Lump hard wood

robsillup

I've been using Royal Oak Lump hardwood for about 2 years.  The "lumps" in my last 6 or so bags have been no larger then a quarter.  Does anyone have suggestions for Lump Hardwood other then the expensive Big Green brand?

mlc2013

rockwood check your local ace hardware

RRP

This may sound weird, but when I purchase RO or any brand for that matter I always pick up the bag with both hands and give it a slight squeeze like you were close dancing with your "best girl". Then give it a simple quick shake. If the bag is full of tiny broken pieces the bag will be bottom heavy and when you try to shake it it will not have much or even any sound, but a nice bag of lump will be solid to the touch and "full" with a distinct clinking sound!

Besides that I never buy my lump where it has already been re-stacked up on a shelf meaning employees have handled it! Buying if right off a pallet is best!

jtcBoynton

If you have been happy with RO for the past 2 years, there isn't any reason to change.  Lump is brittle.  You have been getting roughly handled bags lately. Follow Ron's assessment method to reduce getting bags of broken up lump.  You may need to check different stores.  Check bags that have not been removed from the pallets - they tend to be less abused then those handled one at a time.  

Any brand can be mishandled and provide small pieces.  My very first bag of Rockwood was nothing but small small pieces.  I assume that my local ACE staff dropped it off the truck. The second bag was much better (they came in the same order). 

lkapigian

FWIW, small pieces are fine. It happens 

OshawaDave

I've yet to see Rockwood in Canada. I've been buying Royal Oak (1/2 the price of BGE) and buying the odd bag of BGE and during cooks use mostly RO, but, put in a few larger pieces of BGE.......helps stretch the BGE lump.

lousubcap

Well it is Friday...lump discussions here are like politics and religion elsewhere.  FWIW-

milesvdustin

If i go to walmart, the lump is on the shelf and usually small pieces. Home depot is right off the pallet and larger pieces. 

bikesAndBBQ

I cannot agree more with check the bag before you buy if you can. Royal Oak, KJ Big Block or whatever. You have no idea what happened during shipping or when unloaded in the store. I’ve checked KJ before I bought and heard some bags that were handled rough and mostly dust and small pieces. 

stlcharcoal

OshawaDave said:

I've yet to see Rockwood in Canada. 

Not yet.....maybe one day.

fishlessman

i would rather have small lump than big lump. easier to light and i have more control over it

gbvinla

I used RO until local Walmart quit carrying it. Their B&B Oak lump is as good as anything I have found. Granted I've never gone the route of Rockwwood. Be careful when you buy B&B because they sell both Hickory and Oak. The chunks are very large. Also carried at Academy.

tml1230

gbvinla said:

I used RO until local Walmart quit carrying it. Their B&B Oak lump is as good as anything I have found. Granted I've never gone the route of Rockwwood. Be careful when you buy B&B because they sell both Hickory and Oak. The chunks are very large. Also carried at Academy.

Trust a fellow Gator here... Try just one bag of rockwood ... order through your local ace hardware... It's that good.
OT .....today in Paris (France not Texas) ...I happened to be wearing a Gator sweatshirt ...  Over the course of 5 hours, 4 different  people walked by me saying "go gators!"
the whole Gator nation thing is alive and well!   Full disclosure... One additional guy speaking French , said something that I did not fully understand...as my grasp of the French language is weak.... It was either " go gators"  or perhaps... " u look like Nancy pelosi" ...being a guy, I hope it was go gators!