How to Make Hash – 3 Tried and True Methods

Hash remains one of the most popular types of cannabis products on the market today, and learning how to make hash is a common lesson that many tokers choose to learn. 

When you step into the world of cannabis, there is absolutely no shortage of options. Sure, smoking a joint or eating an edible is cool, but cannabis concentrates are taking the world by storm with their potency and convenience. 

The high purity and fragrant flavour palette of hash give cannabis enthusiasts a reason to rejoice and get excited again. Luckily, learning how to make hash is relatively clean and simple and can be done from the comfort of your own home.

So what is hash, and how do you make it? 

Keep on reading to find out!

What is Hash?

Hash, also known as hashish, is an ancient form of concentrated cannabis made by collecting the kief or dried resinous trichomes of the cannabis plant.

When fully ripe, the trichomes or resin glands of the cannabis plant line the surface of the plant, resembling a sugary white coating overtop its buds and leaves. 

Learning how to make hash involves isolating these trichomes and making hash by pressing them together to form a highly concentrated psychoactive substance.

Multiple sources cite that the first literary reference to hashish is found in the classic One Thousand and One Arabian Nights story, “The Tale of the Hashish Eater.” 

Other legends regarding the first use of hashish attribute it to Haydar, a devout shaikh who is said to have unexpectedly discovered the “exhilarating” effects of cannabis.

The concentrate’s influence later made its way over to the Western World in the early 19th century. 

While its exact origins remain up to debate, a large portion of the Western cannabis industry is devoted to further refining hash production to this day.

What are the Benefits of Hashish?

There are multiple benefits of hash as opposed to smoking regular cannabis flower, with the most critical distinction being potency.

Hashish is far more potent than normal weed, with THC concentrations ranging from 40-60% since it is made by combining a ton of trichomes. This percentage varies significantly from the 15-30% typically found in dry bud. 

Because it is a concentrate, many tokers seek out ingesting or learning how to make hash because its effects last longer and are stronger.

Of course, the potency when learning how to make hash will vary depending on the specific strain of weed you are using and which technique you use to make it. 

How to Make Hash

Depending on which path you want to go down, there are several different ways to make hashish. 

For some, bubble hash is the ideal cannabis concentrate, and for others, dry sift may be the way to go. 

Below are three of the most popular tried and true methods for how to make hash.

Dry Sift Hash

Dry sift hash is similar to more traditional variants of hashish. In fact, for most smokers, dry sift hash is extremely similar to kief, the fine layer of golden resin glands leftover from grinding weed. 

This allows dry sift hash to be used quite flexibly as its dry and powdery form makes this type of hashish easy to roll in joints, add to bowls or vaporizers, and incorporated into edibles. 

Luckily, making dry sift hash at home is relatively easy and safe to do.

What You Will Need:

• A dry sifting box with micron screens
• Fresh weed
• A container or flat surface to catch the hash

Directions

1. First, begin rubbing your cannabis on the surface of your largest screen to begin removing the trichomes from the plant matter. Be sure to label each batch made with each different screen. The variety in screen fineness will help in creating some variance to the hash.
2. Once you’ve gotten past the first layer, there should be a second screen beneath it. Remove the first screen and then start rubbing your cannabis against the second screen. Repeat this process until you’ve gone through all of the screens.
3. You can either combine the different batches together and press them to create a puck, or store them as-is for future use.

Hand-Rubbed Hash

Hand-rubbed hash is one of the easiest, more straightforward methods of how to make hash at home.

There is no need to outline the necessary equipment as all you need is some dry bud and your own two hands. 

Simply rub the dry weed between your hands, and the sticky resin glands will naturally stick to the surface of your fingers and palms, which will result in a black layer of residue rubbing off into your hands. 

Collecting these resin glands and rolling them into a ball is one of the most traditional methods of creating hashish in the world. 

If you do opt for this method, make sure your hands are clean. It will have a direct impact on your final product. 

Bubble Hash

Bubble hash goes by many different names. You may have heard it referenced as full-melt hash, ice hash, or even water hash. 

It is the most nuanced method of learning how to make hash and produces the most refined product. It also requires the most equipment. 

It’s important to note that bubble hash can result in a product with a THC potency hovering around 60%, which is important to keep in mind when dosing.

For more information on this tasty concentrate, check out our guide here.

What You Will Need:

• Bubble bags
• 10-15 lbs of dry ice
• Filtered water
• Stirring sticks
• 3-4 ounces of the fresh cannabis
• A 5-gallon bucket
• Cheesecloth

Directions

1. Begin to layer your bucket with your bubble bags. Start with the smallest or finest bag, moving upwards and ending with the largest bag. To fully line your bucket properly, it is best to use at least 3 to 4 layers.
2. Combine your filtered water and ice.
3. Add all of the cannabis and approximately half of all the ice and water into your bubble bag lined bucket. Fill the bucket with just enough water to fully submerge the cannabis.
4. Start stirring the ice, weed, and water together in the bucket. Continue agitating the cannabis and ice water mixture for about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Let the mixture settle for about 20 to 30 minutes.
6. After letting the weed settle, remove the first bubble bag, and scrape off the bubble hash at the bottom of the bag and store on a clean flat surface. Repeat this process until you have gone through all of the bags.
   • If you want, you can label the hash extracted from each bubble bag. The batch from the largest bag will provide you with the most unrefined batch, while the finest bag at the bottom will provide the most refined.
7. After your bubble hash is extracted from the bubble bags, press out any excess moisture from each pile of hash with some cheesecloth. What you’ll be left with is bubble hash, which you enjoy or store for later.

How to Make Hashish – No One “go-to Method” 

Though there are undoubtedly many more variants of hash than the ones we’ve listed, dry sift hash, and bubble hash are a great place to start if you’re new to cannabis concentrates. 

That said, figuring out how to make hash can prove to be quite tricky at times, but the reward is well worth it. 

Many tokers love hashish because it is far more potent than smoking regular flower, with THC content ranging between 40-60%, depending on the product and extraction method. It can also be used to spice up your smoking experience by sprinkling some in a joint or your pipe for a heightened buzz. 

However, we would recommend building your tolerance before trying that out. 

Whether you decide to purchase professionally made hash or figure out how to make hash at home, we recommend buying your ingredients from a reputable dispensary to get the best experience possible. 

Enjoy!