How a Hookah Works

Last week I covered the origins of hookah. Today I show you how a hookah works.

This photo is originally from Blue Lizard Hookah the website for a hookah lounge in Tampa Florida. The bowl on top is typically covered in foil (though I have a little metal piece with holes) and the coal heats the shisha within the bowl. My hookah also has an ice holder on top to make the smoke cooler thus giving you a smoother smoke. If you have your own hookah I highly recommend putting ice in the vase with water, as it will help cool the smoke as well. You can put other liquids in the vase, such as milk or alcohol. I've personally never tried alcohol and only tried milk once. Milk made very thick smoke, but does have a chance of bubbling back up into the hose which is gross. Personally I only use water.

If you own your own hookah make sure you clean it regularly. Buying a plastic hose will allow you to clean the hose easily. Most hookah hoses have metal coils inside which will eventually rust and no one wants to inhale rust. If you buy a hose with a metal coil inside try to find one where the coil is made of stainless steel. If you do not clean your vase, stem, and hose regularly you will get the taste of other flavors you've smoked. 

If you smoke in a hookah bar ask for mouth tips. They are little plastic pieces you attach to the end of the mouth piece and reduce your risk of contracting a cold or disease from past smokers. Also look for hookah bars that use natural coals as opposed to quick lights. Quick light coals will make the smoke taste... bad. If you live in Colorado I recommend going to Hooked on Hookah either in Colorado Springs (6406 N. Academy Blvd. Colorado Springs, CO 80918 (719) 886-7107) or Boulder (2065 30th Street, Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 442-4364). Both locations use quick lights, but the staff is very friendly and have a nice quiet atmosphere most nights. Another great location in Boulder is Hookah House (1325 Broadway St, Boulder, CO (303) 444-0804) they have great service and use natural coals. Hookah House gets crowded and is a very small space, but the service makes up for it. A lot of hookah bars in Denver are very "clubbish" which I personally am not a huge fan of, but it depends on what you are looking for in a hookah bar. Should you be on Oahu and want to check out a cool hookah bar in Honolulu, The Burning Tree (3613 Waialae Avenue  Honolulu, HI 96816 (808) 626-5694) wasn't bad. In the San Francisco bay area there is Hookah Nites (235 University ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 330-0654) and a lot of other hookah lounges I have not had the opportunity to visit yet.      

Eventually I plan on writing reviews about various hookah bars I've visited, but that is for another day. Hope you enjoyed this post on how a hookah works along with some recommendations on how to smoke and where to smoke. 

SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy.