Knowledge Base
Frequently Asked Questions
Tips & Tricks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hookah?
A hookah, also known as a water pipe, arguileh, nargileh, or shisha, is an ancient
water pipe used to smoke flavored tobacco.
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How does it work?
We get this question often, so to help the new hookah enthusiast better understand
how a it works, we have provided this crash course on hookah anatomy. The main
body of the hookah is made of a pipe that runs from the top where the clay bowl
attaches into the glass base. Surrounding the pipe there is decorative metal.
There is a port for inserting a hose and on the other side there is a one way
bleeder valve. Each port has passage into the glass base. There are pipes that
have multiple hose junctions and come in 2,3,4 and 6 hose versions.
When you are actually smoking the tobacco is placed into the top clay bowl and
is heated with coal. The coal does not actually burn the tobacco as is the case
in a pipe or a cigarette. By sucking on the hose the air pressure inside the
glass base is lowered and thus water is pulled in from the only available source...the
top of the pipe. The air flows around the coal, heating them up, and takes the
tobacco smoke down the tube into the water of the base. The smoke is passed
through the water, which filters, cools, and smoothes out the smoke before it
enters into the glass base where it then is rushed through the hose. The bleeder
valve acts as a one way passage for air and is used to blow the smoke that collects
in the glass base out of the hookah. The reason for doing this is usually as
a result of smoke that is too thick for the likes of the smoker, stale, change
of tobacco flavor, or because the tobacco was starting to burn and had become
harsh.
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How do I set up my hookah?
Setting up the Hookah for a good time is easy but does require some experience,
good technique, and a little luck at first. First the Hookah should be cleaned
thoroughly, if not every time, then at least every few smokes and usually when
changing the flavor of the tobacco. The base should be washed out and water
should be ran through the Hookah pipe. Use the thin cleaning brush provided
with the Hookah when purchased from Social Smoke. Initially the water running
through the pipe will come out slightly yellow; continue until it is clear.
Make sure that the ports for the bleeder valve and the hose are also washed
out. A common mistake in the desire for the perfectly clean Hookah is to wash
out the hoses. Most hookah hoses should NOT be washed, but instead they should
be blown clean. The reason for this is that the water will either rust the hoses
made with metal tubing or will cause the hoses constructed from composite fiber
to begin breaking down. In either case this will eventually result in the need
to replace the hose. Luckily, Social Smoke’s washable leather wrapped hoses
are made specifically to allow you to run water through the hose and thoroughly
clean them out before each smoke.
Once the base is clean put water to a level that will result in the hookah pipe
being submersed in about 1.5 inches of water. Too much will result in the water
bubbling up into the hose during the smoke. Once the water is placed into the
base the top Hookah pipe can be attached. Sometimes it helps to wet the grommet
that fits on the hookah pipe so that it easily slips into the base. After this
is done the hose can be attached, and again it is sometimes better to wet the
grommet.
After these steps are completed the next and most important step is the making
of the tobacco "head". Before placing the tobacco into the bowl try to break
up the clumps and remove any large pieces of leaf stem. The loose flake tobacco
should be placed in the bowl ensuring it is evenly spread around, packed lightly,
and not so high that the aluminum foil is in direct contact with it. Once this
is done a piece of normal kitchen aluminum foil should be placed over the top
of the bowl. The foil should be stretched tight to hold the weight of the coal
and you should ensure enough foal is used so that it doesn’t easily start to
become undone. After this use a toothpick to randomly place holes in the foil
with a higher concentration in the center of the bowl. It is important to not
make the holes too large or too small as both will result in an unfavorable
smoking condition. After the bowl is made, moisten the bowl grommet and place
the bowl on the top of the hookah pipe. At this point the Hookah is completely
assembled and should look like the above photo.
The charcoal or coil should be lit outside or in a well ventilated area, otherwise
you run a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Once the coal is fully lit, place
it on top of the bowl toward the edges of the rim. This will prolong the life
of the tobacco and will make the smoke more controllable. We recommend you start
with two coals and then later transition to one coal to continue smoking. It
is important to move the coals around the head to ensure that all tobacco is
used evenly and to prevent it from burning. There is a very distinct taste different
that will occur when the head is burnt. Some people have different thresholds
before they consider it burnt. Find yours.
This should be used as a guide to help you set up the Hookah for a good time.
Remember you will only get better by practicing and experimenting. We recommend
sticking to one flavor and try smoking it various times so you can tell the
difference in the smoke as a result of the way you set the hookah up.
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Do single hose hookahs smoke
better than multiple hose models?
Not if the multiple hose hookah is being used properly. The main reason people
assume that a single hose hookah will provide better smoke than a multiple hose
hookah is because they feel that if more than one person is smoking at a time
then the smoke volume and density will be less. While this assumption is correct,
this is only one manner in which a multiple hose hookah can be used. Most Social
Smoke employees keep multiple hose hookahs for their personal use. The benefits
of having a multiple hose hookah in our opinion is not that multiple people
can smoke at exactly the same time, rather that multiple people can take turns
smoking without having to pass the hose. We do however recommend that in service
environments such as lounges, bars, and restaurants that only single hose hookahs
are used because multiple people smoking off the same hookah tends to burn the
tobacco faster as the hookah is rarely not in use.
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Does hookah size really
matter?
Hookah size matters more in terms of aesthetics and appearance rather than smoke
performance most of the time. The tobacco bowl is probably the single most important
factor in terms of having a long flavorful smoking experience. Second, the flow
of the hookah makes a difference with the larger diameter pipes and hoses allowing
more smoke to pass through unrestricted. The larger hookahs tend to be more
stable than the smaller hookahs and also tend to have a larger smoke chamber.
