets
You need to prepare two clean buckets with a capacity of either one or five gallons each. You’ll use one of the buckets for filtration and the other to keep hold of the bubble bag, which will contain the mixture.
When you choose the bucket size to use, you must remember that a one-gallon bucket can hold about two ounces of plant matter. On the other hand, the five-gallon bucket can hold about 200 grams or eight ounces. You can choose which is most suitable for you or the amount of hash you want to produce.
2. Three to Five Different Sized Micron Extraction Bags
Also known as bubble bags, they have micron filters at the bottom. These bags are used to refine the cannabinoids.
Keep in mind that the more bags you use, the purer the hash you’ll create. It will simply increase in purity and grade as you use more bags.
We recommend having several sizes of bags on hand, such as 220u, 160u, 73u, and 25u. Just make sure that every bag you choose should fit in the size of the bucket you previously chose.
3. Good Cannabis; Either Frozen or Fresh
If you want quality bubble hash, you need quality cannabis to start. It really isn’t worth your time to make a bubble hash with low-grade weed.
For this, you want high-grade trim or buds. If you can, it is even better to freeze them overnight. If you use buds, you want to lose the leaf, seeds, and stems beforehand.
For every single ounce of trim you have, you’ll reap about three to four grams of bubble hash. If you are using buds, you’ll likely get more.
4. Two Micron Pressing Screens
You can also use a cotton muslin cloth and cheesecloth if you don’t have the pressing screens. When you are done making your bubble hash, put it on one of the screens so that it can dry out and be stored.
5. 10 to 15 Pounds of Ice
Just as you need good cannabis, you also need quality ice when making bubble hash. You want your ice to be pure and free from chemicals, which means finding ice that doesn’t have fluoride or chlorine in it. Regular ice is still acceptable, just less desirable.
If you are concerned with the quality of your ice, making your own at home is a good way of knowing exactly what it is in your ice.
6. Spray Bottle
Ideally, you would use a pressurized spray bottle, but you don’t absolutely need to have it. If you do have one, fill it with water. You can use it to help collect the filtered resin that will collect at the bag’s bottom.
7. Water
Again, make sure the water is as pure as possible and free from chemicals.
8. Mixing Spoon and Towels
You need just one mixing spoon, but make sure it is a large one. You will also need towels to put underneath your blotting screen. You’ll also use one on the floor underneath the buckets to keep everything clean and protect against spillage.
There is likely going to be a good amount of spillage when making bubble hash, so the towels are actually an important material to have on hand.
9. Cardboard
You want a piece of cardboard that is pretty large and flat. That is because you’ll put your resin on the cardboard for up to seven days.
10. Bowl of Ice Water
You don’t absolutely need to have this material on hand, but many people who make bubble hash like to have a bowl of ice water easily accessible to raise spoons. This is particularly helpful after you’ve used the spoons to collect resin from the bags.
It may seem like a lot of materials, but most of them are probably things you already have. If not, you can easily get them.
Now that you have everything you need to make bubble hash, we can get right into actually making one!
The Step-by-Step Guide
It will likely take you about 30 minutes to prepare and then 70 minutes to cook. The storage time for your bubble hash will be seven days.
1. Spread Out Your Materials
Ensure that the materials are ready to be used and that they are clean to prevent any unnecessary breaks or delays during the process. A few tips for this step include making sure that buckets are right on top of your towel. Also, ensure that your spray bottle is already full of clean, freshwater and that your blotting screen is resting on paper towels.
2. Line the Bubble Bags
You have to choose one bucket. Then, you want to line every bubble bag you have to it. Begin with the smallest and work your way to the largest.
For example, take your smallest bubble bag and line the bucket’s bottom, similar to how you would when placing a plastic bag inside a trash can. Repeat the process until you’ve used all of your bubble bags, from smallest to largest. This will leave you with your biggest bubble bag on top.
3. Fill Up the Top Bag
Next, you want to fill up that large top bag with ice and cannabis. To do this, start by dividing up your cannabis.
You want equally sized small batches and alternate layers of cannabis and ice. As such, you’ll start with a layer of cannabis and then put a layer of ice on top of it.
Then, continue that pattern with additional layers of cannabis and ice until you’ve made your way to the bucket’s top. The top layer should be ice, not cannabis.
The point of the ice is that it obviously lowers the temperature. This ensures the trichomes and buds from the cannabis freeze. It allows for an easier process of isolating the cannabinoids.
4. Pour Water into the Bucket
Next, you want to add your water to the bucket. You want that water to fill the bucket, nearly reaching the bucket’s lip. That should be the maximum fill line, as you do not want to overfill the bucket and have water all the way at the top. That could cause unnecessary spillage.
5. Stir the Bucket
You want to do this very carefully to avoid spilling your materials. You do not want to do this immediately following the previous step. Instead, allow the water and bucket to have sufficient time to cool down.
A good rule of thumb is that when it is cool enough, put it in the fridge for around 30 minutes, up to an hour.
Once you start stirring, do so extremely carefully. Take your time and exercise some patience with this step. You can continue to stir for around 10 to 15 minutes. You’ll know when you can stop once you’ve achieved a nice, thick mixture.
6. Start Straining
Once you are done stirring, you can start straining. Do so by holding on to the top bag, which only has the mixture in it.
Drain all of the water into the bucket. Allow it to seep into the smaller bubble bags inside. When the mixture has run out, put the bag with the mixture into a different bucket.
7. Collect Your Resin
The bag beneath the bag with the mixture will have collected all of your resin. Now to get that resin, you need to take just that bag and line it the same way you did before. This time, though, you do it in a different bucket.
You can use a small spoon and gather the resin, which should be olive green in color. Scrape that resin right onto your cheesecloth or 25-micron pressing screen if you have one. One tip to the trade is to use a credit card if you find it to be particularly sticky and hard to remove.
Repeat this step for every bubble bag you have. You want to remember to always rinse your spoon before gathering resin again. This is where that bowl of ice water comes in handy.
Also bear in mind that every new level of filtering produces a more filtered, purer form of hash. Your last bag, which is the smallest one you had, will reap you the purest hash. Thus, every bag will produce a different grade.
8. Dry Out Your Hash
After placing the resin on the pressed screen, you need to place another pressed screen right on top of it. Then, use one of your towels to press on it; you don’t need to press hard.
Gentle pressure will work just fine. You want to make sure that you get rid of any excess water from the resin.
If you only have access to a cheesecloth, that’s okay. Just wrap it and then press your palm against it to remove any excess water.
Now, you need to really dry out your hash. You can do so by just putting it on your piece of cardboard and placing it in a cool, dry, and dark place for seven days. When it is solid to the touch, it means that you can smoke, dab, or vaporize it. To store and preserve it, make sure you keep it in jars.
9. Do It Again
This step is not necessary, but if you want to ensure you get every last bit of hash you can, you can do the process again using the same mixture. Again, line the bags starting with the smallest and ending with the largest. Use the same mixture bag, adding more water and ice and then strain again.
Conclusion
As you can see, the process of how to make bubble hash right at home is not all that complicated. The materials needed are things you likely already have at home, and if you don’t, you can easily purchase them inexpensively.
It absolutely does take a good amount of time and some patience to make your own bubble hash, but it can be worth it. Remember good things take time, and bubble hash is very concentrated and worth the work.
Keep in mind that when you make concentrates, you essentially get what you put into the process. When you have a high-quality input, you’ll find that the hash is of a higher grade.
Now you have what you need to get started. Enjoy making and consuming your very own bubble hash.