How To Make Hash?
Hash preparation involves many factors, one of which is the type of hash you want to produce. Popularly known also as hashish, hash is nothing but Cannabis trichomes obtained through either mechanical or chemical means. What marijuana users love about hash is the increased potency it brings.
This article will guide you in understanding what hash is, including the different production methods available.
Table of Contents
What is a hash?
Weed is the dried, unprocessed blossoms of the female cannabis plant, whereas hash (or hashish) is the resin of the female cannabis plant extracted from the plant itself mechanically or chemically.
Trichomes are microscopic crystal-like particles found throughout the cannabis plant, particularly on the flowers of the female cannabis plant. These particles have the highest concentration of cannabinoids like THC, CBD, and terpenes, giving the plant its characteristic smell.
What are the different types of hash?
Various kinds of hash are available today. Here are some of them:
- Hand-rolled – Hand Rub Hash or finger hash is a quick and easy way to create hashish, but it’s also inefficient. All you need to produce hand rub hashish is a nice pair of hands, some cannabis buds, and the drive to make it happen. The majority of the thc resin either falls to the ground, buried deep within the buds or adheres to the foliage and leaf detritus.
- Dry sift – Traditional hash is similar to dry sift hash. The apparent distinction is in the processing. This type is manufactured through a technique called dry sifting, as the name implies. Dry sift hash looks and tastes much like kief. This substance is familiar to most smokers.
- Rosin hash – Rosin is a solventless extract that uses heat and pressure to push components from the cannabis plant’s trichome gland, containing all THCA, other cannabinoids, and terpenes. Consider it like pressing grape juice or olive oil, with the result resembling butane hash oil (BHO) but without the hazardous ingredients.
- Ice water or Bubble hash – Bubble hash is a high-quality cannabis concentrate with many trichome heads and minimal impurities. One can produce bubble hash by separating the trichomes from the plant with freezing water and a sieve. This type of cannabis concentrate gets its name from the fact that it bubbles when heated. You may also make the hash at home with bubble bags.
How is hash made?
- Solventless technique – This is the traditional method of creating hash without the use of solvents. Instead, you employ mechanical means, like your hands or a silkscreen. To separate the trichomes in the latter situation, rub your dried herb against a screen. You scoop the trichomes into molds, heat them, and flatten them into blocks, spheres, or snakes once they’ve converted into a mound of kief.
- Solvent-based technique – The more contemporary method of producing hash is using chemicals acting as solvents. Via butane, propane, or CO2, one can extract cannabinoids and terpenes from the trichomes. You should remove any solvent residue before the hash is safe to consume. You can either whip BHO (butane hash oil) into the wax using a hot plate or put it through a vacuum desiccation chamber. Because it is highly flammable and thus quite dangerous, doing the process at home is non-advisable.
How to prepare hand-rolled hash?
This procedure is relatively self-explanatory. Hand-rolling, as the name implies, entails handling enormous amounts of cannabis. The standard step for this is to use dried, cured buds. Once you roll the buds between your palms, a black film of sticky resin will appear. You’ll know you’ve gathered enough stuff when you can make tiny hash balls.
Most commonly finger hash is made as a side-product when harvesting cannabis. The workers have to touch the sticky buds in order to harvest them, making finger hash is usually a way for harvest workers to get some free hash as a bonus to their wage.
Finger hash is not a pure, high-quality product but it is the only way to make use of the trichomes stuck to the workers’ hands.
Pros: Easy to do, Cheap, Do not require equipment
Cons: Inefficient, Low-grade Product, Messy
How to prepare dry sift hash?
Also known as flat screening, dry sift is a simple and effective technique. All you’ll need is a silkscreen and some dried cannabis buds. That’s all there is to it. Keep in mind that the smaller the holes you deal with, the purer the hash will be. The quality and amount of your output are determined by the tools you use. If you are looking for a small sifter for home use I can recommend you this one.
Of course, you can just smoke the kief but if you want to make hash you will need a kief press. If you are looking for a great value-for-money Kief press that suits for home use, I recommend this one.
Step 1: Place the screen on top of a clean, flat surface to begin the procedure. On top of the screen, place the buds/trim.
Step 2: In a circular motion, gently rub the material against the screen. All of the trichomes will fall to the surface beneath the screen.
Step 3: Proceed in this manner for as long as necessary. When you have around 10% of the total weight of your trim in trichomes, you will know you have had enough.
Step 4: Fill the lief you made in the previous steps in a lief press and leave it under as much pressure as possible for at least 8 hours.
Pros: Easy to do, No high-end equipment needed
Cons: High-grade hash is challenging to achieve, Product might have contaminants
How to prepare blended hash?
As stated, one would use a blender for this method. However, a silkscreen is also needed.
Step 1: Place the trimmings in a blender with enough water to cover all of the greens. Blend in a handful of ice for up to a minute.
Step 2: Pour the contents into a glass jar using the silkscreen as a sieve after that quick mixing. Within an hour, the trichomes will sink to the bottom of the jar.
