This is the second installment of our series "Hookah for Beginners", where each month we introduce new tips and tricks for those who are beginners and new to hookahs. In the previous installment we looked at how to assemble a hookah. You can read the post here. In this installment we look at how to prepare a good hookah. We take you through a step-by-step guide on how to best prepare your hookah. Not only that, we introduce you along the way to useful tips and tricks that will make the whole smoking experience even better. Read on here.
Make sure everything is clean
The first thing you should do before any smoking session is to clean your hookah thoroughly. Make sure to clean it well so you ensure that old residues from previous sessions are gone and that it becomes properly clean. Even if your hookah is brand new, it is a very good idea to give it a good clean.
Fill the vase with water
The next step is to fill the vase with water. A good rule is to fill the water two centimeters above the downstem — that is, at the tube at the bottom of the hookah. In addition to water you can choose to add a couple of ice cubes to make the experience colder and a bit different. However, be careful, as this will take away some of the flavor from your hookah tobacco.
Place the gasket on the metal stem
Next you place the gasket on the metal stem itself so that everything is sealed tightly against air. If it is not sealed properly and air instead gets in, it will make the smoke thin, and this will take away from the experience.
Place the metal stem in the vase and the bowl on top of the hookah
Once you have mounted the gasket, place the metal stem in the vase. It is important that you do not force the metal stem down into the vase, as you risk breaking and shattering the vase. After placing the metal stem, mount the bowl on top of the hookah on the metal stem. The bowl helps catch ash and coal that may fall from the head on top. Make sure the bowl is seated firmly before placing the head on top.
Insert the hose
You have now come to inserting the hose into the side of the hookah. Some hookahs have multiple ports for hoses, but if you only need one hose in a hookah with multiple ports, you need to close the hole you won't use. This way you avoid air entering the hookah. Nowadays there are also many hookahs with automatic closures, so you don't need a plug for that.
Put hookah tobacco in the bowl
You are now almost at the finish line and have come to the most important part. It is time to pack the hookah bowl with tobacco. First it is important that you mix your hookah tobacco thoroughly. This is done to ensure that all the tobacco is covered with flavor.
How tightly you pack the hookah tobacco depends a lot on which type of bowl you use. If you're not entirely sure what you should do, it can be a good idea to fluff the tobacco a little and put it loosely into the bowl, after which you press very gently.
After this you put aluminum foil over the bowl so it covers the tobacco. It is important that you poke a few holes in the aluminum foil.
Light the hookah coals and place them on the bowl
You are now ready to light your hookah coals and place them on top of the bowl with the aluminum foil. You are now ready to smoke your hookah and enjoy a fantastic hookah experience.
Also see the next installment in the series here, which covers heat management and placement of hookah coals.
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