The significance of the larger smoke chamber is that there is more distance
between the hose ports and the top of the water or water bubbles making it less
likely that water bubbles will make their way into your hose. Many smaller hookahs
smoke just as well as the larger ones and are easier to carry around. However
if you smoke or plan to smoke regularly with groups of people we suggest purchasing
a medium to large hookah as our experience is that most smokers that purchase
a small hookah will upgrade their pipe to something bigger, prettier, and more
impressive as they use the pipe more often.
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How often should I clean
my hookah?
We recommend cleaning out a hookah after each use, or at least emptying the
glass base and rinsing the tobacco bowl. Regular cleaning of your hookah increases
the hookahs lifespan, results in cleaner tastier smoke, and prolongs the life
of tobacco bowls and hoses.
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How should I clean my hookah?
For regular cleaning we recommend washing all parts of the hookah with water
and using a cleaning brush to clean out the stem and glass base. Certain flavors
of tobacco such as rose, mint, and double apple, are harder to wash out and
for those flavors we recommend using a cleaning solution such as
Liquid DFW to help get those flavors out of the hookah. We recommend only
washing hoses that are specifically designated as washable hoses and only using
water to rinse them out. To extend the life of any hose that you wash, always
hand the hose vertically to allow the water to drip out and the hose to dry
completely.
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Is smoking hookah a healthy
alternative to other tobacco products?
There is a lot of contradictory research, beliefs, and misconceptions in
regards to hookah smoke. Our company policy is that any tobacco product is
by its nature unhealthy. It is best not to smoke at all, however if you
choose to smoke we urge you to do so only in moderation. We see hookahs as a
social tool, not a tobacco or nicotine delivery device. We recommend that
any hookah smoker set guidelines such as limiting the number of times that
they smoke in a given period of time, only smoking with other people, etc,
to help prevent hookah smoking from becoming a habitual act.We urge everyone
to do their own research and come to their own conclusion.
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How much shisha tobacco
should I use?
The amount of shisha tobacco you should use depends completely on the size
and shape of your bowl and the type of charcoal you use. If you use
quick-lighting activated charcoal such as Belgian or Three Kings Charcoal,
you should practice preparing your bowl with enough tobacco so that there is
between 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch of space between your aluminum foil or screen
and the top of the tobacco. The smoothest smoke is produced when the tobacco
is not directly in contact with the screen or foil. After each smoke once
the bowl has had time to cool off, remove the foil or screen and check to
see if any tobacco has come in contact with the foil. If there is tobacco
stuck underneath, next time slightly reduce the tobacco level. If you use
natural lump charcoal such as citrus or olive wood charcoal we typically
recommend either setting up your bowl exactly as described above or you can
also try to loosely pack your bowl up to the rim of the bowl. Due to natural
charcoals lower burning temperature and varying sizes of each charcoal piece
you might find you like one method more than the other.
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What makes each shisha
tobacco brand different?
All shisha tobaccos have similar ingredients but their manufacturing
technique or recipe results in varying degrees of smoke volume, density,
flavor, and nicotine. These differences create noticeable smoke and flavor
characteristics that becomes each brands signature. Many western hookah
smokers are more focused on smoke thickness, flavor, and smoothness so
brands such as Layalina, Starbuzz, and Social Smoke are more popular. These brands use
lighter tobacco blends that impart less natural tobacco flavor and nicotine
in their final product. Some traditional Middle-Eastern smokers are more
focused on nicotine impact and tobacco flavor so brand like Nakhla are more
popular among these types of smokers.
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How should I store shisha
tobacco?
Shisha tobacco should be stored at room temperature in an airtight plastic
bag or container. The less air that is the tobacco is exposed to the longer
the flavor will last and the freshness of the tobacco will remain. Putting
your tobacco in the refrigerator has not been proven to extend the life of
the tobacco and can cause the sugars in the tobacco to separate over time
making the tobacco feel gritty.
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Tips & Tricks
Put ice in your base for a cooler smoke
The most popular and easiest tip is to adding ice to your glass base to
further
cool the smoke. Adding ice instantly creates a noticeably cooler sensation.
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Use other liquids in hookah
base
Try adding your favorite beverages to your hookah to enhance or change the
flavor of your smoke. Almost any beverage will alter the flavor of the smoke
slightly. Some smokers suggest adding milk to your hookah base to thicken
the smoke. We recommend that if you choose to try this you only add a shot
glass or two of milk to prevent the air from making large bubbles that can
get inside your hose. We also recommend washing out your hookah completely
after you are done using it.
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Use heavy duty aluminum
foil
If you notice you are having a hard time keeping your tobacco from burning then
try to use heavy duty aluminum foil and ensure that it is tightly pulled over
the top of the clay bowl.
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Mixing multiple tobacco
flavors
This is where smoking really gets fun. Trying out new flavors is great, but
trying your own combinations is even better. Be creative with your mixes as
sometimes flavors you would not expect to go well together end up tasting
completely different than what you would expect.
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Controlling the thickness
of the smoke
The thickness of the smoke can be controlled by the intensity of the heat applied
to the tobacco. If the coal is placed in the center of the bowl for too long
the tobacco will burn and the smoke will get harsh. Moving the coal around the
bowl prevents this from happening and also allows for a longer smoke as the
tobacco last longer.
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