Picking the right strains for Bubble Hash
Not all cannabis strains are suitable for water hash extraction, many strains that are great for smoking do not always give good results after washing.
When deciding to grow a new strain whose characteristics are unknown, especially yield and quality, it is necessary to assess very carefully whether it is suitable for making bubble hash. Some strains yield such a low return that they do not justify the effort, risking the entire crop being wasted. So what characteristics should be considered and what tests can be carried out to choose the most suitable strain?
YIELD PERCENTAGE
For a cannabis strain to be considered suitable for producing water hash, it must provide a minimum return of 4%. Yield percentage indicates the amount of water hash that is obtained from a given batch of buds and can be easily calculated using the following formula:
(weight in grams of hash/weight in grams of cannabis) x100 = %.
Example: (150g of hash/3200g of cannabis) x100 = 4.68%
The best strains have a return rate that exceeds 5% to 8%, with some of the most amazing strains achieving even higher rates. Often, yield is also related to the good quality of the final product. Strains with yields of around 3% may barely guarantee a return on investment compared to the value that the flowers would have if they were dried.
STRUCTURE
The highest quality bubble hash is made up entirely of trichome heads, and cannabis has a variety of trichome types. Capitate-stalked trichomes are the ones that interest hash producers; their shape is similar to that of a mushroom, characterized by a large head supported by a thin stem. The trichome heads are the part that contains most of the cannabinoids and terpenes. Trichomes that have a weak connection between the heads and the stems are ideal because the heads break off more easily. It is very important that the cuticle of the glandular trichomes, the waxy layer surrounding the head, is thick and resistant enough; trichomes with a weak cuticle break easily when washed, releasing oils into the water, and are not easy to wash. Observing the inflorescences under a microscope before harvesting them is very useful for understanding which varieties are the best. The best resin shines like diamonds.
Plants whose flower surface is completely covered in trichomes, leaving no space between one structure and another, can be ideal for producing water hashish. Some plants are so densely covered in trichomes that they give them a whitish and seemingly frosty appearance, cannabis flowers that have this characteristic are sometimes referred to as frosty buds.
SMELL
It is very important to choose strains that have a very strong smell. The amount of terpenes present in the resin has a huge impact on the quality of water hashish. By smelling the plants, you can assess which ones release the strongest smell and which ones you like the most.
FINGER TEST
This type of test is not 100% reliable, but it provides useful information when choosing the ideal strain. Rub the inflorescence with your fingers to collect some resin from the surface and assess its consistency. The best resin has a grainy consistency and doesn’t disappear when you touch it, unlike more oily resin which quickly disappears. Another test is to squeeze the resin between two fingers and see how it reacts when you open them. The good resin will stretch, forming microfibers between your fingertips.
JAR TEST
The glass jar test is useful for determining the amount and quality of water hash that can be produced. To perform the jar test, you’ll need about 30 grams of freshly harvested buds, a few ice cubes, and a 500-milliliter glass jar. Here’s how:
1. Harvest your cannabis and freeze it in the freezer
2. Wait at least 6 hours for the buds to completely freeze.
3. Fill the glass jar halfway with cold water.
4. Add 4-5 ice cubes
5. Add frozen buds
6. Shake for 10 minutes
7. Wait 30 minutes for the resin to settle to the bottom of the jar.
Observing the resin collected at the bottom of the jar is very helpful in deciding whether to wash the entire batch of cannabis. To get a more complete picture, an additional test can be performed. Filter the contents of the jar using mini bubble bags, collect the resin from the bags and dry it to evaluate the result.
Without a shadow of a doubt, the most effective method of evaluating a new strain is to carry out the entire extraction process using small amounts of cannabis, a batch of about 500 grams is enough to get precise results.
More From Soft Secrets:
Interview with Hashishin Frenchy Cannoli
10 Top Tips for Making Water Hash
L
Liz Filmer
