Accurate Shisha Recipe?

[oogyboogs]

I've been a huge fan of this forum. Reading and learning about hookah has increased my experience tenfold. You guys come up with some crazy shit! However one thing that always bugged me was shisha. I understand that paying for coals is a given, but flavored tobacco has always been expensive where I lived (New england.) Even ordering it online didn't make that much difference. Where I live, shisha costs $5 for a 50 gram box, $10 for a 100 gram box, and $17 dollars for a 250 gram box. For comparision, a friend of mine went to Dubai recently and got 2000 grams of Al Fakher for 12 bucks! If you like to smoke hookah as much as I do, it gets expensive. I always begrudgingly took this though because I didn't see another way to enjoy my favorite way to smoke. One day though, a friend of mine tells me that flavored tobacco could be banned under Obama's anti smoking bill! I was horrified. But then I thought: hey, if some dude could make it in a factory, so could I! Thus began my long adventure to find out how to make shisha.

I started out by googling it. I got a whole bunch of hits. Problem was, I couldn't really find a bankable recipe. Everything gave things in percentages, or vague measurements. I needed solid measurements, so I standardrized the measurements I used, and after six tries, I have found a way to make homemade shisha tobacco that's a hit every time!

Ingredients
Teaspoon
Mixing container- If you want to save the shisha, use a bowl with a top, like a tupperware or something.
Glycerine- This can be found at a Walgreens, or a CVS, or Whole Foods. It retails for about 6 bucks a bottle.
Molasses- The brand I used is Grandma's Original Molasses.
Pipe tobacco- You can used the unflavored kind, but I have been trending towards flavored pipe tobacco to influence the flavor. My last two batches have been strawberry and cherry pipe tobacco. It can go for about 4 dollars an ounce at a high end cigar shop to 20 bucks an ounce at a CVS/RiteAid type place.
Dried Fruit/Herbs- You're only gonna need a few teaspoons for the recipe. You can buy dried packages of fruit at any big chain supermarket. I haven't had any success with drying my own fruit. As an alternative, you can use dried herbs (like cinnamon or mint) or candy oil. I have yet to try candy oil though.


Prep

1. In a bowl, add 4 bowls worth of tobacco. The bowl I used was a Mya Ceramic Bowl, seen here: http://www.hookah-shisha.com/store/pc/conf...p;idproduct=999. According to the site it holds 15-20 grams of tobacco a bowl. So figure 60-80 grams of tobacco going into the container. If you are using a scale and want an exact number, split the difference and say 70 grams.

2. Add two teaspoons of your flavoring to the mixture in the bowl Be it dried fruit or herbs, add 2 two teaspoons of it. Make sure the stufff is as powderized as possible. Then mix it into the tobacco well until it's fully intermingled.

3. Add two teaspoons of molasses one spoon at a time. Dribble it over the tobacco slowly. Afterwards, combine the mixture until the tobacco is fully coated.

4. Add two teasponns glycerine into the mixture. Dribble it the same way you did the molasses. Then mix well until all the ingredients are combined. Let sit for 2-3 hours. I like to let it soak overnight, but it does not matter

This will make about two bowls worth. the tobacco clumps together real nice so the actual volume it takes up halves in my experience. If you pack the bowl and are getting a shitty pull, I like to leave a circle around the holes in the bowl, kind of like a shisha donut.

Now, I've tried it a few times and it seems to work really well, but my problem is that I am having trouble securing flavor. the dried fruit works well, but the flavor comes more from the default pipe tobacco flavor. Otherwise this makes shisha that works pretty well. Here's where I'm hoping this forum comes in. All in all, this stuff cost about 40 bucks to buy. It's kind of pricey, but it's worth it to me because all of my shisha costs are gone. However, what can I use in lieu of fruit that can help the flavor along? Please, I urge you all to try this and help me improve this recipe. I will include step by step pictures so you can have an idea of how it looks. Anyways, I want to perfect this, so let's give it all a shot

[fineout]

where in new england do you live? in RI i can get naklah and AF for like 13, i got layalina for 7-9$ too (all 250g) you can get good prices if you know where to look.

