Bella Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I read in the beginner's section that placing the coals on the sides of the bowl yields a better smoke. Can anyone please explain why that is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claytronmeans Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Generally, if you throw both coals smack dab in the middle of the bowl, you're going to end up with very harsh and burnt tasting smoke. Coal placement however will always vary depending on your bowl, type of shisha, and coals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendetta_revived Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) It yields a better smoke because ideally, you want to heat the bowl up that in turn will heat your tobacco and cook it evenly than putting the coals in the middle and burning the top layer of the tobacco making it hard and crispy, wasting the tobacco below that layer. Edited September 12, 2011 by vendetta_revived Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epoch Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 [quote name='vendetta_revived' timestamp='1315843990' post='523527'] It yields a better smoke because ideally, you want to heat the bowl up that in turn will heat your tobacco and cook it evenly than putting the coals in the middle and burning the top layer of the tobacco making it hard and crispy, wasting the tobacco below that layer. [/quote] Exactly this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntur Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 [quote name='Epoch' timestamp='1315846992' post='523535'] [quote name='vendetta_revived' timestamp='1315843990' post='523527'] It yields a better smoke because ideally, you want to heat the bowl up that in turn will heat your tobacco and cook it evenly than putting the coals in the middle and burning the top layer of the tobacco making it hard and crispy, wasting the tobacco below that layer. [/quote] Exactly this. [/quote] yep looks like theyve got you covered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltimateHookah Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 What's funny is how we learned about this in the old days when instant light disc coals were introduced. I had friends prepare hookahs, thinking that the shape of the disc was made to place it in the center. If laid flat the disc has a raised center, which some would think is for airflow and would place the coal right in the center. They quickly learned that you need to move it to one side. That led to it not being enough heat since half the disc would be over the edge of the bowl. Then, like evolution, you'd get the tap technique, where you tap the coal in the middle while lit to break it in half, putting each half on the outer edge and leaving the center uncovered. Thank God for natural coals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king_lunchb0x Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 on an egyptian i would put a verysmall piece of coal( in the middle and rest on the edges, i figured since its the deepest part of the bowl you would still want some heat on it, maybe I still don't know how to smoke right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 OK, thanks for clarifying that for me. I have always put coals on the sides since I was told to, but have wondered why. I just wasn't adventurous enough to test putting the coals in the middle and based on what you guys said would happen, I'm glad I didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skoozle Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I know a guy from Algeria who insist on putting the coals right in the middle of the bowl. I don't smoke with him anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendetta_revived Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 [quote name='Skoozle' timestamp='1316013003' post='523824'] I know a guy from Algeria who insist on putting the coals right in the middle of the bowl. I don't smoke with him anymore. [/quote] That's a very common beginner's mistake it seems. When I started smoking, the friend who introduced me to hookah always used only 1 quicklite placed dead center on the bowl, and I used the same for a while before I started having headaches and thought "There's gotta be another way of doing this" and looked online and found this forum! I successfully changed the ways of all my friends who smoke, mainly because they smoked with me and found out that this is the better technique, baring only one stupid girl who thinks it's a waste of coal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I use te edge method, but hey, if putting it in the middle works for you go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angekfire Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I always thought the best way was to put it in the middle of the bowl until I found this forum. Been using the sides every since, and it has been far better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcane Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I put my coals off to the edges too, however this thread had me thinking about something. On a standard egyptian/mod bowl, the middle of the bowl is usually the deepest. If there's more tobacco in that particular spot, wouldn't it make sense to have a greater amount of heat there? With the coals places on the edges of the bowl, where the amount of tobacco tapers off, it would cause the edges to dry out faster than the middle i.e. uneven burn. If you focus the heat towards the middle of the bowl then the bowl should, theoretically, dry out evenly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king_lunchb0x Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 [quote name='Arcane' timestamp='1316031346' post='523878'] I put my coals off to the edges too, however this thread had me thinking about something. On a standard egyptian/mod bowl, the middle of the bowl is usually the deepest. If there's more tobacco in that particular spot, wouldn't it make sense to have a greater amount of heat there? With the coals places on the edges of the bowl, where the amount of tobacco tapers off, it would cause the edges to dry out faster than the middle i.e. uneven burn. If you focus the heat towards the middle of the bowl then the bowl should, theoretically, dry out evenly. [/quote] that is what I thought, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epoch Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 With the coals on the sides, the bowl itself gets hotter. That makes it easier to heat the center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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