What is a Jamaican steam cup? And should you try smoking weed out of one?

Although smoking marijuana is widespread around the world, Jamaica has one of the most ingrained cannabis cultures. The Rastafari, a 20th-century movement that worships marijuana as a sacred plant, originated in Jamaica. They believe that smoking marijuana promotes calm, love and depths of reflection and medicines that can serve as a gateway to the divine.

Let’s say you’re looking for more conventional ways to enjoy cannabis, or you’re tired of your normal routine. In that case, you should try burning with a Jamaican steam goblet. These organic devices are said to be the first and most original vaporizers. Originating from the Rastafari beliefs in Jamaica, the steam goblet vaporizes weed using bamboo sticks, coconuts, and hot coals instead of electricity.

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The goblet of steam can be used by contemporary non-rastafarians for a variety of reasons. There are several methods of consuming weed, but burning plant matter damages the lungs. As a result, many cannabis users are shifting to alternative modes of consumption such as edibles, beverages, and—increasingly—vapes.

Why not choose the Jamaican vapor goblet that has the most heritage and personality if you want to smoke a vape? It’s a unique, highly potent, spiritually charged way of consuming weed.

What is a steam cup?

The Jamaican steam cup is a traditional method of inhaling cannabis, although it differs from other traditional methods. Why? Because it does not burn the flower, but “dampenes” it. The steam goblet could be considered the earliest vaporizer. This method of inhaling weed, similar to modern vapes, releases terpenes and cannabinoids without producing as many potentially toxic by-products as combustion.

Surprisingly, the steam goblet combines all the essential elements: fire, air, water and earth. Looking at the components, steam cups consist of four main parts:

Coconut: The main ingredient of the steam cup is a coconut. It is comparable to the chamber of the bong. Its water content helps filter the vapor produced from the head to create smoother hits. When holding and smoking a steamer, the coconut acts as a “handle”.

Cutie: A cutchie is a clay pipe that resembles a large bong bowl. This part of the steam cup supports the flower above the lower stem. It keeps it away from the heated temperatures as THC and other phytonutrients are released from the charcoal.

bamboo canes: The stem and the mouthpiece of a steam cup consist of two bamboo tubes. Unlike typical bongs, this one has a stem and bowl positioned just above the chamber and a mouthpiece that extends from the side of the coconut.

Rough: This essential clay grid rests over the flower and has many small holes. It limits direct contact and burning of the plant matter while also serving as a base for charcoal burning.

Now that you are familiar with steam cups and their components, it is time to learn how to use them.

How to use a steam cup

Mastering the goblet can take a few tries, especially if you’re a dedicated joint smoker. Even if you’re used to working with massive and complex glass bongs, a Jamaican vapor goblet will no doubt feel odd in your hands at first.

Below are some simple instructions to help you get started with this vintage device. Follow them carefully for an easy introduction to this innovative cannabis use.

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Fill the coconut with water first before doing anything else. To do this, the mouthpiece can be pulled off the side of the coconut. Then add water under the opening before replacing the bamboo mouthpiece. Take a naked tear. The sound that comes out should be very similar to the bong bubbling. If you don’t hear that distinctive sound, the coconut’s water content is either too high or too low.

Next, the cutchie needs to be filled with herbs. However, conventional cutchies are connected to the downstem through much larger holes in the floor. To prevent flowers from falling into the calyx, many calyx users put the partially or whole torn off buds inside. If you would instead grind up your bud, cover the hole with a sufficiently large layer of metal gauze before adding the bud.

After filling, place the gravel in the cutchie. Depending on your type, some cutchies have a lip that you can insert the grit into so it doesn’t touch the herb underneath.

Photo by Nigel SB Photography via Unsplash

At this stage things get even more unusual. You are no doubt used to hitting the lighter or vape button before inhaling. You’ll find that when you use a cannabis goblet, you’re reaching into a bag of charcoal instead. Fill the upper chamber of the Cutchie with sufficient charcoal. Then use a blowtorch lighter to light the pieces. You’re good to go when the charcoal pieces are burning evenly.

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Now comes the exciting part. In the same way, you would hit a pipe or bong, put your finger over the coconut’s shotgun hole, and hit the steam goblet. To remove the coconut, release your finger at the end of each hit. You’ll experience a clean, terpene-rich, and slightly herbal taste; Remember, you’re vaporizing weed, not burning it.

You must wash your cutchie at the end of the surgery. Carefully remove the hot pieces of charcoal and empty out the steamed cannabis. Pour out the water from the coconut and save your marijuana goblet for later use. Use some pipe cleaners to clean the inside of the bamboo sticks from time to time.

Conclusion

Thinking of owning a Jamaican steam cup? An expertly designed incense burner is easy to buy online. However, if you’re thinking of doing a do-it-yourself project, you can get a pretty good understanding of how to create one from scratch by watching a YouTube video or two.

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been republished with permission.