Teddys Cannabis Blog
How to make your own bubble hash at home
In today's world, there are numerous cannabis concentrates available, allowing you to enjoy cannabis in various ways. These concentrates include cannabis oil, shatter, crumble, batter, butane honey oil, live resin, and many more variations. It's quite likely that you've found your personal favorite cannabis concentrate. Nevertheless, many of us recall a time when the only available options were cannabis or hash. Therefore, it's interesting to delve deeper into the topic of hash.
So, what is hash exactly, how is it produced, what potency does it possess, and how does hash differ from the other available cannabis concentrates?
Hash is simply the waxy product that forms when the resin glands (trichomes) of the cannabis plant are concentrated and compacted into a solid block. It contains not only cannabinoids but also small amounts of plant material and numerous terpenes that give it its characteristic flavor. The use of hash dates back thousands of years, to when people first noticed the sticky byproduct of the cannabis plant. Hash can be either smoked or used in culinary preparations and typically has a THC content of 5-40%, often accompanied by higher CBD levels compared to traditional cannabis. The exact values of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids vary depending on the cannabis genetics, growing conditions, and hash production techniques. In the 1980s, hash was exported from some significant production regions like Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, often bearing a distinctive stamp on the hashish block.
There are numerous methods for making hash, but they all share a common feature: the separation and compaction of trichomes.
Traditionally, these methods were applied in various regions such as Afghanistan and Morocco. Here, cannabis was rubbed over fine screens to shake off and extract the trichomes. They were then pressed and heated to create a dark, creamy, and highly potent hashish block.
Bubble hash, also known as Ice-O-Lator or Water Hash, is essentially a modern version of this age-old process. It uses water and ice to achieve an even finer result.
In the following, I'd like to provide a guide on making Bubble Hash at home, suitable for both beginners and advanced users.
Making bubble hash using the ice-water method
This method of making Bubble Hash is characterized by the use of more durable materials, the Bubble Bags, which are reusable compared to coffee filters. Furthermore, it allows for the production of larger quantities. You may find that this method is overall simpler, especially when it comes to separating the hash from the Bubble Bags.
Tools and Ingredients
To determine how much cannabis you need, a rule of thumb is that approximately 10 grams of flowers generally yield about 1 gram of hash. This conversion largely depends on the quality of the starting material.
-
Cannabis flowers or trim
-
2 large buckets
-
2 large bags of ice (or more)
-
Large stirring spoon or electric hand mixer
-
Non-stick foil or parchment paper for drying
Instructions
-
Start by putting the ice into one of the buckets and fill it with cold water, leaving enough space for your cannabis. Next, add your cannabis flowers or trim to the ice-cold water. Ensure that all the cannabis is fully submerged.
-
Stir the plant material for about 15-20 minutes with a large wooden spoon or stick. This process causes the trichomes to break off the plant. If necessary, you can add additional ice during this time to keep the water as cold as possible. If you have an electric hand mixer, you can also use it to expedite the process.
-
After the allotted time, prepare the Bubble Bags. Arrange the bags in ascending order by micron size in the second bucket, starting with the largest bag and ending with the 220-micron bag. Attach the bags over the bucket's rim and then slowly pour the water and plant material from the other bucket into them.
-
Once the water has drained, remove the first bag from the bucket and rinse it again with ice water to catch any remaining trichomes. Shake the bag, let it drain, and set it aside. Repeat this process with each bag. Note that each bag contains a different quality of hash, with the finest mesh bags at the bottom yielding the highest quality product.
-
After all the bags are completely emptied, place the different qualities of hash on separate non-stick foils for drying.
-
Shape the dried hash according to your preference, either into balls or by pressing it flat.
-
Store your hash in an airtight, lightproof container to ensure the preservation of cannabinoids.
+++ Cannabis legalization in Germany decided! At home, possession of up to three female flowering plants per adult person is permitted. +++
The yields of the three plants you legally grow in your garden, on your balcony or in your grow tent might not be enough for you and your friends' needs. Training plants is the easiest and undoubtedly natural way to increase crop yields. Whether it's training plants to fit into a limited growing area or just to get an abundant flower yield, there is a training method to suit every need.
Making Bubble Hash Using the Coffee Filter Method
This method is very straightforward, so the final product may not be as high quality as the method described earlier. Nevertheless, the "coffee filter method" is highly efficient.
Tools and Ingredients
-
Cannabis flowers or trim
-
Glass container with a lid
-
Kitchen sieve or pollen sieve
-
Coffee filters
-
Scissors
Instructions
-
Start by using scissors to cut the plant material, especially the flowers, into small pieces. Your goal is to expose as much surface area as possible to the ice water.
-
Pass the flowers and trim through a sieve or mesh to separate the kief (powdery substance from the trichomes) while leaving behind stems, leaves, or excess material. It's advisable to do this directly over a glass container so you don't have to move the kief from one surface to another. Ensure that the glass is filled with kief only up to about a quarter.
-
Next, you can fill the glass almost to the top with ice-cold water, place the lid on, and shake the glass vigorously until all the powder is well mixed with the water. If you have a handheld blender, you can use that for optimal results. In any case, shake until no clumps of plant material remain.
-
Let the mixture rest for at least 30 minutes. Afterward, open the glass and remove the plant debris floating on top of the water. Place this material in a separate container and repeat the process of skimming until nothing is left.
-
Wait for another 15-30 minutes to allow the mixture in the glass to settle. Carefully pour off the water until about one centimeter from the bottom of the container. The material at the bottom of the container is your hash.
-
Refill the glass with cold water and let the mixture rest for at least 15 minutes again.
-
Slowly and carefully pour the water and hash material through a coffee filter, making sure not to spill anything. Once the water has drained, gently unroll the resin in the filter and squeeze out the remaining drops of moisture.
-
Once this is completed, place the filter with the resin on paper towels to remove the remaining moisture that you couldn't express.
-
When the wrap is completely dry, unroll the paper towel and gently unroll the filter. Scrape the resin from the filter, and voilà, you have your hash.
-
You can now smoke the hash, but you need to compress it into a solid mass first. Wash and dry your hands and press the hash together with your fingers. If you don't apply enough pressure, the hash will become liquid once you introduce a heat source.
In Summary
The production of Bubble Hash or Ice-O-Lator is one of the preferred methods of extracting cannabis products for many consumers. Initially, it may seem complex and time-consuming, but in reality, it is a relatively simple process.
The resulting end product is one of the purest forms of cannabis extracts and offers various manufacturing possibilities.
More to read
