Bad Taste from Hookah

[thegreatjohan]

while smoking my hookah, it is quite common that it starts to taste
really bad.  it tastes like something is burning.  you can
even smell it in the smoke when it does it.  any idea why this is
happening/how to fix it?  thanks in advance

[thegreatjohan]

Oh gosh.....it's happening right now.....somebody please help.

[DrunkenWizard]

Do us all a favor and use the search function.  It has been discussed many times.  Hint-  "heat"

[Intrikit]

[quote name='thegreatjohan']Oh gosh.....it's happening right now.....somebody please help.[/quote]
lol, calm down. I used to get tis problem quite alot when i first started setting up my own hookah. Can be 1 of many probles.
1) You have packed the bowl way too much and the coal is touching alot of the tobacco. if this is the case, pack the bowl less and wen you put foil on top make sure you leave 1-3mm gap between the foil and the tobacco.
2) You may be using way to much coal, I have a 25-30g bowl on which i use 1.5-2 quick light coals. I also have a smaller bowl which i use 1 quick light coal. Having too much coal casuses the tobacco to burn way to quick and causes harsh smoke and taste.
3) Maybe your not filling the bowl enough, someyimes if your bowl isnt packed enough, you wont get alot of flavor and mostly be smoking coal, lol. If this is the case pack the bowl so that there is a gap of about 1-3mm between the foil and the tobacco.
Try these out, may help
/Intrikit

[mushrat]

Simpler hint: you tobacco is burning. Back off on the amount of charcoal you are using. If it starts to taste that way, pull your coals off...carefully lift your bowl off by the base (its hot at the top), blow air through the bottom of your bowl to cool it down and put it out, replace bowl, replace less charcoal, see if that helps. If you do this soon enough you may be able to save the bowl.

[PK]

What's your foil setup like?  I had this problem when I first started and the more experienced guys here helped me find a solution quick.  I was poking too few holes in my foil with a needle that was simply too thin.  By increasing the number of holes and using a thumbtack to make them, my heat problem was solved.  Definately back up the amount of charcoal as well.

[Aggie Shisha]

My problem with this was that I was packing the bowl with too much tobacco.  Make sure you have some space between the foil and the tobacco.