Help! I Cant Get The Flavorful Hookah

[EminemJLG]

Im trying to get my hookah to taste like the hookahs at all the hookah bars. My hookah will hit hard and make a really thick cloud of smoke its just no matter what flavor i try it seems like its tasteless. Also this hookah gets me light headed really really fast compared to all the others i have smoked. Do i need a different type of bowl? a new hose? a special cleaning formula for the base? (I clean out the pipe part of the hookah regularly too but not the base besides rinsing it out with water. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Jeremy

[Johnny_D]

Hi Eminem,

Two major pieces of information required here :-

What tobacco? Brand & Flavour
What coals? Brand - how many are you using?
Foil or screen?

Also helps to tell us how to fill the bowl? Do you 'fluff' the tobacco or pack ir hard?

JD

[DizzyGuy]

Also type of hookah, how big, and what bowl you use would help too

[EminemJLG]

I'm using Al Fahkar tobacco (mint) as well as some other random ones.
I've tried some instant light coals as well as wood coals.
I'm using the standard bowl that came with it. I believe its made out of clay with about 4 or 5 separate holes in it.
Its about 2-2.5 feet tall, I'm not sure but it might be an Egyptian hookah. My cousin brought it to me from Saudi Arabia so I don't know the name of it and its not in front of me right now.

I "fluff" it in. I make sure there is enough airflow. I also poke a lot of small holes in the foil. I also try my best to not burn the top layer of the bowl when i start it and not let the tobacco get suck on the foil. I only use 1 layer of foil as well. (I was reading some other posts and thought 2 might help me)

Thanks again! Edited February 20, 2007 by EminemJLG

[Zerodynamic]

Sounds to me like you have too much air flow. Pack the bowl tighter, and use fewer, but larger coals... also, break up your coal and evenly distribute your heat throughout the bowl.

Oh when I say tighter, i'm not saying pack it in hard.. you still need some airflow.. but try putting a little more tobbaco in it, and push down ever so slightly in the bowl.. that'll do the trick.

[Johnny_D]

Sounds like Zero has hooked you up.

Fine line between too much airflow and not enough.

In a bowl like yours i fluff it in then pack it down a bit. I then press 3-4 deep holes using a sowing needle to the bottom
of the bowl.

As Z' says - break up a coal. On a similar bowl i use 1 & 1/2 coals placed around. For the 2nd session i use another 1 1/2 so a total of 3 coals will last around 1 & 1/2 hour.

JD

[EminemJLG]

How come when i hit the hookah there is still a huge cloud of smoke? and it gets me light headed really fast just there is not much taste to the smoke.

I also only use 1-1.5 coals or 2 of the instant light ones if i need to go that route. Edited February 20, 2007 by EminemJLG

[ASUSEAN1]

How come when i hit the hookah there is still a huge cloud of smoke? and it gets me light headed really fast just there is not much taste to the smoke

well does it all taste like the mint that you have smoked earlier?

maybe you should clean your hose, base, stem and bowl really good. try soaking them in lemon juice and water

[Zerodynamic]

How come when i hit the hookah there is still a huge cloud of smoke? and it gets me light headed really fast just there is not much taste to the smoke.

I also only use 1-1.5 coals or 2 of the instant light ones if i need to go that route.

well, do you stir up your shisha? Do you let it acclimate?

I would get a nice juicy glob and plop it into the bowl. Pack it in slightly, and cover. Then make a good assortment of say, toothpick sized holes, all around the bowl. Break up your quicklight into 4 pieces, and put one of each one opposite sides of the bowl, so the configuration looks like 4 corners of a square.

Once the bowl gets to temperature, adjust heat as necessary. (Move them around a bit)

Lastly, try using a good solid flavor. Mint is generally regarded as a mixing flavor... so get something that you know will give a powerful taste. (Orange?)

[Allia22]

Mint is generally regarded as a mixing flavor... so get something that you know will give a powerful taste.

Have you ever had AF mint? It's crazy, I like it

[Zerodynamic]

Mint is generally regarded as a mixing flavor... so get something that you know will give a powerful taste.

Have you ever had AF mint? It's crazy, I like it

I haven't ever smoked AF mint, but I have smoked other brands of mint straight up.

Don't get me wrong... I love the minty taste, but I find that its best served with another flavor that can accomodate the light, clean, feeling. I like the mix orange and mint... that right there is a wonderful smoke.

[meeheeheeheehee]

Im trying to get my hookah to taste like the hookahs at all the hookah bars. My hookah will hit hard and make a really thick cloud of smoke its just no matter what flavor i try it seems like its tasteless. Also this hookah gets me light headed really really fast compared to all the others i have smoked. Do i need a different type of bowl? a new hose? a special cleaning formula for the base? (I clean out the pipe part of the hookah regularly too but not the base besides rinsing it out with water. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Jeremy

hmm, that has happned to me if i pack the bowl too tight or put too many holes in the foil. I only put a few holes in the center now, and every once in a while i blow into the hose (not too hard or else youll wet the coal) just to clear out the waterpipe. im a newb tho, but this seems to have helped me.

[[LB]]

oooo AF mint! my favorrriiittee. question though, are you using rubber grommets to keep all the passages of your hookah airtight?

[ASUSEAN1]

Im trying to get my hookah to taste like the hookahs at all the hookah bars. My hookah will hit hard and make a really thick cloud of smoke its just no matter what flavor i try it seems like its tasteless. Also this hookah gets me light headed really really fast compared to all the others i have smoked. Do i need a different type of bowl? a new hose? a special cleaning formula for the base? (I clean out the pipe part of the hookah regularly too but not the base besides rinsing it out with water. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Jeremy

hmm, that has happned to me if i pack the bowl too tight or put too many holes in the foil. I only put a few holes in the center now, and every once in a while i blow into the hose (not too hard or else youll wet the coal) just to clear out the waterpipe. im a newb tho, but this seems to have helped me.

when you blow into the hose it just clears out stale smoke. As long as you have a purge valve water will not go up the step

[EminemJLG]

I havent tried to acclimate the tobbaco or stir it up. I was reading about that earlier. I keep my tobacco in a room temperature sealed container and usually go from there. To acclimmate it I leave it in room temperature for a little bit before i pack it right? Do you think the type of bowl has anyhting to do with the flavor? How about a new hose or a way to wash the part of the stem where the hose connects to the stem. Im going to try cleaning it out with lemon water too