Hash, or hashish, is one of the oldest cannabis concentrates used by man, and is made by collecting the resin glands (trichomes) from the cannabis plant and compressing them. The resulting concentrate has very high potency, with THC levels typically ranging from 20-60% for hash, which is significantly more than flower. Hash is forced to bring a different consumption method compared to bud so it can properly activate its cannabinoids and provide its unique effects.

The Hot Knife Method: Using Two Knives and Some Heat

This method is likely the oldest hash dedicated consumption method, and requires the least amount of equipment with similarly dandy results. The hot knife method consists of heating two butter knives on a stove or heat source to glowing red hot, and then sandwiching a small piece of hash in between the two knives. You inhale the vapor that arises from the heated hash, which can be done through a plastic bottle that you cut the bottom off, or some sort of funnel. This method works because it is transferring heat directly to the hash to vaporize the cannabinoids versus burning a plant material. The hot knife technology also works best with lower quality, harder hash that won’t melt on a normal smoking method. 

Glass Pipe Upgrade: The Screen Method

In preparation, glass pipes may provide the most basic experience for high-quality hash consumption if it is prepared properly. The critical component of the method is the metal screen, which is situated at the bottom of the bowl and is used to create a boundary between the flowing melted hash and to enhance airflow to the bowl when needed. Once secured, the end user would use their fingers to rub smaller-sized prisms of hash onto the screen area, lightly apply flame from the lighter, and inhale slowly. This is such an effective technique because it allows the user to apply enough heat to maintain consistency by controlling the airflow, so it is less likely of wasting charred reclaimed visual hash, and does not risk combustible contents of the glass pipe, where it holds its heat and does not retain heat. 

Rolling with Hash: The Inside-Out Joint

Integrating hash into a rolled cannabis product is possibly the only way to socially encourage the use of hash while personally controlling the dosage in your shared smoke. The inside-out rolling technique takes advantage of the most of the hash by placing it directly in the middle of the rolling paper and surrounding the smaller proportion of the flowers. This positioning creates a “heat” core to effectively activate the hash, while also eliminating direct flame applications. When using this method, you start by laying down a thin “snake” of hash down the center of ground cannabis, and then continue to roll carefully to keep hash as center focused as possible. The main advantage is that the ground flower serves both as insulation to register and hold the proper temperature by not having direct heat from flame and as fuel, like before. Doing the inside-out will allow for a longer session, since the hash has an active and delayed release of cannabinoids throughout the experience, compared to the unrecommended smoking process to consume hash.

Temperature: The Most Important Variable

Even while using all three of the methods above, temperature remains as the most important variable when it comes to high-quality hash consumption. Too much heat will combust so many cannabinoids and terpenes, while too little heat will never activate them effectively. Hash vaporizes ideally between 320-356°F (160-180°C), substantially lower than when the plant matter combusts.