Fantasia Strawberry Lemonade is another incarnation of the wildly popular Pink Lemonade that had been the talk of the modern hookah community some time ago.  I had to give this one a try as some people have said that it is one of the better flavors that Fantasia has to offer.

The smell on this tobacco is great.  It’s slightly lemony but mostly an artificial and candy strawberry scent.  I like natural flavors a lot more than candied ones but Fantasia is known for their candy, dessert and mixed drink flavors so this is what you should expect.

The clouds are exactly what I expect from Fantasia.  Big a fluffy.  Sure to make the cloud seekers happy.

The flavor is good.  It’s mostly lemonade with a decently strong flavor of strawberry candy.  I think it is very accurate to the strawberry lemonade drink powders that you can buy.  My major complaint witht his flavor is that I wish it was stronger.  It seems like they dialed back on the lemonade to let the strawberry be noticeable.  I think this was a good decision but I wish there was a way to make them both nice and strong.  Then again, if Fantasia was able to make a strawberry flavor that was strong they would be sitting on thrones at their offices.  That’s like the holy grail for many hookah smokers.

7.5 out of 10.  It’s not jaw dropping and it’s far from a favorite but it’s something I could see keeping around.  It’s tasty and it has good heat resistance allowing you to get nice big clouds without sacrificing flavor.  I think it’s a flavor that is worth checking out and if you like candy flavors it should be on your list.

Related posts:

1. Fantasia Pink Lemonade Tobacco
2. Hookah-Hookah Lemonade
3. Fantasia Margarita Flavored Hookah Tobacco

I know that it’s not a picture of White Grape by Fantasia.  Give me a break.  I’m too poor to have a really nice camera

My failings aside, I have been smoking White Grape recently and I finally feel that I can offer a proper review.  This is one of the many offerings from Fantasia, a company that focuses on candy, dessert and mixed drink flavors, so I knew what I should expect.  Something sweet with an artificial flavor and huge clouds.  That’s about what I got.

The smell on this one is great.  It smells like very strong grape jelly mixed with grape soda.  It does not resemble actual grape much but it smells very good.  A friend of mine that loves grape flavors was very excited tot ry this one.

The clouds are Fantasia clouds, meaning that they are large and it does not take a huge amount of heat to get them there.

The flavor was a big let down.  It was too light.  When I first smoked this tobacco I used a small amount of coal and got good clouds but no flavor at all.  After that I tried it with two thirds of an Exotica stick and the clouds were much bigger and the flavor was a bit better but still way too light.  It had fruity notes and was definitely some kind of fruit flavor but it was not extremely obvious that it was grape.  Its flavor was pleasant but it’s a disappointment after the smell.

5 out of 10.  It’s not bad but there are better grapes out there.  I am going to keep trying to get the heat perfect on this one but as of right now this flavor falls short.

Related posts:

1. Fantasia cuban Mojito Flavored Hookah Tobacco
2. Fantasia Mon Cherry Flavored Hookah Tobacco
3. Fantasia Margarita Flavored Hookah Tobacco

For a long time glass has been a material that has been used for a myriad purposes.  It’s possible colors and forms are practically limitless.  The only restraining factor is durability.  This is why glass products have often been ones of indulgence.

In regards to hookah, glass products are exactly that.  They are mostly a superfluous addition to the experience similar in purpose to the velvet hose covers that many seem to enjoy but far more expensive and, in my opinion, much more appealing.

Personally I own two glass mouth tips for my washable hoses and a glass mini funnel bowl.  These Items are made by a glass blower and designed not only for aesthetic quality but also for maximum durability.  If the glass is not treated properly with slow cooling periods then the glass can become brittle and the piece will be quite fragile.  I love the pieces that I have.  They add very little to the smoking experience beyond a feeling of indulgence and decadence.  I bought these back when I had a regular pay check and could afford such luxuries but I don’t regret it.  The bowl is the only piece that I feel adds something more to the hookah than just something shiny.  I bought the bowl because it was a funnel style bowl designed to use a minuscule amount of tobacco.  The design of this bowl is great.  It’s draw is wonderful, the heat properties of the thick glass are great and it uses less coal and tobacco than the smallest standard Egyptian bowl I have.  It only uses approximately 8-15 grams of tobacco depending on the density at which you pack and the wetness of the tobacco to begin with.  Remember, grams are a measure of weight not volume.  This bowl alone was worth buying for it’s function along with the visual addition to the hookah.

