Do you want to smoke hashish in your vaporizer—the right way? Vaping hash is both possible and extremely enjoyable, but it is important to understand how to do it properly. In this article, we will recap all the principles you should keep in mind when vaporizing hash—from the basics of which type of hash is recommended to the characteristics of the best vaporizers for hash, and all the must-follow tips to bring your hash-vaping experience to the next level!
WHAT IS HASH?
Simply put, hash is a concentrated form of cannabis, but it differs from other concentrates because it retains more plant material, which gives it a distinct taste, look, and feel. The starting point of hash are the same cannabis flowers that are harvested, dried, and cured—AKA the buds. When growing cannabis, it is essentially the trichomes on the buds you want to harvest over everything else. Trichomes are small glands holding essential terpenes and cannabinoids, the most notable of which are THC and CBD—two substances you should already be familiar with if you are a frequent smoker.
Hash is basically a way to harvest trichomes through a light and simple process. Traditionally, and for thousands of years, it has been done by hand-rubbing (in South Asia) or by sieving (in the Middle East and Mediterranean), then making it more compact either by hand or by mechanical pressing. Depending on the chosen method, hash takes on different consistencies, e.g. hand-rubbed hash becomes resin-looking (darker colour, malleable) while dry-sift hash is essentially pollen (lighter, yellow-brownish colour and granular structure). This cannabis derivative is easy to store (and to smuggle!), and therefore is one of the earliest forms in which mankind has been enjoying this goodie from heaven. Furthermore, it can potentially last for years without losing its potency!
VAPING HASH VS. TRADITIONAL SMOKING
When vaping hash, you will discover that the flavour is more intense and rich. In fact, you will be able to much better appreciate the taste of fresh hash over that of burned material. Furthermore, vaping is the healthiest way to consume buds, but also hash and other derivatives (such as rosin, shatter, wax, and honey). The vaporizer allows for all the right cannabinoids and terpenes to evaporate, but does not burn plant material. Hence, there is no combustion and no emission of carcinogenic substances. Basically, one can say that vaping is less harsh on your lungs.
THE BEST VAPORIZERS FOR SMOKING HASH
Nowadays, a multitude of vaporizer models have flooded the market. And the days of for-buds-only vapes are long over. Nevertheless, not all vaporizers are suitable for consuming hash and other cannabis derivatives, and surely most of them were not designed with hash in mind. Hence, the question: which vapes are best for consuming hash?
There are two models that we definitely feel like recommending:
• The Storm Vaporizer: Sturdy, compact, and with that stealthy look that will allow you to vape on-the-go with confidence—these are just some of the capabilities of the Storm. The Storm Vaporizer handles both buds and hash with ease, thanks to 5 factory temperature settings ranging from 180–220°C. Quality and taste are 100% guaranteed. It is also reasonably priced, which never does any harm.
Buy Storm Vaporizer Pen
• The Mighty by Storz & Bickel: Battery-powered, powerful, and very efficient, the Mighty says everything you need to know in its name. This model may be the easiest to load and clean afterward as the opening is quite big. As you take a draw, the dense and smooth smoke coming out will be nothing short of spectacular.
Buy MIGHTY Vaporizer
Regardless of the model though, if your intent is to vape hash, you should consider four key variables when evaluating the performance of your device: ease of loading, cloud production, flavour, and ease of cleaning the vape after use.
Here are some general considerations you should look out for when choosing a vape to use with hash:
• Select vapes with a wider opening to facilitate the loading process.
• To squeeze dense and rich clouds of vapor from your device, it is essential to manage the temperature levels with precision. Hash requires a higher average temperature than bud to evaporate all those nice cannabinoids inside. For this, you’ll need a vape that offers max temperature control, or that has been made specifically for hash. Keep in mind that hash combusts at 210–220ºC (while 230ºC is the limit above which the material deteriorates). You can also set the temperature of your vaporizer lower than that. Below 185ºC, you will get a lighter and more mental high, while above that threshold it will be a more typical hash high. Above 200ºC, you will maximise the intensity of your hit, and—if you are a beginner smoker—it will get you stoned right away.
• Your vaporizer should be equipped with a liquid pad designed to retain liquids since hash melts when heated. You do not want that caramel gold to run into the heating chamber or over the electrical components of the vaporizer! Even with a liquid pad, you should still read through the tips below to understand how to minimise the risk of obstructing your vaporizer!
• Last but not least, keep in mind that wax or other concentrate vaporizers are designed for concentrates that are highly refined, while hash is only mildly refined. Therefore, you may want to choose a dry herb or hybrid vaporizer that boasts the above-mentioned characteristics over a wax-specific vape.
TOP 6 TIPS ON HOW TO VAPORIZE HASH
There is no general consensus on how to best vaporize hash. At the same time, there are a few tips that you can follow to enjoy your hash-vaping experience to the max.
Reduce your hash to the smallest possible crumbles in order to make for easier vaping. For this, it’s best if you have access to high-quality pollen hash, which is easier to break down as such. Resin will also vaporize, but it will be harder to reduce in more or less even bits, which is essential to obtain homogeneous vaporization.
Spread the pieces of hash as evenly as possible throughout the bowl to enhance surface contact with the hot air. This makes better use of your hash so that nothing goes to waste.
Pick the highest quality hash you can find. You do not want any contaminant to screw up your vaporizer or screw up your lungs! For a long time, hash exported from various countries contained all sorts of materials that today can be avoided. As such, don’t settle for anything less than quality.
Even if your vaporizer is equipped with a mesh filter, hash users advise covering the components exposed to the melted hash with degummed hemp fibre, which does not combust, nor does it cause any unpleasant side effects. It will, however, protect your vaporizer from any hash residue (when melted or hardened up).
If you do not have access to this natural material, there is a not-so-ideal trick you could resort to, but only if the opening of your vape allows it: Sandwich your powdered hash between two layers of ground weed, and then proceed to vaping. It is not so ideal because you end up vaporizing a much larger amount of material without really enjoying either the buds or the hash to their full capacity, but it will do until you purchase some hemp fibre.
Get the dosage right. The sweet spot seems to be 0.1 gram, which allows you to get around 8–10 draws without risking clogging your vaporizer. You can always load another bowl, so don’t stuff it too tight!
After the fun, show your vaporizer some love by taking the time to clean it properly. In this way, you will secure a longer lifespan for your vaporizer, as well as avoid an unpleasant burnt taste on your next use. For each model, there are different best practices for cleaning it; hence, read the user manual carefully and, after removing the burnt material and hemp fibre from the bowl, proceed with a careful and comprehensive clean-up.
Vaping hash can be an awesome experience if just a few precautions are taken. Not all vaporizers suit the task, and those models that do should still be handled with love and care in order to minimise the risk of melted hash running into their heating chamber or clogging other delicate components. Happy vaping!
