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There are different ways to pack a bowl of shisha. The widespread practice is to load a bowl with some tobacco, then wrap it up with a foil and poke some holes, and to light the charcoals. This is broad generalization, and does not lead to a worthwhile smoking experience. For an optimum hookah session, you ought to know the best way to pack a bowl. First, let us understand the science of how shisha and heat work in a bowl.
Hookah uses Convection, not Conduction
Conduction is the transfer of heat through contact of objects. Convection is transfer of heat through air. When air is hot enough and transfers heat generated by a source through the many molecules, including the warming up of objects it comes in contact with, it is convection and this is what a hookah uses. Everyone knows that the shisha or tobacco is not literally burned in a hookah. The charcoals are lit up, they generate heat and the warm air is then circulated through the pokes in the foil, down to the bowl. The warm air heats up the shisha or tobacco, generates the vapor or smoke, which then goes down the stem, through the base to the hose, eventually to the mouthpiece wherefrom you take a puff.
Convection requires Aeration
The reason why we are talking about convection, instead of straightaway providing you a stepwise guide to pack a bowl, is the importance of the phenomenon and the necessity of aeration. You have to aerate the shisha or tobacco in the bowl. The degree of aeration may vary, depending on the type of flavor, size or design of the bowl, how much tobacco you are using for a session and the volume of smoke you want. The bottom line is, you must make the shisha fluffy in the bowl, and not just place a chunk of it and let it be.
Simple Rules for Packing a Bowl of Shisha
Take your bowl. Assess its size and design. There are two major variants in bowl design: one where the spout is at the base of the bowl and the other where it tends to be at a lesser depth compared to the level of the rim. If the spout is at the base, then you need not worry about aeration. There is enough space for it. If the spout is somewhere higher up within the bowl, perhaps at the mid-level or could be close to level of the rim but at the center, then you have less space to make the shisha fluffy and airy.
There is a basic rule of thumb with all types of bowls and shisha flavors. Do not fill up a bowl completely. This also means that you should not stuff excessive shisha in a bowl. Use a moderate quantity and leave enough space, which means air, inside the bowl for the heat to circulate. The entire tobacco, implying all of the substance you put into the bowl, should be uniformly heated by the warm air generated by the charcoals. Only then can you expect the most smoke and finest flavor from a shisha.
The Best Way to Pack a Bowl
Set up your bowl, take a fork, gently pick up some shisha and place it inside the bowl. Pick up some more and place it next to what is already in the bowl. Do not pile up shisha on top of what is in the bowl. Fill up the bottom layer, evenly and spaciously. Then opt for the next layer. Do not press the tobacco inside the bowl. Do not try to push it down so you can add more. Most shishas are sticky and they would form a lump if you press or push down.
Fill up the bowl up to a height wherein you still have some room at the top. Bear in mind there will be a foil. There should be two to five millimeters gap between the foil and the top layer or surface of the shisha in the bowl. This space is needed for heated air to circulate and uniformly warm up the shisha inside the bowl.
After filling up the bowl, use a toothpick or a poker to make tiny pockets of space or air. This is aeration. If some parts of the stuffing are protruding upward or are uneven, you can gently scatter them around to have a kind of a flat surface at the top. Put on a foil, light up some charcoals and start smoking.
Hookah uses Convection, not Conduction
Conduction is the transfer of heat through contact of objects. Convection is transfer of heat through air. When air is hot enough and transfers heat generated by a source through the many molecules, including the warming up of objects it comes in contact with, it is convection and this is what a hookah uses. Everyone knows that the shisha or tobacco is not literally burned in a hookah. The charcoals are lit up, they generate heat and the warm air is then circulated through the pokes in the foil, down to the bowl. The warm air heats up the shisha or tobacco, generates the vapor or smoke, which then goes down the stem, through the base to the hose, eventually to the mouthpiece wherefrom you take a puff.
Convection requires Aeration
The reason why we are talking about convection, instead of straightaway providing you a stepwise guide to pack a bowl, is the importance of the phenomenon and the necessity of aeration. You have to aerate the shisha or tobacco in the bowl. The degree of aeration may vary, depending on the type of flavor, size or design of the bowl, how much tobacco you are using for a session and the volume of smoke you want. The bottom line is, you must make the shisha fluffy in the bowl, and not just place a chunk of it and let it be.
Simple Rules for Packing a Bowl of Shisha
Take your bowl. Assess its size and design. There are two major variants in bowl design: one where the spout is at the base of the bowl and the other where it tends to be at a lesser depth compared to the level of the rim. If the spout is at the base, then you need not worry about aeration. There is enough space for it. If the spout is somewhere higher up within the bowl, perhaps at the mid-level or could be close to level of the rim but at the center, then you have less space to make the shisha fluffy and airy.
There is a basic rule of thumb with all types of bowls and shisha flavors. Do not fill up a bowl completely. This also means that you should not stuff excessive shisha in a bowl. Use a moderate quantity and leave enough space, which means air, inside the bowl for the heat to circulate. The entire tobacco, implying all of the substance you put into the bowl, should be uniformly heated by the warm air generated by the charcoals. Only then can you expect the most smoke and finest flavor from a shisha.
The Best Way to Pack a Bowl
Set up your bowl, take a fork, gently pick up some shisha and place it inside the bowl. Pick up some more and place it next to what is already in the bowl. Do not pile up shisha on top of what is in the bowl. Fill up the bottom layer, evenly and spaciously. Then opt for the next layer. Do not press the tobacco inside the bowl. Do not try to push it down so you can add more. Most shishas are sticky and they would form a lump if you press or push down.
Fill up the bowl up to a height wherein you still have some room at the top. Bear in mind there will be a foil. There should be two to five millimeters gap between the foil and the top layer or surface of the shisha in the bowl. This space is needed for heated air to circulate and uniformly warm up the shisha inside the bowl.
After filling up the bowl, use a toothpick or a poker to make tiny pockets of space or air. This is aeration. If some parts of the stuffing are protruding upward or are uneven, you can gently scatter them around to have a kind of a flat surface at the top. Put on a foil, light up some charcoals and start smoking.