[oogyboogs]

where in new england do you live? in RI i can get naklah and AF for like 13, i got layalina for 7-9$ too (all 250g) you can get good prices if you know where to look.

I live in Boston. I've been to every shop in the area and they gouge like crazy.

Update
I tried the recipe with mint that I dried on my own and it worked great. I also tried some all fruit strawberry jam. I will denote here if it is good.

[Elektrobot]

I applaud your efforts and enjoy the idea of people making their own Shisha, but I'm not sure what you mean by "all of my shisha costs are gone."


$4.00 for 1oz of pipe tobacco is almost twice as expensive as $5.00 for a 50gm box of Shisha, and the Shisha is ready to go out of the box....

[Punx Clever]

4 bux an ounce should be some damn good pipe baccy if you ask me!

At cvs/wal-greens ETC, you should be paying significantly less than at the smoke shop...

[oogyboogs]

4 bux an ounce should be some damn good pipe baccy if you ask me!

At cvs/wal-greens ETC, you should be paying significantly less than at the smoke shop...

Yeah, it was really good stuff, and it tasted sort of like Strawberry Cremesavers. Anyway, it was just an experiment. In that post i should have said 20 dollars for 20 ounces.

[Travis]

To your flavor problem oogyboogs...... if you heat that mixture up for a short while over LOW heat then it will draw some of the oils out of both the tobacco and fruit, thus you have mingling oils, plus you need to get a lot of that water out of your newly made sheesh. After your satisfied take it off of the heat and let that bad boy sit for a good hour uncovered then smoke that bit, and THEN tell me if its any better.



*Disclaimer*
It will be better, less water means less flavor killer.

[yhvh83]

oogy

I did pretty much the same as you. I came across a few different recipes and just went for the best and crossed my fingers.
I used 1 apple( red delicious ) put it in a food processor till it was almost and thinly chopped. I threw it into a sauce pan for about 10 to 15 min till most of the liquid was cooked out. I mixed the glycerin (teaspoon) and then some molasses ( teaspoon) and then i went for a smoke..... Way to wet, so i put it back in the pan for a few more till it started to stick and then went for a smoke after it sitting for a hour. Turned out pretty good, except it wasn't not the same without tobacco, the apple flavor is really there which surprised the hell out of me for a first time make.
So price wise
Glycerin 6$ for 16 oz
Molasses 3 for 12oz
Red Delicious apple 25 cents
and if i went Native American or Pipe add 7$
But i am guessing i can make my own smoke for a long time from this mix
P.s. something else that i tried was certain oils in the mix-like peppermint, apple-watermelon- and so on a local smoke shop had these drops you can put on cigarettes for flavor and this worked out real well. I also used a peppermint oil in the water with the apple( don't use to much, its really strong) good taste. Try coffee grounds its really good, just mix it in with the tobacco and everything else.
or co-co powder with some mint in it for a chocolate mint, or some aniseed(licorice) which hands down i hate black licorice, but this is my favorite flavor for smoke so far.

[veemo]

I thought Obama's proposed "flavored tobacco" ban was just cigarettes that are flavored, as they're more marketed towards kids. i hadn't thought about shisha, but i guess i'll have to do some reading about that.

[somethingcatchy]

veemo you are right the smoking ban is just for flavored cigarettes not shisha.people hear there might be a flavored tabacco ban and they just assume it includes shisha but this is not the case. It does not include shisha. and oogy good post ive been meaning to try to make my own shisha but just havent had the time to look up recipes. Thanks for the post

[agstevens]

They banned the cigs but its only a matter of time before the rest gets banned as well.

I've been wanting to make my own shisha. Is it ok to mix two different brands or should you keep with one brand?

