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Bubble Hash: What It Is & How To Use (Correctly)

Cannabis 101 · By Aaron Girard · Updated · 4 min read

bubble hash on white background
Contents

Bubble hash is a hash made by separating resin glands (trichomes) from cannabis with ice water. It gets its name from the way good bubble hash bubbles when heated.

It is a concentrate, so it is much stronger than flower. This guide is for adults 21 and older in places where cannabis is legal.

The History Of Bubble Hash

Hash itself is old, but ice water extraction is a modern refinement. Growers developed water-based methods and sets of mesh filter bags in the 1980s and 1990s, and "bubble bags" made the method popular with home hashmakers.

Freeze dryers later made drying easier. Before freeze-drying, fresh hash had to be air-dried slowly, which risked mold.

What Is Bubble Hash?

Bubble hash refers to a kind of hash prepared using a process that involves ice water. Just like traditional hash, this product is a concentration of trichomes, the cannabis resin glands. Its color ranges from dark brown to light blonde.

The best grades are called "full melt." Full melt hash bubbles and melts almost completely when dabbed or smoked, leaving little plant material behind. Hashmakers often rate bubble hash on an informal 1 to 6 star scale, with 6 being the cleanest.

Finer mesh screens hold back more plant material and let mostly trichome heads through. Less plant matter means a purer, stronger product.

Trichomes hold most of the plant's cannabinoids and terpenes, the aroma compounds. The high comes mainly from THC, which the FDA describes as the psychoactive component of cannabis; CBD does not cause a high.

bubble hash on a glass dish

How To Make Bubble Hash

Ice water hash is a solventless method. It uses cold water, agitation and mesh bags instead of butane or other chemical solvents. Arizona's adult-use law, for example, lists "sieving or ice water separation" as manual or mechanical processing, separate from chemical extraction.

Cannabis, often fresh-frozen, goes into a bucket of ice and cold water. The cold makes trichomes brittle, so gentle stirring knocks them loose.

The water then runs through a series of bubble bags with progressively finer screens. Each bag catches trichomes of a different size, and the hash is collected from the screens.

The wet hash is then dried, often in a freeze dryer, and may be pressed or cured. Drying and curing affect the final texture, which can range from a loose powder to a pressed block.

Read Also: How to Make Moon Rocks

How To Use Bubble Hash

Bubble hash is potent. NIDA notes that concentrates can rapidly deliver large amounts of THC, which raises the risk of negative side effects. Start with a very small amount.

How To Smoke Bubble Hash

You can smoke bubble hash in a pipe. A fine screen helps keep loose hash and any plant material out of your mouth.

Some people sprinkle a little on top of flower in a joint or bowl. That is a common way to use lower grades.

Vaping

Some dry herb vaporizers can heat hash, often with a concentrate pad or insert. Check your device's instructions, since not every vaporizer handles concentrates.

Dabbing

Higher grades, especially full melt, can be dabbed. Full melt leaves little to no residue on the nail.

Cooking

Raw hash is not very active when eaten, because the THC needs heat to activate first (decarboxylation). Most people infuse it into butter or oil before cooking.

Edibles take longer to show effects, and NIDA warns that people may take more while waiting, which raises the risk of serious negative effects. Start low, wait, and keep edibles away from children and pets.

Read Also: How To Make Cannabutter

Frequently Asked Questions

Does The Quality Of The Cannabis Plant Matter When Making Bubble Hash?

Yes. Resinous, trichome-heavy flowers make better hash. Poor or dry starting material gives a lower yield and a lower-quality product.

Who Invented The Bubble Bags?

Bubble bags were popularized in the late 1990s, and several hashmakers are credited with early versions of ice water extraction. They made the method easy for home growers.

How Many Times Can Anyone Wash Bubble Hash?

Hashmakers usually run several washes of the same material in one session. The first washes tend to give the highest quality, and later washes pick up more plant matter.

Conclusion

Bubble hash is a solventless concentrate made with ice, water and mesh bags. It is named for how it bubbles when heated, and the best grades melt almost completely.

Because it is strong, use small amounts, and only where it is legal for adults. Cannabis remains illegal under federal law in the US, and state laws differ.

Sources

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