Looking to venture into the world of hookah smoking for the new year? Welcome to Hookah 101, your introduction and ultimate guide to hookah smoking. This relaxing recreation has a long history and is popular in several countries. Hookah lounges are hotspots for many people to visit and have a chill night out
Whether you’re trying to impress the girl you met on Bumble, or you just bought a hookah and didn’t even know how to set it up, we are here to get you the knowledge you need on your path to becoming a hookah guru. Are you ready for all of this hookah knowledge for beginners? We hope so!
Where it All Began: History of Hookah Smoking
Hookah smoking has been around for centuries, so you getting a hookah just now makes you a little late to the party. But where was the first place smoking hookah?
Indian roots
India was the first documented country to smoke hookah as a pastime. Back then, the hookah was a lot different than how we know it now. A hookah back then was very primitive compared to the majestic statue it is now. They used a coconut shell base attached to a tube and head for smoking.
The first hookah made the way we know it now was built in the 15th century when glass exporting began in India as a part of the British East India Trading Company. They started making the glass base, or shisha, we use today to hookah smoking.
Heading middle east
Passing the time with some relaxing hookah smoking grew in popularity and was discovered in Iran. They would use flavorless tobacco, unlike the flavors we use today. During the Ottoman Empire, a hookah was a status symbol and sultans would have portraits with them. Having a hookah is a thing of royalty so feel fancy when you bring it out at a party.
The launch of hookah lounges
If you don’t own a hookah, you most likely head to your nearest hookah lounge to do your smoking. In Turkey, hookah coffee shops became popular as recent as two or three centuries ago. At these hookah bars, your waiter has the same status as a chef, due to their thorough expertise and preparation. They know the exact way to pack the tobacco and the perfect moisture to capture to give you the ultimate hookah smoking experience.
Hookah lounges are also a leisurely pastime for those who are under 21 who still want to party somewhere. They get to smoke and listen to some great tunes for a good weekend vibe!
Bits and Pieces: The Various Parts of the Hookah
An ultimate guide to hookah smoking needs to involve understanding the various parts of the hookah, so you know what you are doing when preparing your setup. This information dives deep into the understanding of the hookah setup and helps you appreciate the process of hookah smoking. We hope beginner hookah smokers are writing this down.
Set it Up: How to Prepare Your Hookah for a Smoking Session
Now you know your hookah, it is finally time to pack it up for a smoking session. But wait, how do I prepare it so it is the best hookah experience? It wouldn’t be a guide to hookah smoking 101 if we didn’t help you with setting up for your session. We know you got questions and we have the answers.
What do I need to buy for my hookah?
So you have the hookah, but you need things to smoke in it specifically for it.
Place these on your hookah grocery list:
- Shisha: The light tobacco, fruit pulp, honey, and molasses mixture you pack your hookah with and smoke.
- Hookah coals: These aren’t your uncle’s Sunday BBQ coals, these are made specifically for your hookah smoking.
- Foil: Majority of people use household aluminum foil to cover their shisha, but there are pre-cut hookah foils if you want precise foiling.
- Lighter or small-scale torch lighter: This is for lighting the coals and get your session going.
Once you have all your products, you’re ready for phase two of hookah smoking.
What’s your flavor?
A fun fact about hookah is fruit is dominant in the whole process. Some even use fruits to add to their experience and shisha has fruit pulp in it. So shisha flavors come in a variety of fruity infusions so you get a sweet inhale.
But how do you choose the right flavor for the vibe you want for the hookah hangout? Consider these options:
- Minty fresh: If you’re going to impress the girl or guy you started dating, go for a mint flavor so you get to freshen your breath before kissing them—that’s if they are digging you of course.
- Sweetie pie: Individuals with a sweet tooths have a wide array of shisha flavors to choose from for their hookah. There are so many fruity and sweet flavors available, all ranging from mango to bubblegum. Whatever sweetness you’re craving, there is a shisha flavor for you!
- Throw it in the mix: Adventurous smokers like to combine flavors to get an exquisite experience. Combine cherry and cola flavors for a sweet soda taste or chocolate and mint for a fusion of deliciousness.
Another expert hookah knowledge for beginners is to leave your shisha in the freezer to help preserve your flavors and toss it out once it has hit the six-month mark.
Pack it and light it up
Now is the time to pack your shisha flavor into your bowl. Follow these steps to get your sesh on its way:
- Crumble up your shisha and fill two-thirds of your bowl with the tobacco product. Cover the bowl with foil and make it airtight.
- Poke small holes with a toothpick in the foil to help the heat of the coal warm up the tobacco. Place your bowl back on your hookah
- Fill your glass base with cool water. For a refreshing taste, add some ice cubes to it.
- Take your coal and place it on top of your hookah bowl. Light up the coal with your light or small-scale torch lighter until the coal is sparking and the outer edges are becoming white.
Let the coal heat up the shisha for a couple of minutes. Then it is ready to enjoy.
We hope this ultimate guide to hookah smoking has made you a master of this pastime and all your friends slow clap when you set up your first hookah. Just get ready for them always to come over to smoke hookah.
Still Not An Expert? Paymon’s Got Your Back
If you want to witness hookah experts in their element, head over to Paymon’s Hookah Lounge, the first of its kind in Las Vegas. They will prepare for you an unforgettable hookah session. Paymon’s is also where to go if you want to find the poppin’ place on the weekend. There is always an exciting event going on! Visit us for a relaxing time today!