Step 3: Empty about a third of the water, but avoid spilling the trichomes. Fill the jar with ice water and lay it aside for another five minutes to settle. Drain 2/3 of the water and repeat four to five times more.
Step 4: To separate the water from the trichomes, use a coffee filter and pour the solution over it after you’ve emptied as much water as you can. Allow the kief to dry after squeezing out any excess water.
Pros: Not requiring much effort from you; Materials needed are within one’s home
Cons: Small chance of obtaining superior quality of hash; Presence of impurities
How to prepare rosin hash?
You’ll need to gather a few materials first. Using a DIY rosin press, you can create rosin wax. Most of these items are likely already in your home, but if not, you should be able to get them quickly and affordably.
For good affordable rosin, I suggest you purchase this one.
If you are more serious about rosin and want to make a higher quality product, this one is a great value for money rosin press.
Here are the materials you need:
- Rosin press or Hair straightener (Look for one with a low-temperature setting of roughly 300°F or less—any higher and vital terpenes will evaporate)
- Parchment paper (unbleached, as much as possible)
- Cannabis hash
- Rosin bag
- Heat-resistant gloves
- Dabber
In preparing rosin hash, do the steps below:
Step 1: Set your rosin press or hair straightener to the lowest setting (between 280 and 330 degrees Fahrenheit).
Step 2: Cut a tiny 44" piece of parchment paper for yourself. Half-fold the parchment paper.
Step 3: With your rosin press or hair straightener, carefully line the buds inside the paper together and apply firm pressure for 3-7 seconds. Before releasing, listen for a sizzle, which indicates that the resin has melted from the plant material.
Step 4: Taking your sample off the heated surface is a good idea. Fold the parchment paper in half.
Step 5: Remove the flattened nug with your collection tool. The process is pretty sticky, so take your time and be cautious. Use different clean sheets of parchment for larger batches and collect your samples at the end.
Step 6: If desired, remove any visible plant material. Fold the completed product in half and flatten it to your liking between the parchment sheets.
Pick out any plant fragments using a clean tool.
Pros: Cheap to prepare; Easy to vaporize; Has a high level of terpenes
Con: High level of terpenes is not recommended for new marijuana smokers
How to prepare bubble hash?
To do this procedure, you have to prepare the following:
- Bubble bags of various sizes. In buying a bubble bag kit, you may visit this store.
- A stirring tool, e.g., wooden dowel or large spoon
- Ice approximately 10 pounds (4 kgs.)
- Cannabis growth about 3 to 4 ounces (0.08 kgs)
- One 5-gallon bucket (This store sells this, too.)
- Cheesecloth
In preparing bubble hash, do the steps below:
Step 1: Fill your bucket with the bubble bags. It is advisable you place first the one with the smallest screen (25 microns) followed by the larger ones. So in our case, follow this arrangement – 25 microns, 73 microns, 160 microns, and 220 microns.
Step 2: Add your 3 or 4 ounces of cannabis onto the 220 microns screens.
Step 3: Place ice to cover your cannabis. At this point, uses ice as much as to hide your growth. A typical 6-inch of ice from the bottom of the screen is advisable.
Note: Ice makes the stem of your trichomes brittle, thus allowing them to break off.
Step 4: Pour 1500mL of water into the mixture of ice and cannabis.
Note: You can estimate if the water you pour covers your cannabis enough.
Step 5: Using your stirring tool, agitate the cannabis so that the trichomes would fall off from their stems. Keep doing this for 15-20 minutes.
Note: In agitating the mixture, be sure you are not poking holes to the microns beneath the bubble bag.
Step 6: Let the mixture sit for about 45 minutes.
Step 7. Pull out the first bubble bag and set it aside. The plant material from the 220-micron bag may be your compost stuff.
At this point, you should scrape off the resin from the remaining bubble bags. Be sure not to mix the resins from each of the bubble bags. You will notice that the product from the 160-micron has the darkest color because it still contains some plant material. Once you scrape off the resin from the 25-micron, it will be the purest and has the lightest shade.
Note: Do not squeeze the bags; allowing the water to go through the filter is enough.
Step 8. Gently palm press the different grades of resin. You can do this by using a micron filter or a cheesecloth. You now have your bubble hash.
Pros: Can produce multiple hash products; Hash quality is much refined than the previous methods; Has excellent potency
Cons: Time consuming; Might be costly, especially the bubble bags.
What are the methods to consume hash?
What you’ll need to smoke hash will vary depending on how you want to enjoy it. Here are a few of the most popular methods:
Through a joint or blunt – You will need hash, marijuana flower, rolling paper, and a lighter.
Using a bowl, spoon pipe, bubbler, or bong – You will need hash, a pipe of choice, a lighter
In a vaporizer – You will need hash, vaporizer, and degummed hemp fiber.
By hot knives – You will need hash, two metal knives, a hot stove, plastic water bottle cut into two.
How to consume hash through a joint or blunt?
