How to make a smoky hookah?

It's easy enough to make a smoky hookah. Put in as much charcoal as possible, and enjoy. But another problem arises. The taste becomes aggressive, the shisha tobacco burns, there is an unpleasant bitterness. It is important to find a balance between the amount of charcoal and preservation of flavor. Also, the amount of smoke does not always depend on the amount of charcoal.

Secrets of a smoky hookah

There is an opinion that the smokiness of a hookah depends on the shisha tobacco. Why do so many people think? The fact is that the smoke gives glycerin by evaporating from the tobacco composition. It is believed that the more of it in the composition, the smokier will be hookah. This is true, but the only difference is that modern shisha tobaccos contain approximately the same amount of glycerin. For a long time companies have been working according to certain standards. Therefore, today, the amount of smoke, except in rare cases, does not depend on the tobacco. The secrets of a smoky hookah are as follows:

• Heat control. This is the main trick on which the amount of smoke and flavor depends. Maintaining the optimum temperature allows the tobacco to warm evenly. The secret is not the amount of charcoal, but the control of the heat. Even one cube will be enough if you organize the supply of heat properly. The task is to catch the balance between "little smoke" and "very bitter".
• Correct heating of the hookah bowl. This is the second secret. Many people immediately begin to smoke the hookah as soon as they set the coals. As a result, the upper layer of shisha tobacco burns, forming a crust, and the lower layer is not even heated. Because of this, the flavor becomes less intense and the smoke becomes less and less, again, because the top layer of shisha tobacco has long since burned through.
• The draught of the hookah also affects the amount of smoke. The higher the draft, the more smoke there will be. Classic hookahs do not smoke as much as modern models. A strong draft makes the air flow better and the heat is greater.
• The more people who smoke a hookah, the fewer coals are needed. This, again, depends on the draft. It increases, imagine blowing continuously on a charcoal grill. The heat becomes so high that it's impossible to stand next to it. The same thing happens with bong charcoal. There will be a lot of smoke, but not for a long time.
• The choice of hookah foil is an important criterion. In fact, foil has long been irrelevant. Controlling the heat on it is difficult. It's better to use Kaloud Lotus. Quick access to shisha tobacco allows you to cool it instantly if it burns, add or subtract heat, and control the amount of smoke.
• The quality of the hookah bowl affects the smokiness. Ceramic bowls are good because they are easy to clean and don't get soaked in syrup. But they have poor heat control, the shisha tobacco either warms poorly or burns immediately. It is better to opt for silicone or clay hookah bowl.

  These secrets will allow you to control the heat and produce the right amount of smoke. Controlling the temperature of the shisha tobacco alone determines the amount of smoke. Of course, proper smoking also improves the smokiness of the hookah, as well as other tiphacks, which we will talk about next.

Smoking hookah making tips

These secrets and recommendations will allow you to get a thick rich smoke, not to lose the taste and enjoy it as long as possible:

• Pick "your" charcoal. It must be of high quality, coconut charcoal. It is necessary to decide on the number of cubes. If you use a kaloud, it is recommended to put 3 coals for warming the hookah bowl, 2 coals for smoking, and gradually add 1 more coal. A total of 2-4 coals per smoking session. This approach will allow you to maintain a high smoke and richness of flavor for 50-90 minutes.
• There is an opinion that the milk in the hookah base affects the smokiness. This is a myth, milk does not make the hookah smokier.
• If you make a smooth draw, the heat will be distributed more evenly. Therefore, when smoking in a large company, you need to make 2-3 draws, hold the pipe for another 30-40 seconds, and only then pass it. In this case, the heat will gradually affect the shisha tobacco.
• Warm up the hookah by using the hookah wind cover. Even if you have a kaloud, put the wind cover on top and wait 5 minutes. The hookah bowl will warm up nicely and there will be a lot of smoke.
• If using foil, place the coals closer to the edge, but set 3-4 cubes right away. When the smokiness starts to diminish, move them toward the center.
• When using hookah foil, it's better to have lots of small coals than a few large ones. But you don't need to stab the cubes on purpose, it's better then to choose the shape of the cube halves. If you use a kaloud, this rule does not apply, because the heat is distributed evenly.
• During smoking, when using the kaloud, you can stir the shisha tobacco. Do so if the smokiness has dropped.
• Still, the quality of the shisha tobacco depends on the smokiness. If it is old, has been lying for a long time, perhaps it has lost its properties. In this case it is recommended simply to buy new shisha tobacco. But in some conditions it is impossible to do this. If you smoke vape, or your friend is addicted, ask for a couple of drops of glycerin. Add 2-4 drops to a batch of shisha tobacco, let stand for 30 minutes and be surprised at the large amount of smoke.
• If the shisha tobacco is okay, there is enough charcoal, but no smoke - check the tightness of the device. If air is pulled up somewhere, the smoke is significantly reduced. First of all, check the connections.
• The diffuser should be lowered to 2-3 cm into the water, otherwise there will be no room for smoke. In this case, the draft will become more difficult, and the amount of smoke will decrease.
• Stop pressing the tobacco. Many people still use this barbaric method. Nowadays they make quality products. It is enough to pulverize it and add it to the hookah bowl. In the syrup - glycerin and flavorings, squeeze shisha tobacco - the smoke will be less, and the saturation will fall severely.
• Pushing shisha tobacco into the hookah bowl, you do not need to crush it. The fluffier it is, the more air will pass through the tobacco leaf. Accordingly, there will be more smoke. 

  These are the basic recommendations and tips for making a smoky hookah. Use them and get a great hookah with a thick white smoke and rich flavor.