What Is Bubble Hash?
Table of Contents:
Beaker Bong
$ 139.95
Recycler Bong
$ 224.95
Bong
$ 169.95
Bong XL
$ 219.95
Bubble hash is a type of concentrate derived from cannabis herb that comes in at around 60% THC. Hash refers to the final product, which consists of the resin glands, or trichomes, of the plant extracted from the rest of the plant matter. The trichomes are where the plant produces and stores cannabinoids and THC (the good stuff) and the rest of the plant matter is inert. By removing the plant matter from the equation, you get a more pure and concentrated product, which you can smoke out of various bongs and pipes.
Bubble refers to the cold water washing process we’re going to be using to remove the trichomes, resulting in our final product. Some concentrates require a solvent to chemically break down the resin glands in order separate them from the rest of the plant matter, but this method (like our article on rosin) is solventless. Solventless means there’s no flammable or dangerous chemical solvents you have to mess around with when making your concentrate. We will simply be using cold water to wash the hash right off of the plant matter.
Unlike some of our other how-tos, this one is a little more in-depth and requires more supplies and a little more skill. If you’re still undeterred, then read on!
If you find this article interesting you also may want to check out how to make your own Moon Rocks.
Bubble Hash Ingredients
- Herb or trim of your choice
- At least 2 clean buckets (either 1 or 5 gallons)
- About 10-15lbs of ice
- Water
- Towels & paper towels
- Mixing instrument (either a large spoon, stick, spatula, drill, or hand mixer)
- 25 micron drying screens or cheesecloth to dry your finished product on
Instructions for Bubble Hash
Step 1: Prepare your station
Start by laying out your 25 micron drying screens (or cheesecloth) with paper towels underneath
Line the bucket you will use for mixing with your 25 micron bag (the same way you line a trash can with trash bags). Then follow it with the next largest micron bag until all of them are lined on the bucket with the 220 micron bag on top.
Step 2: Begin filling your mixing bucket and bags
With all of your bags in the mixing bucket, begin layering your herb and ice in the top bag. Keep layering until all of your herb and ice is in the bag and finish with ice on top.
Step 3: Add water
Add water to your bucket with the herb and ice, making sure to cover the herb and ice, but leaving enough room at the time for the water to move around while mixing without overflowing.
Step 4: Mix the contents of your bucket
This is the step where the magic happens. With the ice in the bucket dropping the temperatures and freezing the resin glands, they become brittle enough to be knocked off though mixing and agitation.
Wait 20-30 minutes for the ice to fully cool the water and herb mixture. After it has sufficiently cooled down, begin stirring with your spoon, spatula, or hand mixer carefully!
Stir the mixture for approximately 15-20 minutes by hand or 10 minutes if you’re using a drill/hand mixer.
Note: You’re not trying to make a smoothie here, this step is all about agitating the mixture and knocking the frozen trichomes off of the herb, making sure to get as much as possible.
Step 5: Remove the plant matter byproduct and collect the good stuff
Now that the mixing process is finished, wait about 10 minutes for gravity to do its job pulling the trichomes through the screens.
After you’ve waited, take the 220 micron screen and pull it out of the first bucket. Let all the water drain out of it, and then squeeze the remaining water back into the first bucket and set the screen and herb material aside, preferably in another container. (The byproduct will be used again for a second run)
Final Stages of Hash Making
Step 7: Begin washing and extracting hash
Let the resin water mixture flow down through the screens. Pull the next extraction bag (160 microns) out of the bucket and let the water drain into the mixing bucket. Carefully move this bag to the second bucket. Line it to the second bucket and pull the sides downward so the bottom of the bag begins to stretch over the top of the bucket. Use a sprayer or a cup of water to wash the material toward the center of the screen. Pull the screen tight across the top of the bucket and use a clean spoon to scoop the hash off of the screen. Move the hash to the 25 micron drying screen you prepared in step 1
Step 8: Dry your product
Fold the 25 micron drying screen over the hash and use another paper towel on top to compress the hash and squeeze the moisture out of it. Replace the paper towel below it with a fresh one and chop up the hash a bit to give it the most surface area to dry.
Step 9: Repeat Steps 7 and 8 with every extraction bag from the work bucket until all of the hash is collected.
You will notice that the hash from each bag is a slightly different color. The smaller micron bags will yield higher grade hash with fewer impurities.
Repeat steps 4 through 9 again to ensure you extract as much as possible from your herb or trim
A second or sometimes even a third run are required to extract all that you can from your starting material.
