How To Make Bubble Hash

Bubble hash is a fantastic concentrate that you can make in as little as one afternoon with only a few materials. Checking in anywhere from 50-70% THC and being so easy to make, you’ll want to bookmark this quick recipe to make bubble hash for yourself. Here’s everything you need to know about making bubble hash.

What is bubble hash and how is it different from traditional hash?

Bubble hash is a pure solventless concentrate that is made when the plant’s THC-rich trichomes are separated from plant materials, leaving nothing but those trichomes behind. It’s called bubble hash because of the type of mesh-micron bags used to separate these trichomes from the materials (called bubble bags), as well as for its tendency to bubble when it’s exposed to flame.

To make it, buds and sugar-leaf trim are added to an ice water bath and shaken until the trichomes fall off and separate themselves into the bottom of a sieve. Bubble hash can be insanely good or insanely bad, depending on the quality of your starting materials and how many times you agitate the materials to separate and filter plant matter and other impurities out. Once everything is separated, the hash will dry and leave behind a sticky paste that can be used as a bowl topper, in joints, in edibles, or as a dabbable or vapeable concentrate.

Bubble hash is much different from traditional hash since it utilizes the ice, water, and bubble bags to dry sift the trichomes. Traditional hash was first popularized in middle eastern countries hundreds of years ago by mechanically rubbing the trichomes off of plants. While this method is still viable and potent, it often contains additional plant materials and impurities. Bubble hash is considered to be more potent since it’s extracted in a more refined manner and can reach up to 60% THC.

Different types of bubble hash

There are three main types of bubble hash, and they’re all different based on the extraction technique and the starting material.

1. Trim-processed bubble hash — Trim-processed bubble hash is made using trim. This typically involves sugar leaves and stems. Since there aren’t a whole lot of trichomes to pull in this method, the final product is a bit lower in quality. However, if it goes through smaller and smaller micron bags, it can still come out good when more plant materials are removed. It just tends to yield a bit lower.
2. Bud-processed bubble hash —  Bud-processed bubble hash is made using whole flower buds, which contain plenty of trichomes to pull from. Like trim processed bubble hash, the quality depends greatly on your starting materials and how many times you sift through smaller micron bags. Dry and low-THC flowers will yield lower, but still tend to yield higher than trim. However, high-quality flowers and plenty of sifting will leave behind almost pure bubble hash.
3. Mixed-micron bubble hash — Mixed micron bubble hash can be made with both flowers and trim, though it gets its name from the various micron screen sizes used. If more than one screen size is used, the bubble hash is mixed-micron. Larger micron screens will leave behind unwanted plant materials, while smaller ones filter those out and only let trichomes through. A mix-micron bubble hash is critical.

What do you need to make bubble hash?

Making bubble hash is pretty easy. In fact, you can gather almost all of the necessary materials from your grow supply store.

To get started, you will need:

• A clean, disinfected 5-gallon bucket (isopropyl alcohol works best) with a lid, if you’d like to shake instead of stir.
• Ice
• Ice cold, clean, ultra-purified water with no chlorine or added minerals
• Mesh micron bubble bags or silk screen filters
• Cannabis trim or flowers, fresh or frozen
• A large spoon or paddle for mixing

How to make bubble hash: a step-by-step guide

Ready to try your hand at making your own bubble hash? It’s a pretty straightforward process. Simply repeat this process until you reach your desired consistency and have strained out as many plant materials as possible.

1. Fill your bucket — Start by layering your micron bags into the bucket from smallest to largest micron filter size. Remember, the smaller the number, the smaller the size. After you have your bucket lined, you can fill the bottom portion of the bucket with cold water. After you’re about halfway full of water, you can add your weed or trim, and then later you top with ice. You can then fill the rest of the bucket with water.
2. Shake or stir — If you’re working with a smaller bucket, you can cap it with a secure lid and shake your bags until they’re good and agitated. It’s much easier to use a spoon or a paddle to stir, though, You’ll stir for about 15-20 minutes. Be sure to add more ice if your ice begins to melt.
3. Strain — After you’re done stirring, you can strain the liquid from each bag back into the bucket. You’ll do this with all of your bags, one at a time. You can turn each filter inside out to collect your trichomes and future hash. From there you can repeat the process, or you can begin drying.
4. Dry your hash — After you’ve strained and removed moisture from the bags, you can start drying your hash. You can lay your bubble hash flat and allow it to dry, though it can take a few days to completely dry. You can also use a freeze dryer to get yours dried faster.

Pro tips for making bubble hash

Making bubble hash is pretty simple in theory, but there are a few things you can do to get more potent and flavorful extracts. Here are a few tips and tricks for making your own bubble hash.

• Keep things cool — The ice is what actually separates the trichomes from the plant by freezing and breaking them off. That said, you need to do this ice cold for best results. You can pre-freeze your water to get an icy slush solution going, or use lots of ice. You should also do it in a cooler area, like a walk-in freezer, if you have one. Either way, use ice cold water and keep plenty of extra ice on hand to keep things moving smoothly.
• Disinfect your materials before using them — If you pick up a 5-gallon bucket from the hardware store, it could have all sorts of residue inside it. To make the cleanest hash, spray some rubbing alcohol in there and wipe it out as best as you can. This can help keep your products pure.
• Use clean water — While tap water will work, you’ll want to use reverse osmosis water that is free of minerals, chlorine, fluoride, and other chemicals that can make your bubble hash harsh and taste bad.
• Choose quality plant materials — Poor-quality bud and trim make poor-quality hash. If you’re brand new to making bubble hash though, feel free to start with a lower quality product so you don’t waste the good stuff on practice rounds. When you do go for your actual round, using quality materials yields better results.
• Dry your hash — Wet hash won’t smoke. You have to take some time to dry it before you can use it in anything. If you don’t want to wait, invest in a freeze drier to get the goods quicker.

All in all, making bubble hash is a pretty easy and straightforward process that yields excellent results in just a short amount of time. If you give it a try, let us know how it turns out!