Problems With Al Fakher/Your Af Technique

[CKJazz]

Alright folks, I'm having problems getting decent smoke from Al Fakher. The flavor (watermelon) is decent until it starts to get somewhat harsh. I've looked at the reviews and some have said that this is just the nature of this flavor, so I added a tiny, tiny bit of mint and that helped, but I'm still running into problems.

I've tried it with my bambino and my nour, phunnel and standard mya bowl,various ways of packing it, and different hole patterns. I've been using 3 coconaras on the phunnel and 2 stood up on their edge on the mya bowl.

Today's attempt was set up like this: sprinkled very lightly into my medium phunnel, one layer of HD foil, toothpick sized holes all the way down at 12, 3, 6, and 9 O'clock and holes just through the foil all around, 1 coconara and 2 CH quicklights, on the nour, with the standard mya hose. I ended up with very weak smoke, mild flavor, and some harshness.

What are your suggestions and how do you set up when you smoke Al Fakher?

[mushrat]

WAAAY to much coal.

Are you getting hard crispy spots on the top rather quickly or is it staying soft even when its been harsh?

[CKJazz]

I forgot to mention that the coals are hanging off the bowl, about half on, half off.

The top is blacken, but not hard or crispy.

[Chreees]

I've been smoking AF Mint lately and using a small phunnel. What I've found works best is packing it tight, like Tangiers. Pack it tight to where it's flush with the rim of the bowl. Poke holes, but not a LOT like you would with Tangiers, a few less. You may be able to get away with three CCNs on a medium, but try two. Check my link in my sig, "How to for CCN Heat Management." Or use four CCN halves. If you need to know how to split CCNs, the link for that is below as well.

Let us know how it goes.

[mushrat]

don't forget, if its hanging off the egde, its still adding heat to the sides of the bowl.

[Cp44]

[quote name='INCUBUSRATM' timestamp='1292960325' post='491973']
I've been smoking AF Mint lately and using a small phunnel. What I've found works best is packing it tight, like Tangiers. Pack it tight to where it's flush with the rim of the bowl. Poke holes, but not a LOT like you would with Tangiers, a few less. You may be able to get away with three CCNs on a medium, but try two. Check my link in my sig, "How to for CCN Heat Management." Or use four CCN halves. If you need to know how to split CCNs, the link for that is below as well.

Let us know how it goes.
[/quote]

^1 what he said.

[kmccoy90]

My regular MYA bowl only needs one CCN, split in half. I just pack it as dense as it comes in the tub. I pull it out, separate and stir it, and plop it in the bowl. It's definitely one of the lowest-maintenance tobaccos in my opinion.

[Stuie]

My AF Technique....Trade it for Tangiers...hahaha seriously though,

Lightly packing. Small phunnel 2 coconut coals at most if it's still weak add a windcover. It can't handle a lot of heat.

[Click]

I follow the more traditional packing route. Sprinkle up to 1/4 inch above the rim of the bowl and then compress it down when you foil the bowl. Three rings of medium holes and 3 halves of CCNs.

Like Mush said, way too much coal. But, I do believe the newer variant of AF Watermelon is not as good as it used to be and I came across a harsh taste as well. So coupled with too much heat and the characteristics - disaster.

Edit: Shit my bad didn't see you weren't using a phunnel. Just poke random holes then, lol.

[antouwan]

voski has a good video:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/user/voski35#p/u/13/f-Ja5OUPeac"]My linkhttp://www.youtube.com/user/voski35#p/u/13/f-Ja5OUPeac[/url] - it's watermelon, too!

also, i just pack it tight and with a fork. not like SUPER tight like nakhla, but definitely quite condensed.

[ih303]

Try poking three concentric rings of holes with your toothpick down to the bottom of the bowl. I don't mess with spitting coals. Everytime I start a small phunnel of AF I throw on three Coconaras to get it started and then pull one off once I start getting that thick, sultry AF smoke - which you should be getting even from the first pull (AF is one of the very few brands that does that).

I think you might be getting a little "syrup burn" which seems to happen more with AF than any other brand, at least in my experience. Basically the foil heats up super fast once you put the coals on and scorches the juice in immediate contact with the foil. This tends to happen right after putting the coals on and creates a pretty intense burn that will go away after minute or so of steady pulling. You'll know that's what it is because it's a different feeling than harshness. If you think that might be what it is, try letting it sit for a bit while that top layer of syrup burns off and the bowl heats up, purge, and try again.

