Jesse Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 OK..So on Saturday I bought some of the infamous Nakhla Double Apple, and really REALLY enjoyed it. I find that I am constantly taking off and putting back on the windscreen with Nak DA. It stays wonderful for most of the session, then starts to get harsh near the end if I have the screen on, even if I then take it off. I am wondering if in fact it is scorching or maybe ash particles are getting inside the holes? My setup is that I am using a standard shallow Egyptian bowl and precut foil and was using 2 3 Kings coals to get good heat distribution and hence awesome clouds from it. I had heard that one has to be careful with DA to get the heat right or it will get harsh. I got really harsh smoke near the end that had me coughing. I am wondering if there's a trick to how much heat needs to be applied to the start and if I need to take coals on and off in short spurts?? I want to get a whole session with no harsh endings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hassouni Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 So happy my 1,000th post is on Nakhla Tiffahtein! Nakhla DA smokes heavier and with more anise flavor (and a LOT more smoke) with more heat, and a lighter, less smoke, and sweeter/more apple, less anise with less heat (and it's SUPERB like this, provided you can deal with thin smoke). I think 2 3Ks on it is a lot even if you want the heavier smoke. Try breaking the coals in half, and using 2 halves with windcover, or 3 halves with no windcover. 2 and no windcover for the lighter taste should probably do it. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Haha Hass, I gave him pretty much the same advice in Chat. *Bro-five!* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukhookah Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Try less coal with the windcover or once its fired up then take off windcover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookahLover25 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 whats an anise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 try 3 halves. anise is black licorice flavour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukhookah Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Anise is aniseed flavour. It has a comparable taste to licorice but anise is not licorice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magick777 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I don't disagree with the above advice, but do also consider 1) a wider, shallower bowl, so the coals spend half their time on top of any one bit of tobacco 2) underpacking your bowl slightly to minimise scorching and 3) use a flavour-retaining bowl over a standard Egyptian. I recently bought some fancy/expensive German-made shisha bowls, and was able, with minimal effort, to get 3 hours of decent smoke time from a 25g bowl of Nak DA and 3 rounds of coals. For comparison, the same bulk of shisha in a 7cm Egyptian bowl here is good for 2 hours and a small one does an hour and a quarter, not usually being worth more coals. Therefore, consider the option of using a bigger bowl - and if you do, go for wider and shallower, not deeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 thanks guys.. with try the 2 halves with windscreen trick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyCallMeDave Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I've always done 3 coals standing up on their sides for nakhla. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epoch Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Lots of coal is the best way to smoke DA, in my humble book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilikemyusername Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 My Nak DA never gets harsh, if I put too much coal on I get ridiculous clouds with a classic burned taste. Try putting more shisha in the bowl. I always pack nakhla in a standard egyptian bowl, rarely in a phunnel. but I put alot in the bowl and when I'm making my holes with a toothpick type device I go straight through the tobacco to the bottom of the bowl making sure I get the poker through all of the holes so it can breathe nicely. My method is to sprinkle it in so it's loose and go right up over the top of the bowl then foil it, then turn the bowl upsidedown on the counter and pack it all in then poke down deep. I hope this helps. a trick for you if you decide to try my method which works... after you poke all of your holes put the bottom of the bowl to your lips and try to suck air through it. This willl help you to find if the bowl will breathe right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hassouni Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 The airflow test that ilikemyusername mentioned should be standard practice on all your bowls. By the way, it's worth noting that Nakhla in general can take a LOT of heat. Two Apples is the only one I know where the flavor really changes a lot as you increase or decrease the heat. I think a lot of people shove the standard ton o' coals on thinking hey it's Nakhla, then get put off when it tastes like nothing but an anise bomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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