How to Enjoy Lounge-Like Hookah Sessions in Your Home?

Great! Finally, after enjoying smoking in hookah lounges and clubs, you have made up your mind to have your own hookah setup so you relish the thick, captivating smoke and enthralling flavor palettes of shisha in the warmth of your home. Assuming you have everything you need and probably you have also tried smoking a few times. However, to your disappointment, your setup doesn't smoke anything like the lounge one. Generally, people’s first shisha experience happens in a cafe or lounge that somewhat sets a benchmark too high, especially for a beginner. But don't be anxious. Khalil Mammoon is here to guide you on how you can prepare for and enjoy lounge-like hookah sessions in your home. 

How to Prepare Hookah for Session?

There are scores of hookah lounges and cafes around the world, each being exclusive in its own way. They have their own exclusive setups, shisha tobacco blends, and methods to prepare. Hence, the information, tips, and tricks shared in this blog may differ depending on the local and lounge setting.

We assume you are aware of how different parts of the hookah work and how you can assemble them all together. If you have any doubt, we strongly advise you to refer to our detailed Hookah setup guide here.

Ensure you have an adequate amount of water in the hookah base.

The amount of water in the hookah base varies based on the hookah you are using and somewhat on your personal preference. However, you need to understand that if the water level in the base is too low, it won't filter and cool down the smoke properly, making the smoke experience too harsh. Again, if the water level is too high, then it will restrict the pull, and you may even end up sucking in some water through the hookah hose. Hence, you need to have an adequate amount of water to keep the half inch of the downstem submerged, ensuring an optimal and smooth draw with little restriction and proper filtration of the smoke. Once you find the proper water level, you can continue assembling parts, like the hookah stem to the base, then adding the hookah tray to its top.

Pack the bowl properly.

After filling the hookah base with water, let us shift to packing the hookah bowl. To start, we need to pick the right style of hookah bowl, which is the Egyptian clay bowl. These hookah bowls are commonly used in the lounges. However, tricks we are sharing here can also work with any other bowl or shisha.

1. Take shisha tobacco of your choice and break them up using a fork or your finger, so all the juice mixes up well through the chopped tobacco leaves.
2. Take a pinch of the hookah tobacco and sprinkle it lightly into the bowl. Fill the hookah bowl up to the rim using this sprinkling method; keep the shisha fluffy and light. Do not press it down, and it will clog the small holes at the bottom and restrict the airflow. Packing it like this will improve the heat distribution and flavor. 
3. You can test if the packing is done properly or not by giving a very light press. If it bounces back like a sponge, you are all set to move to the next step.

Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and punch the holes.

After packing the bowl with your favorite tobacco, cover it firmly using a double layer of aluminum foil and poke holes at regular gaps in a circular motion on it. The holes will allow airflow and boost the heat distribution across the bowl. The foil serves as a wall between the shisha tobacco and coal pieces. It prevents the hookah tobacco from getting charred by the hot hookah charcoal. 

You can use pre-punched hookah foils in place of regular aluminum foil to skip the work of poking in holes. However, you should never use the foil that comes with a nonstick chemical layering until you want to smoke in the chemical.

Heat up the hookah charcoal thoroughly.

Once you pack the bowl, place it properly on the hookah stem. With this, we have come to the final part, which is to prepare the hot charcoal for the session. There is nothing much to it. If you are using natural coconut hookah charcoal, simply light 2 to 3 pieces of them on an electric charcoal burner or a stovetop. Allow some time to heat up completely. In the beginning, the coal will be black, but as they get hot, it will turn glowing red or light gray. Use a pair of tongs to rotate them in between, so they light up thoroughly.

If you like to use quick lights, start with a couple of pieces. You can light them using a regular lighter or matchstick. You can be sure the coals are ready when there is no black spot left. Only then should you transfer them carefully to the foil-covered bowl.

Place the coals towards the rim of the hookah bowl. Positioning them in the middle will concentrate all the heat in the mild, causing improper heat dispersion, and ultimately in a short, harsh smoke session. After placing the coals, let it cook the hookah tobacco for 5 minutes before you start smoking. If it doesn't cook properly, neither it will produce thick smoke clouds nor some good flavors.

It is the combined effort of the bowl, base, aluminum foil, and charcoal that makes both the smoke and flavor more captivating and wholesome, transforming your smoke into a magical experience.

Additional Tip for Ensuring Hookah Lounge Vibes at Home

Ambience plays a significant role in setting the lounge vibe. Different lounges have different vibes. While some have dark lighting with loud music, giving that nightclub aura, some have a calming, well-lit atmosphere. Depending on your personal preference, you can pick the vibe for your home hookah lounge.

If you are into video games, you can club them both together, get some bean bags, and some string lighting for the perfect gaming hookah session atmosphere. Try out different settings and unleash your creativity to create your favorite lounge-like home session.

That is quite a lot to process, so we should conclude this blog right here. Lastly, don't forget to check out our splendid collection for all your hookah requirements. We got the best hookah products for you.