Hookah Beginner Tips - Hookah 101
By Amir / April 29, 2024
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Everyone Starts as a Hookah Beginner
No matter how long someone has been smoking hookah, they all began somewhere. Veteran hookah and shisha enthusiasts were once hookah beginners just like you. At one time, they questioned how to pack shisha tobacco, what hookah bowl to use, and how many hookah charcoal cubes to light. Many OG hookah smokers learned from trial and error and didn’t have the resources we do now like hookah blogs, YouTube, and social media. They became accustomed to making common hookah mistakes and learning from them. SouthSmoke wants to help current hookah beginners skip those simple blunders and get right to being a hookah master. Check out our list of hookah beginner tips to jumpstart your new shisha hobby.
Start Small – Small Hookahs Smoke as Well as Large Hookahs
If you are going to make mistakes, make them on a less valuable hookah. Learn the basics with something small. There’s a common misconception that large hookahs smoke better and create larger clouds than small hookahs. This is simply untrue. Find a hookah that matches your style, no matter the size and get to smoking! Spend that leftover money on new shisha flavors to try.Blonde Leaf Tobacco is Better for Hookah Beginners
Blonde leaf shisha or washed tobacco minimizes the tobacco effect and nicotine levels in shisha tobacco. This is perfect for hookah beginners that have yet to build a tolerance to the buzz or a heavier smoke. The lighter tobacco also allows for more prevalent shisha flavors for you to experiment with and enjoy! There’s no reason to jump straight to dark leaf tobacco and ruin your hookah experience early. Start light with brands like Mazaya Tobacco, Al-Fakher, Starbuzz or many more.
Phunnel Hookah Bowls for Beginner Blondes
Today’s modern shisha brands contain lots of juices for flavoring and clouds. A phunnel bowl is a modern style hookah bowl with a single raised center spire made specifically to contain these juices. A must-have hookah part for beginner hookah smokers. Shisha tobacco is to be packed around the center spire so that juices stay in your bowl instead of dripping down the hookah stem for a better smoking session and easier clean up.
How to Pack Shisha for Beginners
When just starting out, keep the pack simple. A basic fluff pack style will work with most beginner level blonde shisha tobaccos. Ideally, each brand of hookah shisha would use a slightly different packing method. But, when first learning, the tried-and-true fluff pack will get the job done. Make sure to stir the shisha before starting and loosely sprinkle the tobacco leaves into your hookah bowl. Evenly spread the leaves around your bowl until they rise just above the rim. Then, gently pat the shisha down to just below the rim and even it all out. Use heavy duty aluminum foil to tightly cover the bowl and poke two rows of holes around the edge. One last hole should be poked down the middle of the center spire in your phunnel bowl.Light Coconut Charcoal Completely
First off, opt to use natural coconut coals for hookah. The benefits of natural charcoal over quick light coals are immense. It is very important to completely light coconut coals until glowing red on each side. Smoking with charcoal that isn’t fully lit means higher CO2 levels that shouldn’t be inhaled and less heat over your shisha. Place coconut coals directly on an electric coil burner until each side is glowing red before placing on your bowl. Once burning, place 2 to 3 charcoal cubes around the edge of your hookah bowl, not directly over the center. Flip and rotate coals throughout your session to keep them going.
Clean Your Hookah!
Last but not least, clean your hookah often. At least wipe it down and run some water through it after each use. Some routine maintenance will keep you pipe smoking at tip top shape. You can use a simple mixture of lemon juice and water to remove unwanted smells, or our Formula 420 cleaning solution for a deep clean. Take care of your hookah and it will take care of you.