Hookah Experts! I need help!?

I've been smoking hookah for about 3 years. I have two really nice hookahs. For some reason I cannot get them to smoke like they do at a hookah bar. A couple of other people have set my hookahs up for me, And they've smoked great.



They showed me exactly how they set it up:

Pack the bowl loosely with good tobacco making sure the foil won't touch the tobacco (I use Al Fahker or Starbuzz)

Put the foil on shiny side down (I've tried up too, with no luck)

Poke the holes in a spiral pattern (not to big of holes)

Fill the base with iced water so the stem is about an inch underwater.

arrange the coals on the outer edge (Exotic coals or Diamante)

Smoke it....... Either the hits are week and charcoal tasting. Or, I get HUGE rips... that taste like charcoal.

I've opened the foil to see whats going on and the tobacco is not even getting cooked. And I know it's not my hookah or hoses cause like i said, I've had some good smoke sessions out of my same setup. I'm starting to think there is a greater power telling me to stay away from this sacred form of social meditaion. Somebody please help. Tell me something I don't already know. A fool-proof way to get great hookah smoke. There is nothing like a good hookah smoke. Hookah Experts! I need help!?
Well there are a few possible contributing factors.



1) Packing. It's okay to let the tobacco touch the foil if it's packed loosely. If you pack it as tight as you can yeah touching the foil is bad.



2) Tobacco. The reason shisha companies use red dye is to hide inconsistencies and inferior tobacco. AF and SB have a huge fan base I know. Try tobacco with out dye like Romman, Tangiers, AF Golden Line, Naklha or Fusion.

http://www.hookah-shisha.com/store/pc/vi鈥?/a>



3) Coals. Well I have tried Diamante. Pass. Exotic...do you mean Exoticas, they will have a slight coal taste. To insure no Coal taste switch to a coal not made from coal Coconaras.

http://www.hookah-shisha.com/store/pc/vi鈥?/a>

They are the original Coconut Coal, and still the best and longest lasting. For more smoke you need more heat, the trade off is less flavor. Get a charcoal taste, less heat. Now if you usually use 3 coals with this problem drop to 2 and put your windcover on. Take it off and on through out the session as needed.



The Fool Proof way for good smoke (My Way)



Start with a phunnel

http://www.hookah-shisha.com/store/pc/vi鈥?/a>

Break up the shisha with my fingers and pick up some shisha and drop it in the bowl and do again pushing it up against the previous drop. Repeat till bowl is full and medium packed.

Reynolds Heavy Duty Foil with 3 rows of circles with none over the center hole of the bowl.

Light 3 cocos on the stove. Add two cocos to the bowl across from each other. If week smoke after 5 pulls add the third. To much coal taste then. Loose a coal and add the windcover. Flip and rotate coals every 20-25 minutes. Drop them in the Coal tray to remove spent ash. then replace on bowl. At the hour mark, start new coals, but keep the bowl going. Replace coals and keep on smoking!Hookah Experts! I need help!?
Out of my experience. Burn the hell outta that charkel/ coals you want it to get red throughout to ensure the tabbacoo is getting burned i say just make sure it full red and setting on the foil for a min or two the rip hella slowy and long...and hope for the best! ;D hope this helps you bro
make sure your tabacky is not to damp,i think your problem is with what ur smoking not how ur doin it..
The hoses %26amp; parts will get clogged %26amp; gunked up quite easily. You need to clean the whole works out quite often. I also use a screen instead of foil; it lasts longer.