Table of Contents

1. Why age bubble hash?
2. The Power of the Temple Ball
3. What's the point of wrapping Temple Balls for aging?
4. Why is food-grade cellophane better?
5. Conclusion

With the right preparation and environment, hash makers can improve the quality of loose cannabis resin, or bubble hash, over an extended period of time. Although resin is ready to consume as soon as it comes out of the freeze drier, it hasn’t reached its full potential. 

The ideal environment for storing and aging bubble hash facilitates a sort of chemical digestion, a natural process in which the terpene-rich hash eliminates undesirable components like trichome membranes and other plant matter. The best qualities of the resin are locked in, while the less desirable qualities are faded out. This enhances flavor and creates a more mellow smoke.

There’s much more to aging bubble hash than simply the passage of time. Without proper preparations and a controlled environment, hash is just getting older in long term storage, not really aging like a fine wine, tobacco, or cheese. There isn’t yet much scientific research that gives us a clear understanding of the chemistry behind the magic of aging bubble hash, but we still have data. That data comes from human experience, passed down through the traditions developed over thousands of years in hash producing regions of the world.

Why Age Bubble Hash?

The goal of aging bubble hash is to improve the cannabis resin over time, not to simply maintain it. 

As the term implies, aging happens over an extended period of time. When the right conditions are met, transformations take place that enhance the hash rather than degrade it. Bubble hash is unique in the world of cannabis products in that it can actually get better over time. 

Pressing trichomes with heat gels the loose heads together into a resinous mass that locks the flavors and fragrance into the hash. In this way, terpenes remain bound into the hash for the long term. This allows the hash to take on corrosive characteristics, in which it absorbs much of the trichome membranes and microscopic pieces of plant material. What we’re left with is a cleaner, richer, more complex-tasting hash. 

Pressing with heat also decarboxylates the THC-A and CBD-A molecules, transforming them into THC and CBD respectively. These molecules are generally more desirable in their non-acidic form. 

The Power of the Temple Ball

Rolling the resin into a ball, and wrapping that ball with a food-grade cellophane, creates the environment for chemical magic to happen inside. 

Temple balls give hash makers a way to store and preserve precious trichome heads for the long-term. Frenchy Cannoli helped bring temple balls into the spotlight, teaching us how to create these beautiful and practical forms of bubble hash. His lifelong passion was learning how to create hash and better understand cannabis trichomes, including how to preserve hash in the form of Temple Balls. 

Learn more about how to press hash to make Temple Balls in our article Aging Bubble Hash Temple Balls 101.

What’s the Point of Wrapping Temple Balls for Aging? 

To help reduce oxidation to the bubble hash while it’s aging, hash makers wrap the temple ball inside natural cellophane, not plastic (polypropylene). This wrapped temple ball ages best inside of a glass container in a cool, dark place, around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cellophane creates a nice protective membrane around the temple ball, which is most conducive to an ideal self-contained environment for the aging transformation to take place. 

The outer layer of a temple ball creates a protective crust around the trichomes heads in the center of the sphere. This outer layer of protection keeps oxidation inside to a minimum, thereby maintaining the color, consistency, and potency of the resin wrapped inside the ball. 

Why Is Food Grade Cellophane Better than Plastic for Storing and Aging Bubble Hash?

The last thing that we want for our hash is to infuse it with petroleum. While plastic wrap is generally a good moisture barrier and also resistant to acids and oils, it’s not the best choice for aging bubble hash. 

Using a non-toxic and natural plant-based material is the ideal choice for aging bubble hash. The benefit of real cellophane is not just that it’s all-natural, it’s also more functional than plastic wrap. 

Food grade cellophane holds tightly when twisted, instead of popping back like plastic wrap. This is an advantage for hash makers, who twist the cellophane into place after wrapping it around the Temple Ball. 

Cellophane creates an excellent seal and gives the resin a better environment for aging than plastic and other wrapping products. It’s oil and grease resistant, so it won’t release any toxic chemicals into your hash. Candy makers have been using natural cellophane in the US for over 100 years. It’s a time-tested material that’s also ideal for hash makers who want the assurance that no toxic chemicals will leach into their hash during the aging process. 

Check out The Press Club's Hashish Foils, made from food-grade ingredients that are 100% terpene resistant. No more second guessing if the turkey bags you purchased from your local grocery store are made from the correct material (most aren’t) and risk potentially contaminating your material during the aging process. 

Conclusion 

Using plastic wrap is not worth the risk of potentially contaminating your bubble hash with petroleum derivatives during the aging process. Food grade cellophane is the best choice, since it’s completely safe, non-toxic, plant-based, and fully functional to work with. It’s easy to source quality food grade cellophane online.

Keep your hash making process top quality through and through. Stick with authentic cellophane for wrapping Temple Balls for the aging process.  

Read more about Aging Hash in our article What Is the Purpose of Aging Bubble Hash?

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