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If you had to pick one lump charcoal to winter over with what would it be?

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Comments

  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
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    @GeorgeS‌ it doesn't sound like he's trying to argue with people to me. I tried several bags of Rockwood from firecraft and I had the exact same experience with alot of small pieces/dust. I even gave a bag to an experienced egger friend and he was not impressed either. I do have to say the lump in the top half of the bag was fine and even my wife said when I opened it the lump smelled good even when it wasn't lit. My only issue was the smaller pieces. I know there's even more than just shipping that can cause that though the place in the pallet even matters. I was getting RO from restaurant depot one day and was getting 20 bags and got through like 16 and had to go get someone to bring out a new pallet and the bags in the top of the new pallet felt so much better even from the outside that I took all the bags I had already stacked and swapped them with all fresh bags.
    @JRWhitee‌ @stlcharcoal‌ said previously that he could ship a pallet here if that's still the case and you don't want a whole pallet I will take at least a quarter pallet.
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  • GeorgeS
    GeorgeS Posts: 955
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    @Lit‌ I agreed with him in my original post that his problem is more than likely shipping issues. It's the manner in which he makes the claims that lead me to say he's looking to argue. The "fanboy" quote and the switch over to the Thermapen tells me he is just looking for a bridge to settle under. I'm gonna step out, you guys enjoy the discussion. Im gonna go pick up some I gredients to make a pizza for lunch! :-h
    Bristow Virginia XL&Mini One of the best feelings in life is watching other people enjoy the food I cooked!
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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
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    GeorgeS said:
    Sooo now there's a problem with the Thermopen???? People here stand behind good products. If it wasn't a good tool there wouldn't be so many people suggesting its use. I think your just looking to argue with folks.

    LOL, yep, unfortunately......"Overpriced, for right handers only, etc."  Start a thread and see what happens.   

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  • Maccool
    Maccool Posts: 191
    edited September 2014
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    GeorgeS said:
    GeorgeS said:
     I love the "fanboy" comment by the way! .

    Heh. Rabid enthusiasm for Rockwood/Ozark Oak on this forum is rivaled only by the rabid enthusiasm for the Thermapen.
    Sooo now there's a problem with the Thermopen???? People here stand behind good products. If it wasn't a good tool there wouldn't be so many people suggesting its use. I think your just looking to argue with folks.

    Lol. Who implied a problem with Thermopen?. I have a Thermopen, use it regularly. I find it to be a useful cooking tool. Disagreeing with you isn't the same thing as trolling.
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  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,365
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    My Firecraft experience is much like @Maccool‌ described although the OO made the trip in much better condition. Maybe the smaller bags help with less breakdown internally or it starts in better condition IDK but I will not get RW again from FC. Nothing against RW but it doesnt survive the trip well and this end user wasnt satisfied. YMMV
    Jacksonville FL
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  • Maccool
    Maccool Posts: 191
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    Dobie said:
    My Firecraft experience is much like @Maccool‌ described although the OO made the trip in much better condition. Maybe the smaller bags help with less breakdown internally or it starts in better condition IDK but I will not get RW again from FC. Nothing against RW but it doesnt survive the trip well and this end user wasnt satisfied. YMMV

    Eggzactly! I'm only through about half of my last OO order (about 5 bags) but with the smaller bags it seems to have survived shipping better than RW does.
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    Just my thoughts. Order a pallet of a 50/50 mix of RW & OO. You will then have the 2 very best lumps money can buy on hand and at the ready. In my opinion a man would be hard pressed to do any better my friend. You can cover a very wide and vast assortment of cooks with these 2 lumps alone.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    @stlcharcoal‌ ....ever considered 10lb bags?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
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    Maccool said:


    l‌

    Eggzactly! I'm only through about half of my last OO order (about 5 bags) but with the smaller bags it seems to have survived shipping better than RW does.
    Hmmmmmm.....never thought of it like that. We have 10# bags, but Firecraft only wants the 20#'s. I can talk with them and see if they'll try the 10's. Maybe they'll handle the journey better.
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  • Maccool
    Maccool Posts: 191
    edited September 2014
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    Interesting. Firecraft sells the OO in 10 lb bags (might be all that's available from OO). Must be some extra expense in storage and handling with the smaller bags. Relative to shipping, I note that none of the ten 10# OO bags I got from Firecraft were torn or broken, whereas that's not uncommon when they ship 20# bags.
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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
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    Maccool said:
    Interesting. Firecraft sells the OO in 10 lb bags (might be all that's available from OO). Must be some extra expense in storage and handling with the smaller bags. Relative to shipping, I note that none of the ten 10# OO bags I got from Firecraft were torn or broken, whereas that's not uncommon when they ship 20# bags.

    & @henapple

    The problem with the 10's is that they're more expensive per pound.  Even though the paper sack itself is half the size, they're still almost the same cost as the 20# paper sack.  Plus it's twice as much labor to fill, sew, and stack the them.  Twice as much paper and labor per pallet for the same amount of charcoal = more expensive per pound.

    We sell 10's in the smaller St. Louis grocery stores and butcher shops, but we only have a few places out of state we ship them to.  Most consumers want the 20# bag for the value.

