Thursday 1 March
Apart from their taste, however, hash differs from weed in a number of other ways, too. For one, hash is less common than weed in most countries. Many smokers are pretty familiar with their green herb of choice, while they have never actually smoked hash in their lives. Generally speaking, their effects on the mind are different, too. Do keep in mind that there are huge differences between the effects of specific weed variants as such, and such differences exist between hash variants as well.
One of the most striking differences you’ll notice between smoking hash or weed is the difference in taste between the two. Of course, there are so many different kinds of both weed and hash that flavours will be different every time you smoke, but once you’ve tasted hash as well as weed, you will know the difference whenever you smell a whiff of either.
The basic material used to produce hash is the resin contained in the tiny glistening glands found on the flower buds. After the cannabis flowers have been harvested and dried, the little glistening crystals, which are actually called trichomes, are separated from the rest of the plant. The sticky powder collected is known under various names throughout the world, but the usual name is ‘pollen’. This is done differently in different parts of the world. Some cultures rub the raw flowers carefully by hand (Indian), which results in a sticky dark brown goo sticking to the fingers of whoever did the rubbing.
Rolling raw marijuana between the fingers is another ancient technique, sometimes with a bit of water, which results in super sticky, dark hash balls.
Maybe you got some of both, but whatever your choice was, do you know the main differences between the brown and the green? Maybe you’re not a smoker and are you willing to get well-informed by the cannabis connoisseurs of Amsterdam? Let’s go over the basics together, so you’ll have a bit more information next time you give our mouth-watering menu display a go!
Other cultures, like the Moroccan Hash we sell, use sieves to sift the trichomes out from the dried plant material. This can be done in repeated steps using ever more pressure. These pressings can be repeated using ever finer sieves, resulting in the highest quality hash (Block Hash). Today, new and modern approaches are used in addition to traditional ones. These include separating the trichomes using ice water, electrolysis, or even acoustic sifting. The result, however, is roughly the same regardless of the technique involved: a solid substance, ranging in colour from yellow through brown to almost pitch black. This is known as hashish, or hash.
Since you are familiar with the Boerejongens coffeeshop concept, you have shown that you know where to get quality cannabis. So what did you get last time you were feasting your eyes on our exquisite menu? Was it a baggy of top class weed, freshly picked and full of flavour? Or did you go for one of our superb and world-famous (Block)hash variants?
So what are the main differences between hash and weed? Let’s start out with the most obvious thing they have in common: they both come from the same cannabis plants. As you probably know, weed is the flower bud of the female cannabis plant. Hash is made of these same flower buds, but it is processed in a different way. After a cannabis plant is in full bloom, the flower buds are harvested, and from that point on, a farmer can go one of two ways. In the case of weed, the flowers are hung up to dry. Once they have dried out completely, any seeds, stems, and excess leaves are removed, The resulting product is the weed that we all know so well: nice green bundles of organic joy, preferable glistening with sweet THC crystals.
Roughly speaking, however, traditional hash will bring a more subtle high than weed does, this is due to the CBD level. The heavy stoner buzz that is usually associated with weed is usually absent when smoking hash. The latter will likely give you a milder high, with less of a body buzz to go along with it. This causes some people to prefer hash over weed; especially when they need to get things done rather than just vegging out on the couch. Hash also contains greater concentrations of THC per unit of weight, again, generally speaking. This is due to the production process, in which parts of the plant that are low in THC content are removed from the trichomes. Again, though, do keep in mind that the quality of your weed or hash will probably make a greater difference than your choice of hash or weed as such.
Hash and weed, both made from the cannabis plant. But what is exaclty the difference between the two? Is it really that different in use and effect?
Weed refers to dried cannabis. In most parts of the world, weed is made up of cannabis flowers that have been dried and cured, and are ready to smoke, vaporize, cook, or turn into some kind of concentrate. In some regions of the world (like South America and Southeast Asia, for example), you’ll still find “brick weed”, which usually contains buds, stems, leaves, and seeds, all compressed into a hard, dark block.
Weed is prepared by growing female cannabis plants, waiting for them to flower, keeping them from being pollinated by males, and harvesting their buds at peak ripeness. Today, most weed is grown indoors using specialised lights, ventilation systems, and nutrients to help maximise a female cannabis plant’s ability to produce resin.
After about 8–12 weeks of flowering (depending on the strain), female plants are cut down, and the buds are dried for about two weeks before being placed into jars for curing. This process is vital because it helps the buds mature and maximises potency and flavour.
There’s a stark difference in the taste of weed and hash. Whereas weed tends to have more fresh, herbal, and sometimes fruity flavours and aromas, hash tends to be complex, rich, and spicy. Keep in mind that the flavours of hash and weed will vary depending on what strain was used to create them. The flavour of hash also varies greatly based on the way it’s produced.
Now that you understand the difference between hash and weed, here’s an overview of how they differ in terms of preparation, flavour, effects, potency, and use.
Hash is much more potent than weed. Most cannabis strains on the market today produce between 15–30% THC. Because hash is made by compounding a ton of trichomes together, it can reach potencies of 40, 50, or even 60%. Again, the exact potency of weed or hash will vary from one strain to the next, and will also come down to the style of hash-making utilised. Today, BHO tends to be the most potent type of hash out there, reaching over 90% THC.
In India, on the other hand, hash was produced differently. Here, people would take live cannabis buds and roll them between their hands. The heat and friction would cause trichomes to separate from the actual plant material and create a thick, dark resin on the hands. This would then be rolled into balls and sold as charas.
Other forms of hash include rosin, bubble hash, and BHO, the latter two of which are made using solvents.
Hash (or hashish), on the other hand, refers to a cannabis extract made by separating the resin from buds (and/or sugar leaves). There are many different ways to make hash, but they all involve separating the trichomes and pressing them into a block, ball, cylinder, or coin. The result is a strong concentrate with unique flavour and effects.
Confused about the differences between weed and hash? In this article, we'll teach you all you need to know to tell the two apart.
