The history of hashish dates back to the late 11th century in Persia and Arabia, even though hash has probably been used even earlier. From there it spread to Nepal, Afghanistan, and Morocco, from where it was ultimately exported to Europe around the 19th century.
Europeans initially imported hash to research it, but that ultimately led to its consumption all over the world. Today, cannabis is a popular cannabis product, enjoyed by regular cannabis users, as well as other people who are interested in trying this versatile product.
If you’ve ever wondered how you can turn your cannabis buds into hash, you’re at the right place. This article will focus on giving you all the answers about what hash weed is, how you can make it, as well as how you can use it, so let’s get to it.
What Is Hashish?
The term “hashish” has an Arabian origin and translates to “grass.” This versatile cannabis product comes from the trichomes of cannabis plants. The trichomes (or kief) are the white, resinous, mushroom-like structures that you can find on the surface of the cannabis buds which contain cannabinoids such as THC, CBD, and others, along with potent terpenes.
Growers collect the trichomes primarily from the cannabis buds, although you can also find them in other parts of the cannabis flower, such as the stems and leaves. When collected, these trichomes look like a fine powder similar to sand and are very potent. If you like concentrates, you’ll definitely enjoy hash.
The potency of hash oil can vary between 40 – 80%, which depends on the quality and potency of the starting material, as well as the extraction techniques.
What Parts of the Cannabis Plant Are Used to Make Hash?
As we’ve previously said, trichomes can be sourced from different parts of the cannabis plant, including:
- Cannabis buds (generally sourced from female cannabis plants);
- Fan leaves (the largest leaves on the cannabis plant which can be used for making hash);
- Sugar leaves (small leaves which grow close to the cannabis flower and contain a lot of trichomes);
- Male cannabis plants (these often contain fewer cannabinoids compared to female plants).
Types of Hashish and How You Can Start Making Hash From Cannabis
If you want to start making hash at home but this is your first time doing it, look through the following paragraphs to get information on the various methods you can use.
Hand Rolling
Hand rolling is one of the simplest methods for making hash which is done on dried, cured buds. To get your hash, you need to roll the buds between your palms, and after a while, a layer of resin will start forming on your hands. After you’ve been rolling for a while, you’ll be able to form small hash balls. Since you won’t be using protective gloves, remember to thoroughly wash your hands before starting this process to avoid dirt and oils from the skin sticking to your hash balls.
Charas
Charas is the same method as hand rolling, however, it uses uncured buds instead of cured ones. After growers harvest the plants, they collect the buds and proceed to make charas. To make this product, you need to rub the buds and trim with your hands until a resinous coating forms. After you get the coating, scrape it off, and you have a product that is ready to use in your joint, pipe, or bong.
Kief Into Hash
Turning kief into hash is one of the most convenient methods since you won’t be needing special equipment. For this method, you need to make sure that you’ve separated the kief from the plant material, so you can proceed with making your hash.
Gather a handful of kief in your hands and start rolling it together to make one solid piece of hash. Place cellophane over the material and wrap the package in a few layers of a damp cloth. Warm a skillet, and place the package on the skillet to help the material stick together. Alternate between heating the material up, and rolling it with a rolling pin, to get a product with good consistency.
Dry Sift
Another popular method for making hash is dry sifting. For this method, you’ll need dry herb as well as a silkscreen. Freeze your stash for a few hours before making the hash to separate the trichomes easier.
Place the silkscreen on a clean, flat surface, add the buds on top, and start rubbing the plant material in a circular motion. The trichomes will start to fall below the screen, and after a while, you’ll get about 10% of the total weight of the buds in trichomes.
Ice Water Hash or Bubble Hash
This solventless method for making hash is called ice water hash. To make your final product, you’ll need a large bucket, dry ice, bubble mesh bags, pollen press, and a credit card.
Start by placing the trim in the bucket filled with dry ice. Stir the trim to enable the resin glands to separate from the plant material. Wrap the bucket with the bubble bags and pour everything inside the bags by turning the bucket upside down. Shake the bucket until you collect the trichome dust. Get a credit card and scrape the product. If you want, you can use a pollen press to turn the product into kief coins.
Blender Method
The blender method is very similar to dry sifting since it requires a silkscreen. Place the plant matter in the blender together with cold water and a handful of ice. Start the blender, and blend for up to a minute. Add the silkscreen on top of a glass jar, and pour the mixture over the glass.
Let the jar sit at room temperature for about an hour and you’ll see the trichomes settle at the bottom. Empty out most of the water while being careful not to spill the trichomes, refill the jar with ice water, leave it to settle for 5-10 minutes, and drain it once more. Repeat the process up to five times. Finally, get a coffee filter and pour what’s left of the water inside it to get your kief. The final step is to roll the kief into hash.
Solvent-Based Methods for Making Hash
Hash can also be made by using solvents such as butane, propane, or CO₂. What’s important for this procedure is that the solvent residue is purged from the final product. For example, when making butane hash oil (BHO), purge the final product by whipping it into wax, using a hot plate, or placing it into a vacuum desiccation chamber. Keep in mind that this procedure is extremely flammable and dangerous, so don’t try it at home.
How Do You Smoke Hash?
Hash has been consumed with a lot of different equipment and in a lot of different ways throughout the years. The Hindu people used it as an infusion to their traditional Indian drink bhang, but they also smoked it. Hash can also be vaped in a vaporizer and smoked in a joint, bong, or blunt. High-quality hash oils and cannabis concentrates can also be dabbed in a dab rig, therefore, you can choose from a wide list of options, and try your favorite one.
Final Thoughts on Making Hashish From Cannabis
As with making other weed products at home, making hash doesn’t seem like a very complicated procedure, especially if you’re using solventless techniques. Your budget will also determine what type of hash you’ll be making, as some of these procedures require you to spend money on bubble bags and silkscreen.
You can choose to make hash by hand rolling, making charas, using the blender method, using kief to make hash, trying to make dry sift or bubble hash, and finally trying solvent-based methods to get hash including, butane, propane, or CO₂.
A word of caution – remember not to try the solvent-based hash method since the procedure is pretty dangerous, and may not yield a good quality hash. The most important thing is to choose the method you think you’ll be able to replicate and enjoy the process.
