Stirring the Pot...B&B Lump

Lawn Ranger

A few weeks ago I defended B&B for being a non sparking, great lump. Last week I bought a 20# bag at Academy to take to OneShot in Nebraska. Result:...lots of sparks and his lid fused shut for the first time after 3 years. Obviously there is a difference in the content in some of these bags. Was once a time that all I got here in San Antonio was the B&B Oak. Lately, it's the B&B Expert's Choice. However, I've never witnessed the fireworks displayed from the bag from Academy.

Inquiring minds want to know if this is a common thread.

BTW, ...hurry it's nearly 8:00;...the bedtime hour for most old farts.

Mike

crawdad

The bag I bought at Academy sparked more than I thought it should. I saw those 20lb bags today but passed them up. I love that Ozark Oak lump. Tough to find around here but when Piggly Wiggly has it, it's $5.88 for a 10lb bag. It was rated at the top of the lump list too...or dang near the top.

SSN686

Morning Mike:

I haven't used B&B for quite some time due to the way the last couple bags sparked so bad. Lately I have been using a Publix branded lump. Not sure who actually makes it, but it does a pretty good job and the cost is reasonable (8.8# for $4.99 on sale or $5.99 normal price).

gwayne

I bought a few bags from Academy as well. I had never used it and at $9.99 for 20 lbs. I figured it was worth trying. The label states it's 100% oak. It cooks great with very little ash, but it does spark like crazy. I'll continue to use it and keep the "screen door" shut on the lower damper.

Beanie-Bean

Mike,

I did two bags of that stuff (B&B Expert) from the local HEB, and both times I was treated to fireworks displays. Same thing with Kingsford charwood. Ran across some Ozark Oak from a local dealer, and I use that as my primary lump, and use Royal Oak U.S. when I'm running out and can't get out to the BBQ place.

Robbq

I've ran into the same thing, plus the bag I had put off an odd taste. I threw out the last 10lbs of the bag and went back to chigger creek and wicked good weekend warrior.

Dr. Strangelove

I was the one who posted about the Academy B&B lump being so cheap here in Athens GA, well after a couple of weeks and most of the bag gone here are the results:

1.) Have ruined two shirts so far.No kidding, I have burned holes in (and multiple holes in one)two shirts in the last two week lighting this stuff - it sparks that much. Since I have owned my large (Eggtoberfest 2001) I can maybe remember one other time I burned a shirt while lighting the egg.

2.) Started fireworks war with the neighbor. Again, no s&*t, I was lighting this stuff with my weed burner (the outside one) right after dark, so much sparking the neighbor apparently thought we were opening hostilities and began shooting fireworks into my backyard.

3.) Have had my arms burned multiple times by flying sparks while lighting. I am now a little apprenhensive of lighting this stuff. Girlfriend asked me if I had some strange disease, nope just flying ash burns. She now thinks I have some strange mental disease.

I have to say that the B&B lump is not all bad, if you could light it on the moon maybe, it burns well with little or no smoke flavor once lit - (hey I'm always reading threads of wives or kids complaining too much smoke flavor - I like mine smokey though) I don't pay that much attention to ash production so I can't really say, except it looks no better/worse than anything else. Burns well , price is right, only downside is I'm literally nervous about lighting it. I mean this stuff looks like the spark thingy you see lighting off the space shuttle main engines when you put a weed burner to it. In fact I'm sure NASA just has a 20lb bag of B&B and a weed burner on the pad. The amazing thing is stuff is so incredibly evil it sparks through multiple cooks! Never before have I seen a firebox spark like that after several cooks on the same lump. In summary, if you have a rocket you need to light off, need to get rid of a few pesky acres of forest, or just have a bunch of shirts you need ventilated, this is the stuff for you, but as a cooking fuel I have to say I'm not real impressed.