Here at Good Roots, despite the earlier arrivals of Live Hash, Bubble Hash & Dry Sift Hash, we've been eagerly anticipating the moment when good old traditional Hashish would finally make an appearance. There's just something about that old-school sticky brick hash that really hits the spot.
Well, that moment is now here, and traditional pressed hashish is upon us. The oldest of all the concentrates, Hashish's history goes back hundreds of years, weaves across continents, and is full of mystery and rumour.
What Is Hashish?
Hashish is a cannabis concentrate. The oldest of all cannabis concentrates, as we mentioned above. The simplest answer to the question 'what is hashish?' is really just 'compressed trichomes'. Trichomes being the sugar-like resinous coating found on the cannabis plant which typically hold the vast majority of the potency and flavour of any given strain.
These trichomes can be removed from the plant in a variety of ways, and it is these differences, along with some curing & compression variations, which give us the wide world of hash we have access to today.
It's very likely that the use of Hashish goes back thousands of years, but the first actual written proof we have of its usage comes from the 10th Century A.D. in Arabia via the well known stories of Arabian Tales: One Thousand and One Nights.
Legends abound regarding the sticky wonder that is Hashish. The stories wind around myths & historical figures such as Marco Polo, Persian Assassins, Napoleon Bonaparte, Arab Invasions, and far flung mystical and exotic places like Ancient Egypt, Tibet, & Morocco. Well worth a Google search!
How Hashish Is Made
The history of Hash goes back a long, long way. Traditionally (though this is still the case in some regions), Hash was created by physically rubbing the leaves of the cannabis plant by hand, which if you've ever done you will know it doesn't take a long to build up an extremely sticky coating of resin on your hands.
This resiny coating would then be scraped off the hands and rolled in to a ball or egg shape called Charas. This sticky buildup would then be scraped off the hands and made in to a drink called Bhang or rolled in to a ball or egg shape called Charas. Charas are basically Hash Balls.
Travel forward in time and across a continent or two, and Moroccan-style brick hash became the norm, using more advanced techniques to process and press the Hashish. This is still is some of the most desired hash out there today.
Brick hash takes those same sticky trichomes, which are agitated from the plant and compresses them down until it forms a firm, usually rectangular shape. In some places this is then stamped with a golden seal as a sign of quality.
It's really that simple. No solvents, no fancy labs needed. Separate the kief from the plant, then compress it to the desired texture and consistency... and you have yourself some Hashish. You can leave it loose for Lebanese-style Dry Sift Hash. If you freeze the flower first, you've got Live Hash. If you use ice or water to remove the kief, you've got Bubble Hash.
How do you know if the Hash is good quality? Well, besides the fact that it should seem fresh and have a good, strong odour, colour can often tell you how good that Hash will be.
With Dry Sift, you want a yellow-red colour. Hand-rubbed Charas style should be quite brown-black, while Hashish (bricks) will vary from green-brown. A golden brown shade is best as the presence of green indicates included plant matter. Top quality Hash should also flake in to a dust instead of being a hard block. Lastly, it should also bubble when heated, and catch fire quickly.
How To Use Hashish
One of the great qualities of Hash is its versatility. It's quite easy to break or melt off a piece of hash and add it to your bowl, or line it through your next joint.
Hash Pipes are also available which are usually smaller and narrower than a typical pipe to stop the hash from getting drawn through the air holes. Keep your lighter a small distance from the hash and gently heat it without applying a direct flame.
You can also have a go making Hash Butter or even try it in a drink like the traditional favourite, Bhang.
Hashish is available (most times) at Good Roots Cannabis, the best dispensary in Sherwood Park.
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Happy Tokin'
The Good Roots Gang