There is another side to this though.  Some people want to produce glass bowls or other accessories because they know they sell well and have a high profit margin.  They don’t care much about the artisan craft of glass blowing or the quality of the product and will get mass produced glass pieces from less than masterful hands or factories that do not take the time to make sure that the pieces heat and cool properly made from less than optimal materials.  This can easily result in a fragile piece that will not be with you for very long.  The best glass to use for anything other than show pieces that are nto meant to be touched is borosilicate glass.  Borosilicate glass is strong, very resistant to shock/impact and highly heat resistant.  You probably have some in your house right now.  It’s commonly called Pyrex and it’s something you want to look for if you are in the market for anything made out of glass but especially hookah accessories.

We see poor quality glass used in hookah vases quite a bit.  There are some higher quality vases out there but the majority on the market are fairly cheap and not made to the highest standard.  I have had two large glass vases crack on me at this point.  Both cracks were in different places and were obviously from improper heat treating.  I am extremely careful with my glass and they were not fractures.  They were weak spots.  This is why some smaller hookahs have been moving toward acrylic.  It’s not as visually appealing but it’s more durable for a hookah that is more likely to be transported on a regular basis like the mini Mya Saray.  I am really hoping that an artisan glass blower will make some high quality glass vases that are durable and beautiful.  While I am always reluctant to spend extra money, at this point it will be better for me to spend a little more and get something that will last longer rather than having to buy multiple cheap bases in the same length of time.  Hookahs are kind of useless without a vase.

If you have the extra money to spend then I almost always suggest getting new tobacco or more coals.  If you want to look classy and have a one of a kind piece that will add a great aesthetic quality to your hookah experience then I suggest looking into glass mouth pieces.

If you REALLY want to spend as much money on the hookah hobby as you possibly can there are some amazing shops that sell all glass hookahs that are top to bottom borosilicate glass.  The only part that is not glass is the hose and that is tipped in glass on both ends.  These are beautiful but VERY expensive.  The average hookah smoker will never and should never buy one.  As far as I am concerned these are for the very affluent and everyone else should save their money.

If you are interested in high quality glass pieces then I suggest checking out http://www.crownhookahs.com and taking a look at their wide assortment of styles and products.  That is the shop where I got my pieces and they are great people with great products that they stand behind and are very proud of.

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Anyone who has every experienced a nicotine overdose while smoking hookah can tell you, it is not a pleasant experience.  I am writing this to try and help everyone reading to avoid this night ruining occurrence in their own lives.

Nicotine overdose cause a handful of nasty symptoms.  The most common of which is increased blood pressure.  Anytime you smoke your blood pressure will rise but if it gets too high it can produce head aches and a feeling of pressure in the the chest.  This is because your heart has been excited by the nicotine and it working overtime.  Your blood vessels have also constricted at this point which only adds to the problem.

The next level of nicotine overdose is nausea and cold sweats.  This is where things get really nasty.  I’ll admit that back when I started smoking hookah I made myself sick a few times by smoking too much and I know lots of people that have done this as well.  This should be the final stage you ever reach because if you are feeling sick in any way STOP SMOKING.

Now we enter the meat of the article.  Way to prevent hookah sickness.

1. Stay hydrated: Many of the problems associated with nicotine and smoking are made much worse if you are dehydrated.
2. Eat something: Nicotine has far less of an effect on the body if you are well fed.  Don’t stuff yourself but make sure you are not hungry.  It’s a good idea to have snacks available while smoking.
3. Pace yourself: If you are new to smoking don’t hoover the hose and smoke as rapidly as possible.  The hookah isn’t going anywhere and it’s not like a cigarette that keeps burning away if you don’t smoke it.  Take breaths every
4. Start low: Here I am talking about nicotine.  Different tobaccos have different nicotine levels.  If you are new to smoking stick to thing like Social Smoke and other low nicotine tobaccos.  If it’s a modern style the chances are it’s lower in nicotine than something like Nakhla.
5. Give yourself time in between bowls: You don;t have to constantly be smoking to enjoy hookah.  It’s supposed to  be relaxed and relaxing.
6. Don’t smoke more than one bowl a day to start: After years of smoking hookah and cigars I still get a headache if I smoke three bowls in the course of a day.  I usually smoke stronger tobacco so this is understandable but it’s still unpleasant.  If you just started, stick to one bowl until your tolerance builds.  It may never build up so just enjoy the bowl instead of already planning on packing another right after.
7. DO NOT exercise directly before or after smoking: This will raise your blood pressure more and can make the effects of nicotine come on sooner and harsher.

All in all the basics are eat, drink water, slow down and relax.  Hookah is supposed to be chill so you should do everything you can to make sure it is.  Help your friends out with these tips as well.

