Glossary
Hookah terms
Every word you will hear at a hookah lounge, explained simply.
26 terms
B
Also known as: vase, glass
The base is the glass vessel that holds the water. Smoke passes through it, cools down and makes those signature bubbles.
The water should cover the end of the downstem by about 2 to 3 centimeters (roughly an inch).
Also known as: Virginia, light leaf
Blonde leaf is tobacco that has been processed and washed more, which gives it its lighter color.
It is milder and carries fruit flavors really well, which is why most popular fruity blends use it.
C
Also known as: Egyptian bowl, traditional bowl
The classic (Egyptian) bowl has a few small holes in its floor. It is simple and cheap.
Juice can drip through the holes into the stem, so the flavor usually fades faster than in a phunnel bowl.
Also known as: coal heater, coal starter
Coconut coals are lit on a burner until they are covered in a thin layer of white-gray ash.
Use it with good ventilation and never leave it unattended.
Also known as: natural coals, cubes
Coconut coals are made from coconut shells. They usually come as cubes or flats.
They take longer to light (on a burner or coal heater), but have no lighting additives, so they do not affect the taste. They are generally the recommended choice.
D
Also known as: dark blend
Dark leaf is less processed tobacco with a darker color and a bolder, stronger taste.
It usually needs more heat and experience, so it is not ideal for your very first bowls.
Also known as: semi-dense pack
With a denser pack, tobacco goes in thin layers with a light press. You fit more in, and the session can last longer.
It needs more heat and attention: pack it too tight and the draw gets hard; run it too hot and it burns fast.
A diffuser fits onto the end of the downstem in the water. It splits the smoke into lots of tiny bubbles.
That makes the hookah quieter and the smoke a little smoother. It is optional.
F
Also known as: fluffy pack, loose pack
For a fluff pack, you sprinkle the tobacco into the bowl with your fingers so it stays airy, and stop just below the rim.
Air and heat pass through easily, so the draw is effortless and the tobacco is less likely to burn. It is the best way to start.
Also known as: aluminum foil, tin foil
Foil is pulled tight over the bowl and poked with holes so air can pass through. The coals sit on it and heat the tobacco from above.
It is cheap and available everywhere, but it takes a little practice: too many or too few holes changes how the tobacco heats up.
G
Also known as: glycerine, VG
Glycerin is added to shisha tobacco. When it heats up, it creates thick, white clouds.
People sometimes drain a bit of the extra juice from the pack so the tobacco is not too wet.
Also known as: seals, gaskets
Grommets go between the bowl and stem, the stem and base, and on the hose port.
If a joint leaks air, the draw gets weak. That is why you check the seals when putting the hookah together.
H
Also known as: burnt, harsh hit
When there is too much heat, the tobacco scorches and the smoke turns rough, bitter and unpleasant. That is a harsh bowl.
Take one coal off and park it on the tray, or move the coals out toward the edge of the bowl.
Also known as: heat management device
HMD stands for heat management device. It is a metal cap that goes on top of the bowl, and the coals sit on it or inside it.
The big win is easy heat control: open or close the vents, or move the coals around. No poking holes in foil, and less ash lands on the tobacco.
The hose plugs into the port on the stem and has a mouthpiece at the other end. You pull the smoke through it.
Silicone hoses are easy to wash and do not hold on to smells, so flavors do not carry over.
M
Molasses is a thick, sweet syrup mixed into the tobacco. It is why shisha is sticky and moist.
It carries the flavor and keeps the tobacco from burning straight away.
Also known as: tip
The mouthpiece is the piece at the end of the hose you draw from. It is usually metal, wood or plastic.
When sharing, it is more hygienic for everyone to have their own disposable or personal tip.
P
Also known as: phunnel, funnel bowl
Instead of several holes in the floor, a phunnel bowl has one opening on a raised spire in the middle. The tobacco is packed around it.
Because the juice stays in the bowl, the flavor lasts longer and the tobacco is less likely to burn quickly. That is why it is so popular.
Also known as: heat-up
Once the coals are on, the tobacco needs a couple of minutes to heat up. That is the preheat.
Pull hard right away and the first clouds can be thin or harsh.
Also known as: purge
If smoke sits in the base too long, it goes stale and harsh. The purge valve lets you gently blow it out through the hose.
Blow softly so the water does not splash up into the stem.
Q
Also known as: self-lighting coals, instant coals
Quick-light coals contain additives that let them catch in a few seconds, no burner needed.
They are handy outdoors, but those additives can give the smoke a chemical taste. For better flavor, most people go with coconut coals.
S
A session is one smoke, from lighting up until the tobacco runs out of flavor.
How long it lasts depends on the bowl, the pack, how much tobacco you use and the heat.
Also known as: shaft, body
The stem is the main body of the hookah. It holds the bowl and tray on top, and its lower end (the downstem) sits in the water in the base.
It also has the hose port and, very often, a purge valve.
T
Tobaccos vary in strength. Lighter, more processed leaf is usually milder, while darker leaf hits harder.
Beginners are usually better off starting with milder tobacco.
Also known as: ash tray, plate
The tray sits on the stem right below the bowl. It catches ash and bits of coal so they do not end up on the table or floor.
You can also park a coal on it for a while when the bowl gets too hot.
V
A vortex bowl has a raised center like a phunnel, but the openings are on its sides, so smoke travels through a kind of channel.
Juice collects in the bottom of the bowl instead of running into the stem. Many people say it gives thick clouds, but it needs more careful packing.
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