Are you looking to experience a high that takes you to new heights? If you aren’t already aware, there are many cannabis products on the market aside from just flower or bud, like concentrates, edibles, CBD oil, and more. One of those products that can take your high to the next level is known as hash or hashish. Hash is a popular way to smoke cannabis because it’s much more potent and flavorful due to its high concentrations of trichomes.
But, what is hash? Where does hash come from? How is it made? And is this a process accessible to everyone or reserved for skilled professionals? Rest assured, you don’t need to be a skilled professional to make hash, at least depending on the method you choose to utilize. This article seeks to explore the world of hash and provide you with everything you need to know if you choose to smoke or make hash. This guide also offers 3 easy methods on how to make hash yourself! Stay tuned to learn more!
What Is Hash?
First, it’s important to know what hash is. Hash is created from the trichomes that blanket the cannabis plant. Trichomes are the sugary, frosty substance that coats the outside of the bud or flower as well as the leaves and stems of the cannabis plant. Some cannabis strains have high concentrations of trichomes and this typically causes your fingers to become sticky while rolling or breaking the flower down.
The trichomes are full of terpenes which provide you with cannabis’s unique flavor profile as well as high amounts of THC and CBD. Hash is created when you take the trichomes that have been separated from the cannabis plant and either pressing them or applying various tedious processes to achieve the end result. There are various methods out there and each comes with its own set of obstacles or level of efficiency, and this article will cover some, mainly the ones that are easy for you to do yourself from the comfort of your own home.
What Is The Difference Between Hash and Kief?
Now, you may be wondering what the difference between hash and kief is since they are both created using trichomes from the cannabis plant. Well, kief is much easier to obtain and doesn’t require much effort. You can typically collect kief at the bottom of a grinder (after grinding flower) or by extracting it from the cannabis leaves and stems. Depending on your smoking habits, you could have a relatively consistent supply of kief on hand, at all times.
Hash, however, requires a few more steps before it takes its form. After collecting the trichomes—and depending on the method you are using—you then move into the stage where you are actually turning it into the finished product of hash. The amount of time required for this process can vary and depends on your tools and how much cannabis material you have.
The Two Main Methods For Making Hash
There are many different ways you can go about making hash; however, some require more equipment and time versus others. There are two major umbrella categories that help to distinguish between the different methods and they are solvent-less methods and solvent-based methods.
Solventless
This method does not require the use of solvents to make hash. This method utilizes mechanization to press the dried herb together to form the hash. This process can be as simple as using your hands to press the dried herb together until it forms the hash. Typically, you would press the hash until it forms a block or sphere or densely packed trichomes.
Solvent-Based
The solvent-based is a modern innovation that requires the use of solvents to create the hash. Typically, the solvents could be anything from butane to CO2 which is then used to extract the cannabinoids and terpenes from the trichomes. However, before the hash is safe, the solvent must be removed from the substance. There are two different methods used to separate the substances. The first method requires you to turn the hash into wax using a hot plate or you can put it through a vacuum desiccation chamber.
Both of these methods are hazardous and very flammable, so they are not recommended for home use. Solvent-based methods are reserved for professionals or those who have the proper equipment to conduct the process safely.
3 Easy Methods On How To Make Hash
So, let’s say you want to make your own hash, what do you do? As mentioned before, there is a safe way you can make hash from the comfort of your own home. The method you can use from home falls under the solvent-less method. These methods involve pressing the dried herb into the hash and into the form you want; however, there are various ways you can go about this.
Make sure to dry your hash properly to preserve the quality of the hash. Proper storage is also important to ensure bacteria and fungi do not start developing.
Turning Your Kief Into Hash
If you want to turn your kief into hash, the process is simple but a little time-consuming. This process requires you to press the kief using your hands. You’ll want a significant amount of kief in order to do this and you want to place all the kief in the palm of your hand. You will then spend time rolling the kief between the palms of your hands until it forms one solid piece.
After the hash is shaped into the proper form, wrap it in cellophane and make sure it is tightly sealed with no air escaping or entering. This package should then be further wrapped in a damp cloth or paper towel. Then, place it over a warm skillet on low heat. Make sure you are rotating it properly to ensure the heat is evenly applied. This does not take long, all you want is for the hash to be stuck together nicely.
Hand-Pressing
This method is very straightforward and requires you to roll or press the material into hash using your hands. The best route is to use dried herb or bud for the best results. As you roll the bud in-between your palms, you’ll start to see a sticky, black layer of resin form. That’s what you want! You will know you have enough once you can start to form small spheres of the material.
Pro tip: Make sure you wash your hand prior to this step since this process will also gather the oil and dirt from your hands.
Flat-Screening
This method is also relatively simple; however, it does require one additional piece of equipment, a silkscreen. On top of that, all you’ll need is the dried herb. It should be noted that the smaller holes you have for the silkscreen, the purer the hash will be.
If you want the process to go smoothly, make sure you freeze your dried herb for a few hours beforehand to ensure the trichomes are separate from the cannabis plant.
All you need to do is rub the bud or flower against the silkscreen in a circular motion to remove the trichomes from the plant. You will continue this process until you achieve your ended result.
