How to Make Your Own Hash

Hash (also known as hashish) is one of the most potent cannabis concentrates out there, and fortunately for all of us, it's something we can make at home. Of course, you may be wondering "what is marijuana hash?" "How is hashish made in the first place?" To help you better understand the amazing world of hash, let's take a look at what it is, how to make hash, and the best ways to consume hash.

What is Hash?

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Weed hash has been around for over a millennium, most commonly associated with North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It is an easily smokable concentrated form of cannabis that comes from marijuana trichomes found on the outer layer of the cannabis plant. Trichomes, the resinous, sticky surface of marijuana that often looks like tiny colorful antennas are rich with cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids that give marijuana its flavor and psychoactive potency. These trichomes produce a resin that can be collected and compacted into sticky blocks and sheets of THC-heavy hash. 

There are several different types of hash, the two most common being dry sift hash and ice water (bubble) hash. Dry sift hash is the easier of the two to produce and the end result is the solid block of resin concentrate most commonly associated with hash. Bubble hash, on the other hand, is more potent and looks like a crumbled, less solidified dry sift. It is created through an ice water extraction process.

What is the Difference Between Hash & Kief?

To make hash, you first need to know what kief is. Easily collected with a simple 3-chamber grinder, kief is the small crystalline bulb on the tip of the resin glands of the trichome. Sound familiar? That's because kief is a necessary part of creating hash. In fact, hash is essentially kief that has been heated and compressed into a sticky block of soft compact resin.  

How Do You Make Hash?

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The answer to "how is hash made" is easy enough, but deciding how you're going to make your hash comes down to what tools you have at your disposal and what type of hash you want to smoke. Fortunately, each of these methods for making hash can be conducted at home (at varying difficulty levels).

The Dry Ice Method

Tools needed: ground cannabis buds, a clean bucket, hash/bubble bags, 2-3 pounds of dry ice, a paint scraper, safety material (oven gloves, safety glasses, and clothing that covers all skin)

It may seem like a lot of items, but once you have everything you need, making hash via the dry ice method is fairly straight-forward. Just follow these steps:

1. Place all your dry ice and ground marijuana into the large bucket.
2. Securely place your hash bags on the bucket and shake (take care not to over-shake, as dry ice can be dangerous if it contacts skin). 
3. Once you've shaken the barrel for a few minutes, tip the bucket upside down - the hash bags will collect all the resin glands. 
4. Remove the hash bags from the bucket and scape all the resin onto a clean surface.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 until no resin is collected by the hash bags.
6. Collect all of your resin into one place and store until ready for use!

The Dry Sift Screen Method

Tools needed: a clean table, silkscreens, ground cannabis flower, parchment paper and an ID card or utility blade.

Simpler than the dry ice method but not as quick (and the end product isn't quite as potent), the dry sift screen method can be completed in a few easy steps:

1. Make sure your table is 100% clean and place your silk screen onto the surface.
2. Delicately put your ground flower onto the screen in a thin layer until the entire surface of the screen is mostly covered.
3. Lightly shake the screen until trichomes begin to collect under the screen. 
4. Collect your dry sift and then repeat until no more is collected from agitation. 
5. Place your dry sift between two pieces of parchment paper and firmly press between your fingers, slowing agitating until it turns into a sappy resin. 
6. Collect all your resin into one place and store it until you're ready to use it!

The Kief Method

Tools needed: a grinder, kief, a mason jar, a cloth or oven mitt,  plastic wrap or parchment paper

Learning how to make hash from kief is likely the easiest of the three methods and requires the least amount of materials. To make kief hash, you need a grinder with a specific third chamber for collecting kief. Over time, you will collect enough kief to create hash. Once you have a sizable amount of kief, follow these steps:

1. Wrap your kief tightly in plastic and keep it in a uniform block shape as much as possible.
2. Fill the mason jar with boiling water and make sure the lid is tightly secured.
3. Using an oven mitt or cloth, roll the hot jar of water across the wrapped kief. Apply pressure and roll back and forth for roughly 10-15 minutes. 
4. Place your wrapped kief in the freezer for an hour.
5. Take your hash out of the freezer and its wrappings, then enjoy!

How to Consume Hash

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Hash needs one thing, regardless of what form you're consuming: high levels of heat. There are several popular ways to effectively smoke hash. The most popular is via pipe or hookah, placing a small amount of hash on top of your flower and smoking for a more intense high. You can also roll your hash into a joint and smoke mixed with tobacco or weed, but this does make smoking more difficult and your spiff may burn too quickly and fall apart. Another increasingly popular option is to use a vaporizer. For this last method, just go to your local dispensary and ask for a hash cartridge and pen. They will hook you up and help you better understand what you need and how to smoke properly! 

We love hash and hope this guide helps you start making this amazing concentrate on your own. If you're already a pro, let us know if you have any tips or tricks for making hash! Comment below.