I spent four days in Vancouver for the Heady Happenings arcade sesh where the winners of the Hash It Out Cup were announced.
Vancouver has always been a hub for high-end hash, but this weekend felt different. The energy was high, the glass was world class, and the level of competition was serious.
A Different Kind of Competition
One thing that immediately stood out was the level of scrutiny.
Out of 30 entries, 8 failed pesticide testing before judging even began.
That is over 25 percent of the field.
At a lot of events, you never hear about this side of things. Here, it was front and center, and it sparked a lot of conversation around what clean hash really means.
As Kyle explained during the event:
“Out of the thirty entries eight of them did not pass.”
It was a strong reminder that clean hash is not just a buzzword.
The Jar Guessing Challenge
Back at the Airbnb, we ran a simple experiment.
Four jars.
Same source material.
Different fractions.
Unlabeled.
The goal was to see if people could actually identify:
- first wash
- second wash
- 45 micron
- 160 micron
Some people nailed it.
Others went 0 for 4.
What stood out most was the reasoning. Everyone had a different system. Some leaned on nose, others on texture or melt, and even experienced hashmakers came to completely different conclusions looking at the same jars.
One thing that surprised a lot of people was how well some of the outlier fractions held up. The 45 micron in particular carried a terpene profile that people did not expect.
It was a good reminder that even at a high level, there is still a lot of subjectivity in how people evaluate hash.
Wookerson BBQ and Judge Insights
Saturday was spent at the Wookerson Studios and Lot Comedy art drop and BBQ in South Vancouver.
This is where I caught up with a number of judges ahead of the main event.
We talked about what separates good hash from great, common mistakes, and what they look for when judging.
There was a consistent theme across all of them.
Clean melt.
Memorable aroma.
Attention to detail.
Or as one judge put it, they are looking for that “lingering quality” that sticks with you.
The Arcade Sesh at Greta
Sunday was the main event.
The Heady Happenings arcade sesh at Greta.
People were lined up before doors opened, and once inside the energy was immediate.
Beautiful rigs everywhere.
Clouds in the air.
People reconnecting, meeting new faces, and checking out entries.
And of course, waiting for the results.
The Results
First place went to Hott Hash Co.
This one was especially cool to see.
He was the one who convinced me to come out to Vancouver for the event, and I have had a front row seat watching his process evolve over the years.
He moved away from older bubble style machines and stepped into a Hashtek A-Series. More recently, he added a 20 gallon BubbleTek for smaller washes and pheno hunts.
His winning entry was actually the first wash he ran on that new BubbleTek setup.
Since then, his quality has consistently climbed, and a lot of people at the event were saying the same thing.
As he put it:
“When I switched to Hashtek equipment, people immediately noticed the quality had gone up, and the workflow just made everything easier.”
Seeing that progression turn into a first place finish felt well deserved.
Hashtek on the Podium
It was also great to see multiple Hashtek users place in the competition:
- 🥇 1st place — Hott Hash Co (Hashtek A-Series and BubbleTek 20 Gallon)
- 🥉 3rd place — Glacier Melts (Hashtek 85t)
- 🏅 5th place — Alchemy Genetics (BubbleTek 20 Gallon)
When you focus on gentle top down agitation and a repeatable process, it shows up in the final product.
Clean Hash Matters
If there was one takeaway from the weekend, it is this.
Clean hash matters.
Testing matters.
Process matters.
Input material matters.
Events like this push the standard forward, and that is a good thing for everyone.
Final Thoughts
From the jar guessing challenge to the judge interviews to the final reveal, this was one of the more complete events I have been to.
Good people.
Great hash.
Real conversations.
And a reminder that behind every winning jar is years of dialing in process, technique, and equipment.
Watch the Full Recap
If you want to see the full weekend, including the blind jar challenge, judge interviews, and winner reveal, you can watch the full video here:
