An In-Depth Guide to Cannabis Hash

A hash is a type of cannabis extract that consists of processed trichomes, which come from the resinous glands of the cannabis plant’s surface. It is often green or brown and comes in a ball, slab, or brick form.

Trichome removal is usually done physically and not with chemicals or solvents. Thus, the hash is considered a solventless extract. There are various types of hash and different processes to make it. This article will talk all about them and more.

More Information About Hash

When it comes to cannabis, you are probably more familiar with buds or flowers but not necessarily with hash. Hash is an extract created from cannabis trichomes. Since it is an extract, it has a higher THC content than flowers or buds.

Hash potency depends on the extraction methods and starting material. Nevertheless, the potency can range from 40% to 80% THC, much higher than a cannabis flower’s 15% to 25% THC range. Consuming high amounts of hash can be dangerous, even if you are accustomed to the level of THC found in marijuana.

History of Hash

Hash or hashish literally means “grass” in the Arabic language. It originated around 900 AD or earlier, which was also the time when farmers learned how to collect resin. 

Written texts dated as far back as the 12th and 13th centuries refer to hashish. Mahjoun, the first cannabis edible, was believed to have originated in Morocco. It is a sweet treat made with hashish.

In 1798, French soldiers introduced hashish in Egypt, and the product became popular in the West in the 19th century. European doctors began importing hashish for research, leading to the various extraction methods to refine the product into cannabis medicines and tinctures.

By the 20th century, cannabis extractions became more common in the US and European drug stores. However, the US prohibited cannabis in the early 20th century, and hash products returned to the illicit market.

Potential Benefits of Using Hash

Hash is the world’s oldest type of cannabis concentrate. The trichome glands, where the hash is made, have various beneficial compounds. The active molecules in the plant, such as cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes, may provide medicinal effects when they work synergistically.

Terpenes, one of the main components of cannabis plants, have been shown to improve the effects of CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids. This is known as the entourage effect. Studies have shown that when terpenes boost and amplify the effects of other cannabis plant compounds, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are achieved.

If stored properly, a hash can have a long shelf life lasting for years. However, the degradation rate is higher if the hash is pressed into a bar or slab. If the trichome is not pressed, it will act as a natural barrier to moisture, oxygen, and other factors that can negatively affect the product’s flavour and potency.

Potential Adverse Effects of Using Hash

Hash has high levels of THC, the cannabinoid responsible for the psychoactive effects of the cannabis plant. Consuming high levels of THC poses an increased risk for adverse reactions such as odds of addiction, hallucination, and paranoia.

Possible long-term adverse effects of using hash include cognitive decline, irregular heart rate, lung issues, and withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can include anxiety, depression, sleep issues, cravings, and decreased appetite.

Treatment for cannabis addiction is available on both outpatient and inpatient basis. Treatment plans include group or individual therapy sessions, counselling, professional detox, or support groups.

What Makes Hash Different From Weed and Other Cannabis Concentrates?

Due to various extraction technologies, most cannabis concentrates have only been around for the past decades. On the other hand, it has been seen as the original and oldest cannabis concentrate since it has been around for thousands of years.  

While most concentrates require expensive tools and need to be done by licensed or experienced technicians, a hash is easy to make. There are many ways you can make the product using minimal supplies. 

When differentiating weed from a hash, the only critical point you should remember is that weed refers to the dried flowers of the cannabis plant. On the other hand, hash is a type of cannabis concentrate derived from resin.

Comparing Hash and Charas

Charas is another type of cannabis concentrate with many similarities to hash. Like hash, charas consists of removed trichomes of the cannabis plant. However, the trichomes of charas do not come from dried or cured cannabis. Instead, the trichomes are collected from fresh cannabis plants using a method called hand-rubbing.

In hand-rubbing, you will use your hands to rub the fresh and living cannabis plants physically. Doing this will produce a sticky resin from the cannabis stalks. When you rub your hands together, you will create some smooth and glossy charas.

When compared to a hash, charas is less potent and spoils faster. Rubbing the cannabis stalks manually will break the leaves and small stems of the plant. These plant parts will mix into the concentrate, introducing contaminants that will affect the potency and shelf life of the charas. On the other hand, a hash is easier to produce, store, and distribute.

Types of Hash

There are various types of hash available. Some of them include:

Dry Sift Hash

A dry sift hash is also called a dry sieve and is a refined form of kief. It is made of refined resin glands extracted from harvested or cured cannabis. The resin or trichomes glands are then sifted through fine mesh screens or silk fabrics with varying pore sizes.

To make a dry sift, you have to rub, roll, and tumble the dried cannabis over a woven mesh screen. This process will break off the dried resin glands from the cannabis plant matter, making the trichome heads sift through the screen. You have to rub the dry sift through the screens of fine meshes multiple times to refine the hash further.

Dry sift hash can top a bowl or be sprinkled into a joint to make it more potent. You can also press it into rosin for dabbing.

Ice Water Hash

Ice water hash is also known as bubble hash. It is made by placing the cannabis flowers or buds in ice water to freeze the trichomes. The mixture will then be stirred to break off the trichomes, resulting in a liquid that will be further filtered through multiple fine mesh screen bags. Making this product is also called “washing” because makers often use customized washing machines to agitate the plant compounds.

The quality of the resin collected and dried to make ice water hash can be dry, chalky, greasy, or oily. Bubble hash is typically graded on a star system, with six being the highest quality and one being the least refined and thus the lowest quality.

If the ice water hash you got is labelled as a full melt or ice wax, you can dab it. On the other hand, low-quality ice water can be pressed into rosin, used for infusions, or smoked like traditional hash.

