Hashish, also known as hash, is a concentrated preparation of the resin secreted by cannabis plants. The use of cannabis for recreation has been traced back to India and Iran around 1000 BC, and was adopted into Middle Eastern culture in the ninth century AD. A report published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime found that Morocco remains the largest producer of cannabis resin (hash) in the world, while Western Europe is the world’s largest market for hash. If you’ve been wondering how to make hash for yourself, we put together an easy guide to making bubble hash.

Bubble Hash/Water Hash

If you have a large volume of bud or trim and you want to know how to make hash with it, the bubble hash method is an ideal technique to separate plant matter from the trichomes without using harsh chemicals or solvents. The cold temperatures of the ice and water cause the stalks of the trichomes to become brittle while the agitation of this process separates them from the plant material. 

What you’ll need:

• Cannabis or trim, frozen.
• Hash Extraction Bags, sizes: 25-micron, 73-micron, 160-micron, and 220-micron
  • (Bubble Bags are a popular commercial choice or make your own out of silkscreen material)
• Ice
• Water
• 2 5-Gallon Buckets
• Paint stirrer
• Metal spoon or scraper
• Micron Drying screen

Instructions:

1. In one bucket, place the 220-micron bag. In the second bucket, layer in the other bags, starting with the 25-micron bag, then the 73, followed by the 160 on top. Fold the tops of each bag over the edge of the bucket, like you would with your kitchen trash bag. 
2. Add a layer of ice into the bottom of the 220 bag. Remove your cannabis or trim from the freezer and add a layer of it on top of the ice. Add another layer of ice, followed by cannabis and more ice on top.
3. Fill the bucket with water until the top level of ice begins to float. Allow your ice water and cannabis mixture to sit for 20 minutes.
4. Use your paint stirrer, or a long wooden spoon, to swirl the mixture around, making sure to reach all of the plant matter. Don’t overdo it. You want to cause the trichomes to break away from the plant matter while avoiding pulverizing the cannabis. After stirring, allow the contents of the bucket to settle for 10 minutes.
5. Lift the 220-micron bag up and allow any remaining water to drain into the bucket. Place this bag in a bowl, or another bucket, to be processed again if desired. 
6. Pour the water from the first bucket over the bucket with the other extraction bags. Rinse out the first bucket.
7. After most of the water drains from the 160-micron mesh bag, remove it and place it in the freshly-rinsed bucket. Use your sink’s sprayer to wash the strained material down to the center of the bag and allow the water to drain again
8. Pull the sides of the micron bag down along the bucket until the base of the bag is stretched across the bucket like a drum. Use your spoon or scraping tool to scrape up your wet hash and place it on the micron drying screen.
9. Remove the 160-micron extraction bag and repeat steps 7 and 8 with the 73-micron and 25-micron bags.
10. If you wish, you can use the same cannabis to repeat steps 1 through 9 to produce a second batch of hash.
11. As your hash dries, chop and stir it with the spoon to promote even drying.

Other Ways to Make Hash

Hashish has been in production for centuries and the methods continue to evolve with technology and consumer tastes. Some of these include: Traditional Moroccan Method: Cannabis is aged for months before being covered with cloth and beaten with sticks to extract the kief. Dry Ice/Dry Screen Method: This high-quality, low yield method is used to create highly potent hash with very limited plant material. Butane Hash Oil (BHO): The most controversial on the list, butane hash oil uses a flammable chemical to extract hash, and should not be done at home because of the possibility of explosion. A safer option is to purchase BHO from a reputable dispensary.

Final Thoughts on Hash

Now that you know how to make hash with these solvent-free methods, you’ll be able to put your kief collection and excess plant matter to good use! Remember that hashish is much more strong and potent than dry flower, so start slow and enjoy this age-old cannabis tradition responsibly.