How To Make Bubble Hash at Home

Cannabis extracts allow users to enjoy concentrated amounts of cannabinoids and terpenes. Different methods can be used to create such extracts, ice water extraction is but one of them.

Is Ice Water Any Good as an Extraction Solvent?

Water is readily available and can be used as a green solvent in the extraction of cannabinoids. It is relatively affordable and the procedure is pretty basic. If anything, this form of extraction is as old as cannabis itself; having been used to make bubble hash at home for many years.

Clearly, it is an effective method of harnessing cannabinoids.

All you need to make kief from ice water is the cannabis biomass itself, some ice cubes, and a few other basic materials.

The underlying principle of ice water extraction is very simple: ice, water, and agitation.

This is How To Make Kief From Ice Water

It is very important to begin with purified water.

The ice water is mixed with the hemp or cannabis biomass in a sandwich-like fashion; ice then biomass, then more ice.

The mixture is agitated.

The mechanical force separates the trichome heads from the plant material. It may be necessary to add more ice to the mixture to supplement ice that has melted. It is also important to be careful not to fracture the fragile trichomes as you add in more ice to the mixture.

You should take periodical breaks to allow the cannabinoids to descend to the bottom of the container where you can collect them.

Once done with the agitation, the mixture is sifted through a fine mesh to get rid of residual water. The kief is collected and air-dried in a humid room with humidity ranging between 30 and 50%. A hygrometer should be used to monitor the relative humidity. The temperature should be maintained at 55°F.

It is not advisable to freeze the plant material before extraction. As Frenchy Cannoli explains, freezing will damage the plant cell walls and cause the release of chlorophyll into the extract. This will give your extract a greenish color and a bitter taste.

Keeping the buds dry, and not soggy, will also prevent the ice from breaking the buds apart.

What’s the science behind ice-water extraction?

Trichomes, which contain cannabinoids and terpenes, are denser than water. The ice creates mechanical force when agitated and this force separates the trichome heads which descend to the bottom of the container because of their weight.

Ice water has several benefits. For starters, it eliminates the need for harsh chemicals. This method is not only cost effective and simple but it also has the potential to produce a very potent cannabis extract. The extract is also rich in flavorful terpenes and will have high purity levels if pureed water was used. Ice water extraction is very popular among home extractors. But for large scale production this method may not be commercially viable.

This method of extraction can yield some potent kief which can be converted into bubble hash if some extra steps are added.

What is Bubble Hash?

Ice water extraction produces bubble hash.

The best thing about bubble hash is that you can easily make yourself some at home with minimal equipment.

Hash making dates back to the 8th century where it was practised in Israel, Himalayas and Morocco.

To make bubble hash, the collected kief has to be pressed at low temperatures into a cake. Because low temperatures are maintained all through the process, more terpenes and cannabinoids are preserved. Consequently, bubble hash is reputed to have full-flavor and high potency. This creates an opportunity for full-entourage benefits to be enjoyed.

Here is a simple bubble hash recipe to try at home:

What you will need

1. Bubble bags
2. 15 pounds of ice
3. 4 ounces of quality cannabis
4. Large bucket
5. Pure water
6. Cheesecloth

Method

1. Arrange the bubble bags (smallest to largest) in the bucket
2. Place the buds in the bucket
3. Add the ice cubes on top of the buds.
4. Cover the mixture with water
5. Agitate the mixture without being too vigorous for about 15 minutes
6. Rest the mixture rest for 30 minutes
7. Drain the first bubble bag without squeezing and set aside
8. Scrape the solid material left behind and put on a cheesecloth. This is your first sample of Kief
9. Do the same with the other bubble bags to create purer kief
10. Press between cheese cloth to create a “cakey” concentrate known as bubble hash

This method creates different grades of bubble hash.