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Charcoal is one of the three big necessities for smoking hookah.  There is really nothing you can do with a hookah and a bunch of hookah tobacco unless you have the proper charcoal to make it all come together and produce the hobby we all know and love.

The charcoal that is most popular today is a style consisting of ground up plant matter (most often wood or coconut shells) that is reformed into a consistent shape with a consistent density that will result in a predictable smoking experience most of the time.

The origins of hookah are much more simple.  Natural charcoal is where it all started.  This is nothing more than pieces of wood (lemon wood in this case) that have been turned into charcoal.  There are no binders and no chemicals.  This is as pure as it gets and this is the method that many will swear by until the end of time.

These charcoals are irregular in size and need to be worked with to make them usable.  you will always get a good amount of small unusable pieces at the bottom of the bag and some giant pieces that need to be broken up to make them usable.  This can result in your hand getting covered in black dust and it can get a little messy.  The varied sizes can actually be a blessing at times as well.

Let’s say that you have been smoking a bowl for a good amount of time and it’s at the point where you know there is a little more life left in it but not enough for a full round of coals.  With the more modern styles of charcoal you would be wasting an entire sessions worth of charcoal if you lit another round only to find the flavor peters out after 15 more minutes.  With the varied size I enjoy being able to fine tune the heat that I am using.

The burn on these pieces can vary quite a bit but is almost always good.  So long as the piece is big enough it will have good heat production and good longevity.  As I said earlier there is always a good amount of unusable pieces and dust at the bottom of the bag.  The coals are fragile and in travel they will get bumped around and some will be smashed.  The majority will always be good, usable charcoal.

The price on these is reasonable.  They require a little more work and are a bit more “old school” but they are cost efficient because of how much you get out of each kilo and how little you have to pay.  I prefer the more modern forms of charcoal but natural charcoal will give you the cleanest session possible because it is made out of unadulterated fruit tree wood (most commonly lemon or orange) with nothing added in any way.

As a final note, these do not taste like lemon.  They taste like nothing.  The lemon part is only the tree that the wood was harvested from and it’s some of the best wood for the job.

5 out of 10.  I really do like natural charcoal but they can be a hassle to work with because of the mess and sometimes having to resize them to make some of the pieces usable.  I think everyone should try smoking with charcoal like this at least once.  It’s an experience to say the least and really is the cleanest smoke you can get.  It’s also good to know about the evolution of our favorite hobby.

Related posts:

1. Belgium Natural Disc Charcoal For Hookah

Social smoke is a brand that you should all be familiar with at this point.  I have been working my way through the multitude of flavors that the line offers and the average review is definitely positive.  Potion #9 by Social Smoke found it’s way into my hookah recently and I was pleasantly surprised.

I thought that this flavor was going to be something overly candied and artificial because of it’s name being a reference to love potion #9 which has an obvious association with valentines day which leads to thoughts of badly flavored candies and a pocket full of melted chocolate.

The smell on this flavor is nothing like what I expected.  The official description is a “tempting mix of fresh Melon, tart Cherries, ripe Raspberries, and juicy Pineapple.”  I can easily pick out the raspberry and the cherry.  The pineapple might be there but comes across as a generic sour and almost citrus flavor.  The melon is in the background a bit and I am ok with that as melon can easily over power other flavors.

The clouds are the standard from social Smoke at this point and are sure to satisfy the storm clouds seekers out there.

The flavor is just about the same as the scent.  It’s dominantly a blend of sweet fruit with a slight bit of sourness.  I wouldn’t say that the pineapple is really present in my opinion.  The raspberry and melon and somewhat in the front while being supported by the cherry.  It’s not particularly artificial but is somewhat of a candy flavor which makes sense considering it’s components.

8 out of 10.  I really like this flavor and will be smoking it happily for a while.  As always I would be happy if the flavor was a bit more natural and if all of the different flavors that are supposed to be a part of it were easily recognizable.  It’s worth checking out.

Related posts:

1. Social Smoke Banana Flavored Hookah Tobacco
2. Social Smoke Raspberry flavored Hookah Tobacco
3. Social Smoke Berry Punch

Grape is not a favorite flavor of mine but it’s not something I detest by any means.  I have some friends that really love grape so I picked up Social Smoke Grape and decided to give it a review.

The smell on this one is very much like grape soda.  It’s, without doubt, an artificial grape candy type scent.

The smoke is exactly what I expect from Social Smoke at this point.  It’s great.

