Archive for June, 2010

• Bowling for Bowls – What Works and What Doesn’t

  Date: 2010.06.25 | Category: Hookah Accessories, Hookah Bowls | Response: 1

  There are tons of bowls available for hookahs on the market today – with a host of different shapes and materials available, not all bowls are created equal.  What you’re going to get out of this blog is an overview of shapes and materials to help you make the best decision.
  CLAY, CERAMIC, AND PYREX – the eternal argument
  CLAY BOWL CERAMIC BOWL PYREX BOWL	If you see a bowl that’s not made out of 1 of these 3 materials… you should probably avoid it. There are a few bowls on the market that are made of aluminum that are effective, but due to metal’s tendency to heat up rapidly, shisha tends to burn more rapidly in metal bowls. First, there’s the old traditional bowls that are made of clay – and they’re made of clay for a good reason.  As soon as the clay is fired, it becomes a ceramic, and as such it gains properties that make it both heat resistant and deflect heat.  Once clay is fired it goes through a permanent chemical change that makes it remain that way forever – unless you really want to take the time to shatter it into dust. So, what’s the difference between clay bowls and ceramic bowls, since clay becomes a ceramic when fired?  Well, it’s all a matter of semantics, for sure, so bear with me for a second.  ‘Clay’ bowls are made from the reddish clay that is used in old pottery and bricks.  Think about a chimney in a house – more than likely it’s made of bricks.  In this case the chimney and the clay bowl are serving much the same purpose. Modern ‘ceramic bowls’ on the other hand are typically made with the less coarse, less heat resistant ceramic that’s known as “whiteware.”  If you see it unglazed it will be white or off-white.  This is the style of ceramic that’s used to make tableware like plates.  However, while it may not be the better heat reflector, since it’s less coarse it allows for more elaborate bowl forms – that’s why bowls such as the Vortex, the Phunnel, and Mya bowls that require more formation to perform a slightly different function will favor this material. Finally, there’s Pyrex, one of the more versatile materials on the list.  It doesn’t reflect heat anywhere near as well as clay or ceramic, but it’s the only way to get an entirely see-through medium, making it highly favored for aesthetic reasons, if not the most efficient way to smoke hookah.  The other positive side of Pyrex is that an experienced glass blower can shape it to their whim and create the most complex designs of any of the materials.
  SHAPES AND DESIGNS
  There are a ton of shapes and designs on the market today – but there are only a few that are tried and true.  There are some gimmicky bowls out there that simply don’t work the way that they were intended to.  Those won’t be mentioned – this is simply about the designs that work. First up – the Egyptian clay bowl.  These bowls tend to be somewhat shallow with 4 large holes drilled through the bottom.  Since the holes are large, it has increased air flow, but doesn’t work well for extremely juicy shisha such as Starbuzz or Fantasia.  A drier shisha is preferred – like Nakhla, Al Fakher or Ayam Zaman. Next, we come to the regular ceramic bowl – formatted after the clay Egyptian bowl, it tends to be a little bit deeper with smaller holes in the bottom.  Airflow is a little bit more restricted, but it works better with the moist shisha than the Egyptian bowl simply due to the hole size.  However, it also has a higher chance to overheat due to it being made of a “whiteware” style of ceramic.
  	Now, the acclaimed Vortex bowl is also made of a whiteware style of ceramic, but in this case, design overtakes material, making it one of the highest ranked bowls simply by using innovation to force the moisture to remain in the bottom of the bowl, making your smoke more flavorful and your tobacco more resistant to burning. Finally, we come to Pyrex bowls – and most bowls have a Pyrex version.  The Vortex shape, the standard Egyptian shape, and a whole host of other options fall into this category – and, as stated above, they may not be quite as practical as their ceramic/clay counterparts, but they will always be the most aesthetically pleasing, and a bit more expensive.
  So there you have it – the most common materials… the most common styles of bowl – and a few prime examples of how to best utilize them.  To be honest, if you read the entire blog, I applaud you.  I’m worn out from writing, it’s time to go pack a bowl – Happy Smoking!