How to Make Hash

Hash-making is easy and inexpensive. You can purchase the required tools and equipment from a hardware store, such as ready-made screens, hash presses, and bubble bags. The process includes separating the resin or trichome glands from the cannabis plant. Check out how you can do that in various ways below:

How to Make Hash Using the Dry Sift Screen Method

1. Freeze the plant material. Make sure to use the lowest temperature possible. This will make the trichomes break off and separate from the plant easier.
2. Get the plant material on the ready-made screen and spread it around to start breaking the trichomes.
3. Sift the plant material on the screen carefully to ensure that you get a high-quality product. The sifted product should have a golden or sandy brown colour.

How to Make Hash Using the Dry Ice Method

1. Combine the plant material with at least 40% dry ice. 
2. Shake the bubble bags and let the trichomes fall into the collection vessel. Since dry ice is up to five times colder than regular ice, the cold temperature and friction from shaking the bag will make the trichomes break off and fall easier.
3. The longer you shake, the more plant material will break up and fall through the screen. The finished product should have a greenish khaki colour since it has been contaminated with some plant material.

How to Turn Kief Into Hash

1. Get a hash press and fill it up with kief. You can also wrap the kief in plastic and layers of wet newspaper.
2. Heat the brick slowly to achieve the correct consistency.
3. The finished product should have a chocolate brown and shiny surface due to the trichomes melting together.

Ideally, it would be best if you did not attempt to make cannabis extractions alone. It would be better to buy concentrates from a reputable and licensed dispensary or store. This way, you can ensure that the products are tested and safe from contaminants or harmful compounds.

Where Is Hash Produced?

Various methods of collecting resin and producing hash depend on geography, local resources, and climate. 

In the early 20th century, Lebanon became a large-scale hash producer, with most hash farms located in Beqaa Valley. The annual rainfall, mild temperatures, and low humidity across Lebanon made it conducive to hash production without costly irrigation. 

Large-scale hashish production started in Morocco during the 1960s. Commercial hash production was likely introduced during the Arab Conquests, which began in the seventh century. Sieved Moroccan hash has a light brown hue, while the Moroccan Slate hash has green or sandy-brown colour.

Hash from Afghanistan often has dark brown or black colour. The production process includes adding water or tea to the resin powder before it is heated and pressed manually using hands or feet.

Popular Hash Products in Canada

You can now purchase hash products within a few clicks! Ordering cannabis products is made more accessible through online dispensaries such as Ahuevo. Take a look at some of the available hash on our shop below:

• Mercedez Stamp Black Hash: Traditionally produced in Afghanistan, this hash is pressed by hand after adding a small amount of tea or water. This product is stored in hash-balls but pressed in 100 slabs upon shipping. You can get this in 1 gram, 3.5 grams, 7 grams, or 14 grams.
• Vancouver Island Hash: Made locally in British Columbia. This soft and fresh slab of hash is available in 1 gram, 3.5 grams, 7 grams, 14 grams, and 28 grams.
• Apple Moroccan Hash: With a powerful hit, this hash will produce a couch-locking effect, making it one of the best hashes in Europe. You can get this in 1 gram, 3.5 grams, 7 grams, 14 grams, and 28 grams.
• Blueberry Hash: Pressed and made locally in British Columbia, this hash comes from the trichomes of the blueberry hash plant. It has a sticky and gooey texture with a spicy scent. You can get this in 1 gram, 3.5 grams, 7 grams, 14 grams, and 28 grams.
• Crown Royal Hash: Has a flavour profile of Afghani Indica hybrid strain that allows you to chill out without the couch-locking effect. You can get this in 1 gram, 3.5 grams, 7 grams, 14 grams, and 28 grams.

How to Use Hash

Hash is often sprinkled on top of flowers before being smoked through pipes, joints, bongs, and more. Other ways of consuming hash are:

Orally

Hash can be consumed orally by infusing it into a beverage or solid foods. It is soluble in things like cream, butter, and oil, so you can turn them into cannabis edibles such as brownies.

Hot Knifing

Smoking the hash on its own using two metal knives is called “hot knifing.” In this method, you will use two metal or butter knives and heat them on a hot surface, such as an electric range. Then, place some hash on the heated part of the knife and place the second knife over it. 

Once the hash from the knives starts to smoke, take a funnel-shaped instrument like a plastic soda bottle cut in half. Use the tool to inhale the smoke from the knives.

Rolled Into a Joint

You can also roll the hash into a joint. Before adding the hash, lay out your rolling paper and add some ground flower, then crush or cut up some hash and sprinkle it over the flower before rolling the joint. 

Another way of adding a hash to your joint is by warming up a sticky hash by rolling it gently using your palms. Form a thin serpentine shape, then place it over the flower. Roll the joint, secure the edges, and enjoy.

Smoked in a Pipe

You can smoke hash in a pipe. Make sure to use a screen to prevent the solid pieces of hash from entering the pipe and being inhaled. You can find screens made from mesh, stainless steel, glass, or titanium. 

Simply place the screen on the pipe’s opening, then put some hash on time. Heat the pipe with a lighter until you see the steady smoke emerge. Then, remove the pipe from the heat and inhale through the mouthpiece.

Dabbing

Hash can be dabbed as long as it is of high quality, with the ability to melt completely in a nail. You will need a dab rig, a heating mechanism, and a dab tool. Use the dab tool to put some hash onto the heating mechanism. Once you see some steady wisps of smoke, place the carb cap over the nail and inhale through the dab rig’s mouthpiece.

Order Your Hash Today

Take your pick from our selection of hash products here on Ahuevo. Place your order today and take advantage of our same-day delivery across Metro Vancouver. If you do not reside in Vancouver, you can still receive your discreet package within 1-3 business days.

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