[xipander]

Ok, I'm bringing this thread back from the dead in hopes someone can help me out with my homemade shisha problem. I'm getting the flavour right but having a hard time getting the consistency of the juice/syrup good. It always come out _way_ to thick. I'm using golden honey instead of molasses, but I haven't tried molasses yet. I thought molasses was thicker and had more of a flavour that would need covering up. I mix honey, glycerin, and my liquid flavouring agents and I've tried with a tiny bit of water and heating it on low heat and it gets more runny, but when I mix the tobacco up and let it cool it goes back to just as thick if not thicker then honey and clumps up a lot. Then when I pack a bowl it heats up and the flavour goes back to liquid and drips down the hose. I have to use a phunnel bowl with it or the flavours gone in minutes. I think part of the melting problem is I'm using shredded rolling tobacco instead of leaf, but I'm working on that part. I want to get the juice about SB consistency, where it's not real thick and kinda oily so it sticks to everything instead of turning to water and running off when it get's heat. Anyone have anything to try?

[dr b packenwood]

when i make mine later this week i will let you know it goes because i'm using "liquid flavoring agents", i like the way you put that, molasses and leaf tobacco, home grown.

[RingsMaster]

didnt read the entire thread but try using some pure mint extract to make a mint flavor, if someone else said this my bad, but i use it to make my mint stronger, it could work to make a mint flavor shisha

[hookahTIY]

[quote name='Punx Clever' date='24 July 2009 - 06:13 PM' timestamp='1248480809' post='390622']
4 bux an ounce should be some damn good pipe baccy if you ask me!

At cvs/wal-greens ETC, you should be paying significantly less than at the smoke shop...
[/quote]

Not all ways true where I live 1 pack of camels cost $11 at wall mart but at the smoke shope down the road its only $4. The smoke shop I am talking about is a native american run shop that has a little casino on the side of it. but any way they dont have to pay taxes or dont have to apply state sales tax on to the tabacco price becouse its native american own. I dont really remeber why thou i think it has some thing to do with tabacco being part of ther religion or some thing. Any way cheap tabacco can be found at native american owned smoke shops.

[bradleyclark86]

[quote name='oogyboogs' date='20 July 2009 - 08:57 PM' timestamp='1248141438' post='389453']
I've been a huge fan of this forum. Reading and learning about hookah has increased my experience tenfold. You guys come up with some crazy shit! However one thing that always bugged me was shisha. I understand that paying for coals is a given, but flavored tobacco has always been expensive where I lived (New england.) Even ordering it online didn't make that much difference. Where I live, shisha costs $5 for a 50 gram box, $10 for a 100 gram box, and $17 dollars for a 250 gram box. For comparision, a friend of mine went to Dubai recently and got 2000 grams of Al Fakher for 12 bucks! If you like to smoke hookah as much as I do, it gets expensive. I always begrudgingly took this though because I didn't see another way to enjoy my favorite way to smoke. One day though, a friend of mine tells me that flavored tobacco could be banned under Obama's anti smoking bill! I was horrified. But then I thought: hey, if some dude could make it in a factory, so could I! Thus began my long adventure to find out how to make shisha.

I started out by googling it. I got a whole bunch of hits. Problem was, I couldn't really find a bankable recipe. Everything gave things in percentages, or vague measurements. I needed solid measurements, so I standardrized the measurements I used, and after six tries, I have found a way to make homemade shisha tobacco that's a hit every time!