Oh, and might as well check your purge valve while you're at it to make sure it isn't stuck. This happens a lot more than you might expect and can really throw some people for a loop.

As with everything, YMMV. My way of doing things is just one of many. Good luck.

[CKJazz]

Well I tried again and had slightly better results, the smoke was better, but not equal to what I've seen from AF. It eventual got harsh (maybe syrup burn?) with very small amounts of wispy smoke. This time it was packed tight with two coals. Tomorrow I'll try a more medium pack with two coals, maybe two and a half?

[kmccoy90]

Usually the cure for harshness is less heat. I'd go for one and a half or two halves.

[king_lunchb0x]

[quote name='CKJazz' timestamp='1292968844' post='491986']
Well I tried again and had slightly better results, the smoke was better, but not equal to what I've seen from AF. It eventual got harsh ([u][b]maybe syrup burn[/b][/u]?) with very small amounts of wispy smoke. This time it was packed tight with two coals. Tomorrow I'll try a more medium pack with two coals, maybe two and a half?
[/quote]

this is the trouble ive had with Af..its really juicy and kept boiling up and onto the foil... after about 20 minutes of smoking is the top of the foil covered in a thin black crust?

[Hassouni]

I usually use two CCNs, but I find that a toothpick all the way down creates a hole that is too big, I use needles or a safety pin. As others have said, AF is VERY sensitive to heat, so I find it actually does make a difference

[bradleyclark86]

The last time I had AF watermelon, it was in a small phunnel, single foil, and 2 Hookah John natural coals. It smoked great, with zero harshness, all the way to the end. I'm going to suggest managing the coal too. Use 2 cocos on opposite sides of the bowl. If it's not enough, tack on a wind cover instead of a third coal. Works wonders and saves you coal.

[ukhookah]

Launch al fakher. My experiance. This stuff was dappa. Now just pure shite£ ok not shite all the way. But its not the premium baccy it used to be. Stuff is soooooo inconsistant. U get an awsome batch of orange, then the next tub is stale as fuck, wots going on?
I think standards have dropped.

[jordan]

I agree. I'm giving up on AF. AF used to be my favourite but lately it kind of went down hill. I'm guessing they changed the formulas or something. The last 2 flavoured I bought , Mixed fruits and Lemon were horrible. The Mixed Fruit ghosted the hell out of my hose and hookah and the Lemon tasted more like Pledge. Too bad because I can get AF around me for $5.99
for 250G.

[quote name='ukhookah' timestamp='1292980934' post='492010']
Launch al fakher. My experiance. This stuff was dappa. Now just pure shite£ ok not shite all the way. But its not the premium baccy it used to be. Stuff is soooooo inconsistant. U get an awsome batch of orange, then the next tub is stale as fuck, wots going on?
I think standards have dropped.
[/quote]

[Josh Hamilton]

I didnt read through...sorry...but AlFak her...has a rep for bad batches....if its a good one it will smoke easily...although Ive never had a bad batch to speak of...I dont buy Alfakher much
...I just imagine a guy in a Turban telling me the name of the shisha and I start giggling like a lilttle girl
me> would you do Lindsay's mom?
Turban guy > al fak her Edited December 22, 2010 by Josh Hamilton

[king_lunchb0x]

you guys arent the first one ive heard to say that their quality dropped..sucks cause they were pretty good tobacco

[Universal Magnetic]

too much coal? i use 3 cocos on a small tang with AF and have no problems.

you sprinkled it, are you sure you put enough tobacco in the bowl? medium phunnels are pretty big you should get like 40-50grams in there

[CKJazz]

Today I tried a medium pack, fewer holes, 4 halves of a coconut coal and it didn't go much better. There were times that the smoke was decent, but still not what I've seen. There was still some harshness to it, but I don't think its from too much heat, because that would mean that I was burning the shisha, and wouldn't that give me more than small, wispy clouds?

[Chreees]

I packed AF Mint the other day tight in a mini phunnel with two CCNs and put on a windcover whenever the smoke started getting wispy. Clouds were putting out!

[CKJazz]

Tonight I'll try tight with with a windcover, but how many coals for a medium?

[mustang67n]

I use 3 whole cocos for a medium Phunnel and it works great.. With AF I'll throw 3 or so holes right in the center to bring some cool air in with it and that works well.

Not a huge fan of AF myself, but it always smokes good for me :shrugs:

oh, and if i'm not using a phunnel, its a standard mya bowl, 2 whole cocos on the edges. with AF I have to tend the coals more often than most, but works awesome on my QT and my medium mod. hookah too