  

• Charcoal for the Impatient – Quick Lights!

  Date: 2010.06.11 | Category: Hookah Accessories | Response: 2

  

  Sometimes you just can’t wait for that natural charcoal to light – so here we have an overview of some of the more accessible quick lighting charcoals available! These coals all light within 30 seconds max and all that’s required is the flame from a lighter – some light faster than others, some impart more of a charcoal taste… let’s see how they compare!

  Al Fakher Quick Lighting Charcoal

  Made specifically for their tobacco, Al Fakher has created its own quick lighting charcoal in the common rounded briquette shape. One side is convex, the other concave, allowing for airflow around the charcoal and maximum heat to be transferred to the bowl. They make 2 different coals for the common sizes of Egyptian bowls that are available. The more common diameter coal is 33 millimeters, and they also make a 40mm charcoal for the larger bowls. These coals tend to be lit in 20-25 seconds and are known to impart a small amount of taste on the shisha and last 35-40 minutes.

  Overall , Al Fakher Quick Lighting coals are specifically built around the Al Fakher cut of shisha and the use of an Egyptian Clay Bowl, but they’re a solid competitor in the field of Quick Lights

  Three Kings Quick-Light Charcoal

  One of the original and most often used Quick Light charcoals – Three Kings is produced in Holland and has set the standard for Quick Lighting charcoals for years. Fully lit within 20 seconds of starting it, these coals don’t release much smoke and are used by hookah lounges and nearly everywhere hookah is smoked. The coals impart a minimal amount of taste of the shisha, but are known to burn out somewhat quickly, often after 30 minutes.

  With a standard size of 33mm and a following that spans the world over, Three Kings is a solid choice to start out with.

  Akhla Instant Light Charcoal

  Made in the Holy Land, Akhla charcoals represent Quick Light too well, which is why they took it a step farther and named themselves, “Instant Light.” Akhla Charcoal comes standard in a 35mm diameter and is flat on one side with a 4 pronged star indention on the other. These charcoals tend to light rapidly, often in a total of 10-15 seconds. However, they need to be lit outside as they release a great deal of smoke in their rapid rush to light. Akhla tends to impart a small amount of taste on the shisha but tend to last 40-45 minutes.

  Akhla is well known to hold itself together better than most instant light charcoals, leaving a lump sum of ash instead of falling apart as it burns, making it one of the most favored quick light charcoals available.
  And there you have it, 3 prime examples of excellent coals you can use on a rainy day or if you’re just feeling a just bit too impatient for naturals!

  

• Not Your Ordinary Old Apples and Oranges

  Date: 2010.06.04 | Category: HookaH-HookaH, Tobacco | Response: 0

  

  HookaH-HookaH Tobacco Co’s second new flavor of the year gets released on Monday, June 7th – and they’re going with Dragon Fruit. In order to really understand the flavor, let’s delve into the actual fruit itself and see what the rage is all about!

  Dragon Fruit prominently spans the globe, as it can be found in Mexico and various South American countries, the US state of Hawaii, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan’s island of Okinawa, Northern Australia, and Southern China.

  It plays an important role within all of these areas as both a commodity and food source… which is one reason why it isn’t very common in the mainland US currently. The exotic, leathery outer coating of the Dragon Fruit holds fibrous, small seeded innards that you eat whole. Overall, the fruit is slightly sweet and takes on a kiwi-esque flavor that’s subtle, but entirely its own.

  And that’s where the shisha comes in. Dragon Fruit is a mindful flavor, not a candied one. It has delightful undertones of nuttiness that come in from the seeds in the fleshy pulp. The mild yet tangy flavor that washes over the richness of the seeds brings around a natural blend of tartness and earthiness that will leave even the most experienced palates tingling.

  This particular Dragon Fruit will be one of the first you will see released, but don’t expect that to last long – this flavor is catching on everywhere and will be one of the biggest for months to come.

  If you’re ready for a complex flavor that isn’t anywhere near your average fruity shisha, then you’re ready for Dragon Fruit.