- Begin by covering the bottom of your rolling paper or wrap with a thin layer of cannabis flower.
- After that, add a hash layer. Shape your chunk of hash into a thin cylinder that sits neatly on top of the flower to make it easier to smoke.
- Roll up your joint or blunt as usual after adding a little more marijuana on top of your hash.
- Light up the Product after doing the previous steps. Because you have added hash to the mix, expect to get higher than usual.
How to consume hash using a bowl, spoon pipe, bubbler, or bong?
- Start by inserting a small layer of flower or a metal screen at the bottom of your pipe. It all depends on what you prefer to use. Make sure you’re just using screens that are built exclusively for smoking.
- Now place a small amount of hash on the flower’s or screen’s top.
- Smoke your pipe or bong the way you usually would. Use a higher-powered lighter if you’re having difficulties getting the hash to burn evenly.
How to consume hash in a vaporizer or dab rig?
- Select the highest-quality hash available. Choose a product that crumbles rather than one that is sticky and resinous for your vaporizer’s longevity. Here, we recommend bubble hash.
- To make vaping easier, shred your hash into the tiniest possible bits. It’s preferable if you have access to high-quality pollen hash for this because it’s easier to break down. The resin will also vaporize, but it will be more difficult to compress into smaller bits required for smooth vaporization.
- To maximize the surface contact with heated air, spread the pieces of hash as evenly as possible in the bowl. This practice makes more efficient use of your hash.
- Use a degummed hemp fiber when vaping. To protect your vaporizer from the melted hash, place a thin layer of hemp fiber on the bottom of your loading chamber. When you are through with the session, discard the Degummed Hemp Fibre and clean your vape.
In vaping, you should use an excellent dry herb vaporizer to enjoy your hash. Let me recommend you this store for a wide array of vape selections.
How to consume hash using two knives?
- Cut a disposable water bottle in half to begin. Save the top part for use as a mouthpiece and discard the other half.
- Two metal knives are required. Place them on top of a hot stove or use a blowtorch to warm them up. It would help if you heated them until they are burning red.
- Place the mouthpiece in your mouth and secure it with your teeth or lips. Place a small slice of hash on one of the heated blades, then press the second knife on top of it quickly.
- Your hash should start smoking as soon as it is in between the hot knives. Use the mouthpiece to suck up as much smoke as possible, attempting to reduce the amount of smoke that escapes.
How to dry hash?
It’s critical to dry and cure your hash to maintain its quality. Keeping it moist will only encourage the growth of fungus or mold.
For superior quality, bubble hash needs to be dried and cured thoroughly. It’s preferable to spread the kief out on a piece of cardboard lined with parchment paper to dry it out.
By spreading out, you will increase the surface area of the kief and speed up the process. The cardboard will absorb the moisture.
Allow the hash to cure in whichever form you see fit after it has dried (such as hash coins). It’s a good idea to store your Product on parchment paper in humidity-controlled glass jars. It is advisable to dry your bubble hash in cold, dark storage.
What strains are suitable for making hash?
According to Leafly.com, here are six Cannabis strains that have excellent hashish flavors:
- Pineapple Express – A hybrid of Trainwreck and Hawaiian, the Pineapple express is a hash bestseller. When consumed as a flower, it has an earthy sweetness flavor. On the other hand, Pineapple Express has a superior tropical taste of pineapple chunks when taken as a hash. The pineapple express is THC-dominant, 15-19% average.
- Zkittlez – This is the strain for you if you adore dabs and want something incredibly fruity, almost like smashing a handful of grapes against your mouth. The fact that Zkittlez is a cross of Grapefruit and Grape ape explains its sweet taste of berries. Akin with Pineapple express, the strain is THC-dominant with levels ranging from 19-21%.
- Cookies and Cream – Another popular strain, Cookies and Cream results from crossing GSC and Starfighter. The dominant diesel-like flavor satisfies any hash smoker looking for a superb cannabis experience. Also THC-dominant, Cookies and Cream has a percentage of 18-23%.
- Presidential OG – Although it is excellent as bud, Presidential OG’s flavoring is better enjoyed in its hash form. The percentage content of its THC is 16-20% on average. Achieved by crossing Bubble Gum with OG Kush, Presidential OG provides you with perfect earth and pine tastes.
- Aliens and Moonshine – Users seeking to experience the maximum flavor with minimum high will enjoy Aliens and Moonshine. Aliens and Moonshine’s tropical and citrus flavors are the outcome of crossing Sour Alien and White Moonshine strains. The terpenes responsible for the flavors of Aliens and Moonshine are yet to be discovered. For the record, it has 8-11% CBD with 4-5% THC.
- Ice Cream Cake – Known as one of the most preferred strains, Ice Cream Cake comes from crossing Wedding Cake and Gelato #33. This strain gives you a sweet vanilla flavor similar to the icing from a birthday cake when vaped. Another THC-dominant, Ice Cream Cake has 23-29 percentage of THC.
