By Anthony, fondateur Goldbar420, on 2026-07-04

How is hash made? From trichomes to concentrate

Hash, also known as hashish or resin, is one of the oldest cannabis-derived products. It is made by isolating the resin-rich trichomesfrom the plant and then compressing them into a concentrate.

Hash is nothing more than trichomes separated from the plant material and pressed together. Dating back several millennia, this substance depends entirely on these microstructures that cover the plant.

But whether it’s dry sifting in Morocco’s Rif Mountains, bubble hash made with ice-cold water , or hand-rolled charas in the Himalayas, the methods differ in both technique and result.

We’ve been producing hash since 2020, in Morocco and Switzerland. Here’s how it’s actually made : the five methods, the pressing process, and what sets an exceptional resin apart from a run-of-the-mill product.

Engraved and numbered Goldbar420 CBD hash bars

Hash is just trichomes. Nothing else.

Everything else is just a matter of method, patience, and raw materials.

Our Method: Dry Sifting with a Tam Tam

At Goldbar420, we use dry sifting—and nothing else.

In Morocco’s Rif region, using the tam tam: the traditional hand-operated sieve, calibrated to 153 microns. In Switzerland, using the P5000 pollinator in Valais. Same principle, two steps.

We wait for the first cold snap in the mountains. This isn’t just a matter of preference: when it’s warm, the trichomes expand, stick together, and clog the mesh. When contracted by the cold, they detach cleanly and remain intact. Waiting means months of tied-up inventory. So we wait.

100% of our flowers go into extraction —no leaves, no stems, no trimmings to pad the volume. Only the buds.

Why 153 microns and not ultra-fine filtration? Because filtration doesn’t create anything— it concentrates. Isolating only the buds would amplify the entire profile in the same proportions—including THC—beyond legal limits. Our dry sift is legal by virtue of its process, not because of any additives: no isolates, no distillates, and no texturizing agents.

Our entire production process is filmed on Instagram and YouTube @goldbar420.

Discover our outdoor CBD resins from the Moroccan Rif
Discover our Swiss indoor CBD resins

How do you press kief into hash?

Unpressed trichomes burn instantly, degrading the cannabinoids before they can be inhaled. Pressing binds the trichomes into a solid mass, slows combustion, and facilitates storage.

The traditional Moroccan method: gently heat the kief, then press it by hand while kneading. The heat releases the resins and binds the trichomes together. The result: a soft, malleable block with powerful aromas.

The pollen press: a metal cylinder that is gradually screwed together over several hours. The pressure alone is enough to form a dense block.

Low-temperature techniques: Modern presses use minimal heat (60–77 °C) to avoid decarboxylation —the activation of cannabinoids, which is unnecessary for hash that is smoked or vaporized but necessary for oral preparations. Cold pressing preserves the chemical integrity of the trichomes.

What raw material makes for good hash?

Flowers > leaves > stems —the closer to the flowers, the denser the trichomes
Cold improves yield —it weakens the trichomes and makes them easier to detach
Drying and refining after extraction is essential —damp hash will mold
Store in glass, away from light and heat

No extraction method can make up for poor-quality raw material. Good genetics, when grown properly, will always yield better hash than a mediocre plant processed using even the most sophisticated method.

The History of Hash, from Its Origins to Today

The oldest form— charas —dates back millennia to India and Nepal, where growers rub fresh flowers between their palms for ceremonial or medicinal purposes.

In the 13th century, growers in Central Asia began mechanically separating the trichomes using sieves. Hash continued to be consumed orally until the late 16th century, when tobacco was introduced to Eurasia—a turning point that popularized smoked hash around the world.

It was along the Silk Road that hashish traveled, took root, and blended with local traditions, giving rise to the extraction methods that still exist today, from the Moroccan Rif to Afghanistan.

What about medical hash?

The extraction process is exactly the same. A trichome from CBD-rich hemp and a trichome from THC-rich medical cannabis have the same structure—the sieve does not sort the molecules; it separates the trichomes from the plant material.

The difference lies in the early stages: the genetics of the plant determine whether the concentrate will be rich in CBD or THC. Another difference is the regulatory framework —medical cannabis is not available over the counter; it is part of a regulated system, accessible by prescription only.

At Goldbar420, both production lines follow the same GACP (Good Agricultural and Collection Practices) standards: documented traceability, tested soil, and no contaminants. It is this dual set of requirements that shapes our production chain, from seed selection to pressing the ingot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can hash be made from any part of the plant?
Yes—flowers, resinous leaves, and trimmings. But flowers produce a much more potent and aromatic hash. That’s why 100% of our flowers are used for extraction.

How long does hash keep?
Well-dried dry sift: up to 3 years in an airtight glass container. Bubble hash: 1 to 2 years. Charas, which has a higher lipid content: about 6 months.

How can you tell if hash is high-quality?
It should melt cleanly when heated, releasing natural aromas. Poor-quality hash burns with a chemical smell and black smoke.

Which method produces the most potent hash?
The static and the ice-o-lator produce the purest concentrates. But potency depends above all on the source plant.

What’s the difference between kief, hash, and pollen?
Kief is unpressed trichome powder. Hash (or resin) is that same kief once it has been pressed. Pollen, on the other hand, refers in botany to the plant’s male reproductive organs—it has nothing to do with resin, despite a common misnomer.

Is medical hash produced differently?
No, the process is identical. Only the genetics and the regulatory framework differ: production under GACP standards, and distribution by prescription only.

In conclusion

At its core, hash is simply trichomes—separated, pressed, and refined. What makes all the difference is the source plant, the patience of the craft, and the integrity of the producer.

We’ve been producing CBD hash since 2020, between the Moroccan Rif and Switzerland. Naturally grown without pesticides, dry-sifted using a tam-tam, zero isolates, zero distillates, zero texturizing agents. Each ingot bears a serial number, and its lab test results are available online.

See all our CBD resins
Outdoor resins from the Moroccan Rif — numbered ingots, one harvest per batch
Swiss indoor resins — dry sifted using a pollinator, consistency guaranteed