While many Weedists out there may know the differences between hash and straight-up marijuana, even the most frequent hash smoker may not know the many different ways that THC can be extracted from raw flower or, in many cases, trimming.

You may already know that a majority of hash starts with trimmed leaves. Large leaves that grow along with cannabis buds do not have nearly the same amount of THC that marijuana buds have; however, trimming is certainly more than just garbage.

Bubble Hash versus Full Melt Concentrates (aka Earwax)

Trimmed leaves can be collected, and when concentrated in a large group can yield what is commonly referred to as hash. Hash has been made around the world for centuries; recent medical marijuana booms have harnessed the much higher THC contents in hash to create great medicine.

Many dispensaries will carry generally two types of hash: hash that can be smoked like normal bud and has been extracted without a chemical solvent generally falls into the category of bubble hash. Hash extracted with a solvent such a butane or C02 will melt when set on fire, and usually contains much, much higher levels of THC than bud or even bubble hash, and this falls into the category of full melt concentrate or earwax.

There are many, many different extraction methods, which makes that last paragraph a very basic explanation that I’m sure will get a few hardcore wax heads mad at me. (Working at a dispensary that utilizes social media quite a bit, I’ve seen some very passionate opinions come out regarding the names of things, quality, etc.) Shatter glass, moon rock, and other kinds of “wax” are all certainly different, just as “dry ice”, “pixie”, and other kinds of bubble hash are different, too. However, regardless of the final product, all concentrates are generally going for the same thing: cannabis that is stronger and more pure than raw leaf.

Making Hash with Bubble Bags

In the last few months I’ve been making bubble hash for Karmaceuticals, the dispensary where I usually budtend. As I mentioned above, there are many different ways to make hash, but one of the easiest and most effective methods involve using bubble bags, which are simply bags with a mesh that filters out the other plant matter in cannabis.

At Karma we currently use Wacky Bags, which are all mesh and have so far worked well. The most basic way to use these bags is to put one into the other and then filter a mixture of trim, ice, and water through them; the resulting matter in the bottom looks like wet poop when wet and when dry, will be some very strong smoke.

Making Bubble Hash Step by Step

Here’s a basic step by step of how to make bubble hash with bubble bags:

1. Take trim and mix it with ice and water.

The ratio of cannabis to ice and water varies just about as much as the many different methods for mixing it all up together. Lots of people use a blender or other way to get the mixture whipped up. I don’t usually stir it that much, as that can sometimes break up the other plant matter too much.

In general, the idea behind any extraction is to just get the trichromes to fall off the leaf. Rules and ratios vary depending on whom you talk to; a common one is “10 grams to every 1 gram of hash” as a ratio for what kind of yield you can expect. Another common rule I’ve heard several times is “10 minutes of stirring, 10 minutes to let it sit” for how long to stir up your mix. However, it all depends on the quality of the trim. If you have sticks, really big fan leaves, etc, then the final result is not going to be great. If you don’t let your mixture settle for long enough after being stirred or don’t stir it enough, it will also hurt the final result.

The condition of the trim will also make a difference. Many hash makers (and especially those that make earwax and other full melt concentrates, where the THC content has a much higher potential) will choose to use flash-frozen trim, meaning trim that has been frozen as soon as it has been cut; the idea is that the cold will make the trichromes stand up like cold hair on a human being, making it easier for them to fall off the leaf.

I typically stir the mixture up with a big stick or pole (cleaned and sterilized before, of course) to break up the ice and get the trim wet. Then I take a hand blender and get the mixture frothy. I use a timer and go for either 10 minutes or 15 minutes, depending on the size of the batch.

I usually use 2 bags of ice, 5 gallons or less of water, and between 200-400 grams of trim per batch. Because we’re a commercial grow with lots of trim, I have the luxury of not really having to be super careful about how much trim I use, because we always have so much of it; as long as I make sure not to use too much or too little in regards to how much ice and water I use, it works out just fine.

2. Filter mixture through bubble bags in a bucket.

Depending on the kind of hash you want to make, there are many different micron strengths. Microns refer to the size of the mesh, and the finer the mesh; the more plant matter will be taken out of the raw cannabis. The smaller the micron, the better the hash will be. Bags generally go 220, 160, 70, 25 micron. However, there are many sets that have different sizes and types.

Put the 25 micron in the bucket first, followed the others in ascending order. The last bag (around 220 microns) is usually the “work” bag, which will not yield any hash. Some methods actually do mixing in this bag; I don’t like doing that because of the risk of ripping the bag, but I do usually pour the mixture into this bag and then strain it like a big teabag.

3. Take each bag out, slowly and carefully filtering out the water.

One of the grow hands at work who first taught me to make hash once described the motion of filtering out a bubble bag as “driving the bus”; similar to panning for gold, to drain out all the water while still keeping the wet dust together so that it will be an easy to work with substance. The key at this stage is patience. When done right, you should have a big goop of dark blond baby poop.

4. Scoop the wet hash on to a good surface to dry for several hours.

I highly recommend a non-stick cookie or baking tray. Wet hash is definitely going to be difficult to scrape off any surface that will be sticky. I usually just let my hash dry overnight, but a few hours should do the trick.

When dry, you will now have cannabis that can be easily broken up and smoked. One of the most common things to do is crush up some bubble hash on top of a bowl of bud or into a joint or blunt, to create a much longer lasting smoke. Some hash will actually already come crushed up into a more powder-like substance, whereas others will be left in chunks or even pressed together to form a larger brick.

One of my favorite videos on this subject from Jorge Cervantes:

Either way, bubble hash is a stronger version of cannabis that can be enjoyed many different ways. The higher THC content makes it a better option for many medical patients that need the higher cannabinoid content for pain relief and sleep aid.

No matter how you enjoy hash or for what reason, bubble bags are just one way to go about making this very versatile form of cannabis.