The flavor I find a little lacking.  It’s weak and tastes of grape gum.  It’s sweet and quite enjoyable but it’s not a favorite of mine.  I wish it was a more realistic flavor and I really wish it was stronger.  My friends enjoy it as well but agree with me for the most part.  We all enjoyed the session and will be smoking this until it’s gone but it probably won’t be on the re-order list.

5 out of 10 on this one for me.  It’s definitely tasty and I suggest picking it up if the flavor of artificial grape is something you enjoy but for me it’s not one I am going to get again.  I feel that there are better grape flavors to be had that are more accurate and actually taste like grape.

Related posts:

1. Al fakher Golden Grape Flavored Hookah Tobacco
2. Fantasia White Grape Flavored Hookah Tobacco
3. Social Smoke Chocolate Chill Flavored Hookah Tobacco

Social Smoke Berry Punch is a tasty blend described as “ripe berries with a fruity finish” and I would say that is accurate.

Right out of the can it smells like artificial fruit punch.  You know what I’m talking about.  The red drink you can buy by the gallon that has no real fruit juice in it.

The clouds are solid and exactly what you expect from Social Smoke.

The actual flavor is more citrusy than I would have thought it was going to be but it’s really good.  There is a bit of berry flavor there but it’s not the dominant flavor.  A little artificial strawberry and some raspberry come through once in a while.  It’s definitely a fruit punch style flavor and I think that this will be a great flavor for the warm summer nights.

7 out of 10.  I like this flavor I just wish that the berry flavors were more dominant and that the flavor was a little less artificial.  All in all I suggest picking it up and don’t think you will be disappointed.

Related posts:

1. Social Smoke Raspberry flavored Hookah Tobacco
2. Social Smoke Potion #9 Flavored Hookah Tobacco
3. Social Smoke Strawberry flavored Hookah Tobacco

Fantasia is just about the most modern brand I have ever smoked.  It’s extremely wet, dyed red and heavily washed.  This makes a lot of the more classic hookah smokers turn their noses up at the entire brand without giving it a shot.

Fantasia Mon Cherry is a cherry flavor (duh) that smells somewhat like maraschino cherry.  That is to say it smells very candied and artificial.  It’s not as bad as to compare it to cough syrup but it is far from the scent of a natural cherry.

The smoke is quite impressive but nothing overly astounding for the style of tobacco.

The flavor is similar to the scent.  It’s very sweet with notes of cherry candy and maraschino cherries.  It’s actually surprisingly light for this brand.  The flavors fade in and out a bit but the sweetness remains.  All in all I think the flavor is too artificial for me.  It’s not an accurate cherry flavor and that’s a big negative for me.

4 out of 10.  It’s on the low end of the flavors I have enjoyed from Fantasia.  I can’t say that I will buy this one again, because I won’t, but I bet some people might really like it.  If you want a candied cherry flavor that avoids tasting like cough syrup then check it out.  Remember that everyone has different tastes and I am a stickler for natural and accurate flavors.

Related posts:

1. Al Amir Cherry flavored hookah tobacco
2. Fantasia Strawberry Lemonade Flavored Hookah Tobacco
3. Fantasia cuban Mojito Flavored Hookah Tobacco

I have heard a few good things about the Belgian Natural Disc Charcoal so I was very interested in getting my hands on some.  These are a 40 mm disc shape that is similar to the disc quick lights that many people are used to.  These have no starter on them and thus need to be lit light other natural coals.

I have been splitting these in half by scoring them with a knife and snapping them along that line.  They are a little fragile.  No where near as dense as exotica sticks.  They can crumble if too much pressure is applied but it’s not a big deal.  These will leave some black dust on your hands but it’s not bad.  Better than a lot of other coals.

The time it takes to light these is a little longer than my other natural coals on a gas stove but it’s nothing to scoff at.

The important part of this review is how they smoke and how long they last.  The heat they produce is a little low by my standards and it took me one and a half coals to get really good smoke on my mini funnel bowl.

They ash very little and the ash sticks to the coals but it’s not a problem.  It’s just a little different.

They last a while but I’ll admit that I did not time them.  I’ll come back with a time at a later point but you can rest assured that they last a good amount of time.

These are packages similar to the average quick light coal.  They come in sleeves that make them easy to transport and easy to just throw in a bag and go if you are heading to a party or out for some smoking amongst nature.

All in all I am giving these a thumbs up.  I have only smoked with them a few times at this point and I don’t think I can give a fair number rating at this point.  I wish they were a little more dense and did not break so easily but it’s not going to turn me off of them by any means.  The cost is a little high but they are far from the most expensive charcoals on the market.

Related posts:

1. Layalina Natural Citrus Wood Charcoal for Hookah