There is a lot of speculation about what initially made the Thai Stick so special.
Was it that it used to be drenched in hash oil or even opium? Was it the mixes between various varieties growing in that part of the world at that time that made it so strong?
History will probably never really know.
Most people realise that the modern Thai Stick has little to do with the original. But nevertheless, attempts to recreate them are great fun.
What is it?
Put simply, it is like a cannabis kebab: buds skewered on a rod, a stick, a chopstick. The result looks a lot like a joint that hasn't yet been rolled.
The “stick” is then wrapped in fibres from the cannabis plant to hold it all together, dried and cured for later consumption. As mentioned, there are rumours that they were once dipped in hash oil or even opium to give them an extra boost. For oil, it is always possible, but its modern version is probably not soaked in opium, even if it is bought in Thailand.
The end product is ostensibly a massive chunk of smoking cannabis, the kind that is traditionally shared around, it is so enormous.
How to make a Thai Stick
To make the best Thai Stick possible, it's usually best to home grow one’s own cannabis, or purchase from someone who grows.
You will need:
● A few buds of good quality dried cannabis. Mixing strains can add to the effect
● A stem of a cannabis plant, or a bamboo stick or a chopstick or any other type of skewer
● Hemp twine
● Hash oil
● A few freshly picked leaves from a growing cannabis plant
● Parchment paper
The method:
Start by choosing the finest buds available. The more densely packed ones will work fine, but it will be harder to pull the seal.
Dip the stick or rod into hash oil. This will make it sticky enough for the buds to easily attach to it.
Now carefully attach the buds to the stick, and hold them whilst securing them with hemp twine. In the end, the whole stick should be covered with buds that are all secured firmly with the hemp rope.
Wrap the stick in parchment paper and put it in the fridge. In a few days, it will have solidified.
Remove the stick from the refrigerator, unwrap the paper and very carefully remove the hemp twine. If sufficient oil was used in the first step, then buds should have stuck together. If not enough was used, they might fall out, and it will be necessary to start over.
If all steps are thus far successful, then move to the next step: giving the stick or skewer an extra light coat of hash oil. Then, wrap it all up in fresh cannabis leaves.
Technically, this is done three times for a total of three layers of sheets. It can be left to dry and more leaves added. However, it is possible to do this all in one day, if preferred. For the second and third layer of leaves, adding another thin layer of oil in between each is required to keep it all together.
Wrap everything in parchment paper and put it on a hot pan for about a minute. This warms up the hash oil, lets it penetrate the paper and buds, and seals the mix.
Wrap again in hemp twine and put back in the fridge to dry.
Note that some Thai experts say that the hardening process should take place underground. Yes, that means putting the stick in a plastic bag and burying it for a month. However, realistically that is not a commonly used method, and so a few days in the refrigerator are perfectly adequate
Unwrap the hemp string well before smoking the Thai Stick. Depending on the method and application, the entire process can take anywhere from a week up to a month.
Thai Stick making is an art, and first tries can be disappointing, but practice will be rewarded with a superlative smoking experience.
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