Cold, Hard Stash

Soak the trim. Add more ice. Check the temperature. Set the timer. Drain the bags. Get more ice. Repeat.

  If this sounds familiar, you've likely made ice-o-lator (cold water extraction) hash before. Popularized by the eponymous Pollinator Company, Amsterdam, this method is incredibly rewarding - albeit time-consuming, complex and often back-breaking when processing large amounts. Luckily Mila, the Pollinator's fearless leader, never stops brainstorming ways to ameliorate the method, constantly improving upon and updating products and approaches to the ancient art of hash production.

Ice Bags

The new Dry Ice Bags blew away the crowd of spectators at the 2011 HT Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, where visitors were treated to a stunning display of hash craft. In what seemed like seconds a load of dry trim was transformed into a sparkling table-top, piles of glittering crystals lining the surface of their performance space. Available in two sizes (30 cm or 50 cm), the bags contain a 150 micron screen. Dry clippings are mixed with dry ice in a bucket, onto which the bag is placed as a liner. Flipping the bucket upside-down releases the trim into the Dry Ice Bag, minimizing waste or spillage (this should be done over the surface on which you intend to collect the hash. The bag is then cinched closed - and the shaking begins. One minute later, hash is made - that is, roughly one minute per grade. A simple up-and-down motion produces instant results: you can actually see the plumes of trichomes being ejected through the mesh screen. The first minute or so releases the highest quality hash; Mila's personal tip is to start at one end and work the entire length of a long table, slowly advancing sideways as you shake. This effectively separates the grades of hash from one end of the table to the other, and works particularly well if you are processing large quantities. And that's... pretty much it. That's correct: in a day or two, you can feasibly produce several kilos of hash, although you do need to be able to source the required amount of clippings. No more freezing and storing bulky 'evidence' at home - your grow room waste can now be instantly processed into a profitable pile of hash (which also takes up less space). Since the trim is dry from the start, and dry ice produces little condensation (remove trim from bag as soon as you've finished to prevent moisture build-up) there is no need to dry or further process the hash - apart from packaging or pressing, of course. While this is an extremely simple method (notwithstanding your ability to locally source dry ice), one must practice some caution: since dry ice is just CO2, processing should only be done in a well-ventilated area. The 'rock star fog' that results from its evaporation will increase carbon dioxide levels in your home. In addition, protective clothing or gloves should be worn to prevent dry ice burns.

Market

With regards to the quality of the hash, let's just say that the main selling point focuses much more on quantity. You need to know your market: should you be producing small batches of connoisseur-grade ice hash, made from bio-organically grown and well-dried/cured trim or buds? Or are you a large-scale medical (or otherwise) grower with kilos of clippings crowding your drying space? Or even a small-scale producer who can't be bothered with the usual ice hash process? If you're either of the latter, the Dry Ice Bag is the perfect choice for you. Mila reports that, during last year's Cup - and only 48 hours after purchasing a new Dry Ice Bag - a medical grower from the US returned to the shop and reported that he'd managed to produce a kilo-and-a-half of hash in that short time. The new bags are available in two sizes, both with 150 micron screens. The smaller (30 cm) has a capacity of 200 grams and fits a five-gallon bucket; the larger (50 cm) holds up to 500 grams and fits a twenty-gallon bucket. Smaller runs require around two kilos of dry ice; with the larger bag, you should try between four- and five kilos. The product is still too new to accurately report percentage of return, and some questions remain as to the efficacy when used with some outdoor- or sativa-dominant strains, due to their potentially smaller trichomes. The 150 micron screen size likely will allow for some smaller crystals to escape, although the Cleaner Bag can adjust this somewhat and prevent loss. Certainly, reports are sure to start flowing in with regards to the best varieties to use in this new system. Personal experimentation, as always, is suggested.

Smaller bag

Another, smaller bag is also available, completing this minimal set. The Cleaner Bag does exactly what is says: it cleans up the hash and tidies up the remnants of the process. Simply empty small amounts of your already-processed hash from the Dry Ice Bag into the Cleaner Bag, close, and shake again. You can consider this your 'rinse' cycle. For the first time ever with regards to dry-process systems, what remains inside the bag is what you want; the ejected powder-like substance is actually even more waste product, containing contaminants such as dirt and dust. This can be done inside a garbage bag so that clean-up is instant. Inside the Cleaner Bag remain the very last crystals from the process, ensuring minimal loss. And hey, you don't have to smoke it: your grow room waste can provide extra product for making green butter, etc. Gone are the days of double-processing soggy trim from ice hash into butter, hash oil, 'budda', or topicals. So, whether you consider this a novelty or a revolution, there's simply no doubt that the dry ice method is much faster, requires far less equipment, electricity and effort, and produces an incredibly high yield almost instantly - with very little clean-up - than most hash-making methods. Check out the Pollinator Crew's video on Facebook, or visit Pollinator.nl for more information on ordering and using this 'cool' new product. www.facebook.com/pollinatorcrew www.pollinator.nl