Trichomes, the ripe, resinous gland heads that cover the surface of cannabis plants, provide the origin for hash. For centuries, techniques to separate resin have been utilized, however the fast increase in marijuana legalization in Western countries has introduced new methods in hash production that are conquering legal markets by storm.

Where does hash originally come from?

The origin of the term “hashish” is from the Arabic language, which roughly translates to mean “grass.” It’s believed that hash first became popular during the Middle Ages, although certain techniques such as charas or collecting resin from cannabis farmers’ hands are claimed to have existed prior to recorded history.

Hashish was first discovered in Europe by early explorers into Africa at the start of the nineteenth century. For years, European doctors imported hashish to conduct research, which led to the development of various extraction processes that allowed for further refinement into medicines.

Cannabis extracts were accounting for a significant proportion of Western pharmacopeias by the turn of the century. Hashish goods were forbidden from Western medicine and pushed back into the black market following US cannabis prohibition in the early 20th century.

Different types of hash

Dry sift hash

With the resurgence of cannabis interest in the 1960s, hashish made a comeback. The quantity of hash exportation from countries such as Nepal, Afghanistan, and Morocco to Western nations increased. At this period, old world types of hash were imported, particularly hard-pressed, brick-like solids produced by heat and pressure.

The Master Sifter, a 1990s device that separates glandular trichomes from the plant material, wasn’t originally invented for this purpose. This innovation by John Gallardi utilized vibrational force to disentangle the trichome gland heads from the plant matter, according to Ed Rosenthal and his book Beyond Buds.

Ice water (bubble) hash

During this period, Neil Schumacher and Rob Clarke began experimenting with water extraction procedures, which eventually became known as ice water hash or bubble hash. Reinhard C. Delp of the High Times Cannabis Cup first demonstrated the equipment that would later be used to popularise the ice water extraction method in 1997. His patents were then adapted and modified by Mila Jansen using her pollinator isolation bags.

The current design may be further enhanced by Canadian hash enthusiast Marcus “Bubbleman” Richardson, who began his own line of BubbleBags in 2014, one of only a few firms worldwide that have been given rights to employ concepts from the original patent filed in 1999.

How to make dry sift hash

The past several years have seen a rise in the interest for hash in the United States, as a result of legalizations attempts. Making hash at home these days is as simple as purchasing a few low-cost components from your local hardware store. All you have to do now is go online and order ready-made dry extract screens, presses for classic brick hash processes, and even bags for water extractions.

A hash is a concentrated form of cannabis. We use a dry sift technique to remove the cannabinoids from the plant matter, which we then press into hash. Our hash differs from BHO and other solvent-based extracts in that it does not contain any solvents. It’s completely manual, with different temperatures being used to extract the cannabis compounds from the plant material.

The dry sift screen method

• Start with well-cured frozen material. It’s critical to maintain a very low temperature since trichomes on the frozen buds will break away from the plant more readily.
• After you’ve installed your software, start breaking it up and distributing it across the screen; wax on, wax off.
• Screen sifting is a delicate operation. You’re not after quantity here; you’re seeking for quality. Expect a low return, therefore be cautious. It should produce a lot of high-quality material, so long as you pay attention.

The dry ice method

• To eliminate mold and mildew, combine your plant material with about 40% dry ice. Dry ice is 5 times colder than normal ice, reaching a temperature of -109°F. Due to friction, the trichomes on the leaves will break off their stocks and fall into the collection vessel below as a result of super-chilled temperatures produced by combining the trichomes with dry ice and shaking the bag.
• When we shake our extract too long, the plant material will break down and flow through the screen, polluting our kief. This is why traditional hash-making techniques are as much of an art as they are a science.
• It takes practice working with different strings to get the feel for the right time to stop. You want to maximize yield without sacrificing quality.
• When satisfied with the shake, it’s time to collect.

You can see the difference in quality between the two techniques: While the dry sift is a lovely golden color, the dry ice has plant particles mixed into it, making it green.

Turning kief into hash

• Fill the hash press with kief (the traditional method is to wrap the kief in plastic and then in layers of wet newspaper, heating it slowly on a hot plate and rolling it with a rolling pin, sometimes for hours to achieve the proper consistency).
• Jack it up like you’re changing a tire, and in just a few minutes, you’re done.
• You can see by its dark and shiny surface that the trichomes have melted together.

We’re going after a delicious golden brown color, and we find it when we crack open the jar. The gooey Play-Doh consistency and gorgeous golden brown hue are exactly what we’re searching for.

How do you smoke hash?

Hash can be consumed in a variety of ways. Hash has traditionally been eaten orally, usually as a solid or infused into a drink such as bhang, which is an Indian coffee substitute. It’s also possible to smoke hash alone or to use it with other types of cannabis flowers.

Some types of hash, on the other hand, can be vaporized on a hot surface, also known as dabbing. Screens are frequently used while dabbing hash since some resins leave carbon residue and don’t melt completely or at all. High-quality hash oils (not to be confused with solvent extracts), such as full melt dry sift and full melt ice water hash, have the capacity to melt entirely onto a nail without leaving any residue.

When you’re learning how to use hash for the first time, talk with your budtender about the equipment you have at home to determine which products are best for you. You’ll need a smoking device, such as a pipe or dab rig, and possibly a dabber tool, depending on whether you want to smoke or vaporize hash.

Keep in mind that hash effects will be considerably more powerful than smoking cannabis flower. Hash oil potency can range from low 40% to over 80%, depending on factors such as extraction process and starting material quality.