The basic hookah operation principles – through fire and water

Since the time when people liked to inhale aromatic and luring smoke, no more sophisticated and advanced smoking device has been invented than a hookah. Let’s figure out what is the gist, the principle of the hookah operation and its main features.

Long way of smoke

Hookah consists of several separate parts, so it is no coincidence that it exceeds in size all other smoking devices. At the top of the hookah there is a bowl – a kind of “hearth” where tobacco smoke is born. The “body” of the hookah (or, as some say, its “heart”) is the shaft – a fairly long vertical pipe. The lower end of the shaft is inserted into the bowl, which is filled with liquid and serves as the base of the entire structure. And the vase is mounted with a long hose and a mouthpiece at the end, which we actually use to smoke.

As you can see, before you get the smoke, it has a long way to go. It would seem – why is the smoking process so complicated? Is it really just for the fun gurgling of bubbles in the bowl? Of course not! On the way from the vase to the mouthpiece, the smoke manages to change significantly – and for the better. Firstly, it cools, while becoming softer and more pleasant for your throat and lungs. Secondly, it is largely purified, leaving a part of harmful substances and admixtures on the walls of the hookah and in the bowl with liquid.

The hookah principle: Taste and aroma

Certainly, with the help of hookah you can smoke anything. However, as a rule, it does not use ordinary tobacco, but a tobacco mixture moistened with syrup and glycerin and containing different flavors. As a result, hookah fans get at their disposal a wide range of flavors, inaccessible to other smokers. It may be the taste of apple, melon, grape, peppermint chewing gum and other-other-other … For example, one of the most popular manufacturers of hookah tobacco – the company Al Fakher – offers more than 50 flavoring shades.

Such tobaccos, reminiscent of a thick jam, are called muassels. Thanks to them, the banal smoking process turns into a real gourmet feast. In addition, you can experiment with taste on your own. Try to mix different varieties of muassels in a bowl, adding other ingredients there – for example, fruit chips. The taste and softness of tobacco can be changed thanks to the contents of the vase, by adding milk, fruit juices and even alcohol. With the latter, the main thing is not to overdo it.

It is important to note that the nicotine in the muassel is quite low, which significantly reduces the risk to your health. Moreover – the pleasure from hookah smoking can be appreciated even by ardent enemies of any nicotine. After all, as it has already been said, everything can be smoked from a hookah – for instance, fruits, tea, etc. No wonder the largest manufacturers of hookah tobacco (the same Al Fakher) include special – no nicotine – mixtures to their range.

The hookah principle: No burning and no bitterness

Muassel tobaccos are moisturized not only to preserve flavor. The fact is that unlike cigarettes, tobacco in a hookah bowl does not burn. Only coal burns, which emits ordinary carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and nothing more.

How is it? – you will ask. The thing is that hot coals (above) and tobacco (below) are separated from each other by a partition. It can be foil or a special screen – kaloud. As a result, heat passes through the holes of the screen, and the moist mass begins to simply evaporate. Essentially, we get smoke consisting of water vapor and glycerin mixed with essential oils and nicotine. Such smoke is fragrant and devoid of a bitter aftertaste.

How the hookah smoking is going

So, how does hookah smoking look like in general terms? When the coals are kindled and the tobacco is warm enough, you take the first puff through the mouthpiece. It should be noted that the vase is not filled to the top with water, and the base of the hose is attached exactly to the upper part – free of liquid. As a result, when inhaling, the air in the bowl becomes discharged that creates a draft inside the hookah. The draft causes smoke from the bowl to enter the shaft hose, where it loses most of the heat. In addition, it leaves a significant portion of harmful tars on the walls. Through the lower end of the shaft, smoke enters the water, causing it to bubble and gurgle. The water ensures additional filtration and cooling of the smoke. Then it fills the upper part of the vase (free from water) and is already inhaled through the hose from there.

Hence, we get not too strong, cool and aromatic smoke, so that the smoking becomes comfortable, pleasant and special.

You can learn more about the preparation of a hookah and the device construction in another article.

September 29, 2020

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