[u]Ingredients[/u]
Teaspoon
Mixing container- If you want to save the shisha, use a bowl with a top, like a tupperware or something.
Glycerine- This can be found at a Walgreens, or a CVS, or Whole Foods. It retails for about 6 bucks a bottle.
Molasses- The brand I used is Grandma's Original Molasses.
Pipe tobacco- You can used the unflavored kind, but I have been trending towards flavored pipe tobacco to influence the flavor. My last two batches have been strawberry and cherry pipe tobacco. It can go for about 4 dollars an ounce at a high end cigar shop to 20 bucks an ounce at a CVS/RiteAid type place.
Dried Fruit/Herbs- You're only gonna need a few teaspoons for the recipe. You can buy dried packages of fruit at any big chain supermarket. I haven't had any success with drying my own fruit. As an alternative, you can use dried herbs (like cinnamon or mint) or candy oil. I have yet to try candy oil though.


[u]Prep[/u]

1. In a bowl, add 4 bowls worth of tobacco. The bowl I used was a Mya Ceramic Bowl, seen here: [url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/store/pc/conf...p;idproduct=999"]http://www.hookah-sh...p;idproduct=999[/url]. According to the site it holds 15-20 grams of tobacco a bowl. So figure 60-80 grams of tobacco going into the container. If you are using a scale and want an exact number, split the difference and say 70 grams.

2. Add two teaspoons of your flavoring to the mixture in the bowl Be it dried fruit or herbs, add 2 two teaspoons of it. Make sure the stufff is as powderized as possible. Then mix it into the tobacco well until it's fully intermingled.

3. Add two teaspoons of molasses one spoon at a time. Dribble it over the tobacco slowly. Afterwards, combine the mixture until the tobacco is fully coated.

4. Add two teasponns glycerine into the mixture. Dribble it the same way you did the molasses. Then mix well until all the ingredients are combined. Let sit for 2-3 hours. I like to let it soak overnight, but it does not matter

This will make about two bowls worth. the tobacco clumps together real nice so the actual volume it takes up halves in my experience. If you pack the bowl and are getting a shitty pull, I like to leave a circle around the holes in the bowl, kind of like a shisha donut.

Now, I've tried it a few times and it seems to work really well, but my problem is that I am having trouble securing flavor. the dried fruit works well, but the flavor comes more from the default pipe tobacco flavor. Otherwise this makes shisha that works pretty well. Here's where I'm hoping this forum comes in. All in all, this stuff cost about 40 bucks to buy. It's kind of pricey, but it's worth it to me because all of my shisha costs are gone. However, what can I use in lieu of fruit that can help the flavor along? Please, I urge you all to try this and help me improve this recipe. I will include step by step pictures so you can have an idea of how it looks. Anyways, I want to perfect this, so let's give it all a shot
[/quote]

Could you maybe post a picture of the glycerine bottle? I'm having the hardest time finding some but I don't know exactly what it is to look for. Visual aid would be great! Thanks.

[greekfella]

it's accurate your recipe, though you don't need all those ingredients... at my opinion always...

Like glycerine and molasses, don't you think sweeteners are bad for health ? enough sweeteners we have in plenty food (at my believe) as far as it concerns glycerine or glycerol, i might better consult a doctor after using it [[ here are some references... for glycerol   (https://goo.gl/9rTLu8) and for molasses (https://goo.gl/XioksB) ]]

I believe you could easily produce your own shisha recipe with just the 4 out of 6 ingredients you mentioned... teaspoon, mixing container, pipe tobacco and dried fruits and/or herbs. Don't get your health into risks with sweeteners and alcohol, be more Eco in your like than ego ;-)

I am looking for organic recipes myself.

[Dominik]

Let me correct one thing in this discussion.

It's not easy to get right and good informations about makin your own shisha. It isn't easy at this time. Watch youtube and one half is lie the other one just near any truth.

So - the bowl in this discussion is for 15 to 20 gram WET SMOKIN READY tobacco.

If you use it to weight your dry tobacco you loose. If you do this reciepe with 70 grams weight by kitchen scale you loose. Accurate is a nice word but accurate is different.

Sorry for that diy shishalovers

If I'm wrong please correct me. If you do this by yourself show me pictures.

I'm the searching one for shisha reciepes who don't get it right now ;D

Edited January 8, 2018 by Dominik