    So, let's say you bought two 10# bags that had minimal fines/dust, vs. a 20# that had some you threw away.  I don't know if the increased cost of the two 10's would be a better value than a 20# with some you didn't use.  It may look better to the consumer, but the per pound price may actually increase.  Hmmmmmm, have to think more about that one.  :-?

    In terms of bag breakage, we're switching to a heavier weight extensible kraft paper on the 20's.  Should see those bags later this year or early next year.

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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Jonathan. ..please don't bring any common sense to this conversation. :D
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    For the record, I've been very happy with both RW and OO from Firecraft.

    And I learned yesterday at Brisket Camp that RW is available locally, but it's more expensive and from a dealer that I have decided I would prefer not to do business with.
    NOLA
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  • SloppyJoe
    SloppyJoe Posts: 406
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    Ozark Oak
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  • SmyrnaGA
    SmyrnaGA Posts: 438
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    If I could do it all over again, I'll have all Rockwood.

    I never tried Ozark Oak, but, I have a stockpile of Rockwood (from group buy), Royal Oak (from Restaurant Depot), and Frontier (from BJ's).

    I got a bag of Royal Oak on sale and opened it up this past weekend.  I forgot about the sorting, removal of uncharred wood, and the white smoke you have to burn off before putting food on.  Rockwood spoiled me.  Very little dust, size were medium to large, no huge pieces.

    Before Rockwood, I liked Frontier, then Royal Oak/BGE, then Cowboy (if there's nothing else available).  Now, I'm not sure.  I need to open a bag of Frontier after the Royal Oak...

    Large BGE, Small BGE, KJ Jr, and a Cracked Vision Kub.

    in Smyrna GA.


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  • onedbguru
    onedbguru Posts: 1,647
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    If you are just now looking for sufficient supply for winter, at this late date, you settle for whatever you can find...  :) 
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  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
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    I wish I could find WGWW here, 
    Ozark Oak is my second, worked very well, but the bags are so small. 

    usually I just wait for getting RO, or HEB's brand of lump if I"m shopping, and it's there for me. 

    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
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    Just unpacked my hasty bake order. Lots of dust in the box and heard lots of little pieces rustling down the bags when I picked them up. Crossing my fingers the lumps still in good shape.
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  • DoctorMojo
    DoctorMojo Posts: 126
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    BGE and RO are basically the same thing except BGE is more expensive.
    I cooked mostly with RO for years.  wife never liked egged food.
    local RO vendor could no longer get RO and started getting WGWW and I haven't looked back!
    wife actually likes food off the Egg now!

    Same thing for me. When I started using another brand it swayed her to the way of the egg.

    Southern, Tennessee

    LBGE, MBGE  

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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,661
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    @lit I'd love to hear what you think about the hasty bake after opening the bag and burning some of it.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • denverdenny
    denverdenny Posts: 4
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    @stlcharcoal‌ - can you elaborate on the charcoal grate comment you made? I have the BGE with the cast iron one and I never thought twice about there being any "better" option. Curious as to your recommendations - thx!

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  • SWVABeanCounter
    SWVABeanCounter Posts: 859
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    Well here's my ten cents worth.  I've also bought RW from Firecraft and was highly disappointed in the amount of ash in the bag.  I had bought other stuff and only got the one bag as a trial and to get to the $100 for the free shipping.  Earlier this year I went a little out of my way on a family trip and picked up eight bags of RW from a dealer in NC.  There bags had considerably less dust than what I got from Firecraft so my conclusion is that it's the process of shipping from Firecraft to my home door that created the extra dust.

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

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  • rayofsmoke
    rayofsmoke Posts: 14
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    I have no complaints with Royal Oak or should I say RO in egg lingo, always works as advertized and low priced, with is easy to accsess at Walmart.

    Shipping cost usally keeps me from on-line purchases. 

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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
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    denverdenny said:
    @stlcharcoal‌ - can you elaborate on the charcoal grate comment you made? I have the BGE with the cast iron one and I never thought twice about there being any "better" option. Curious as to your recommendations - thx!

    We used to make a stainless steel replacement out of expanded stainless steel.  It allowed 3x as much airflow through, and in turn, more ash to fall through.  When people started copying the design with regular steel, we didn't feel like competing.  You can see all of them on eBay.

    A lot of people also run a "HiQue" which looks like a little stainless steel grill grate use for fire grate.  I like the expanded stainless steel better, but either will work great.

    It's the quickest, easiest, most efficient (and probably the best improvement) you can make to a BGE.

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  • KennyLee
    KennyLee Posts: 806
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    I'll add another vote for either OO or RW.  Both great lump.  Since OO is the only one sold anywhere close to me, that's what I'll be going with.  If I couldn't find either, I'd order online, but prefer to buy locally if possible. 

    LBGE

    Cedar table w/granite top

    Ceramic Grillworks two-tier swing rack

    Perpetual cooler of ice-cold beer

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  • bbqlearner
    bbqlearner Posts: 760
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    WGWW

    Houston, TX - Buddy LBGE, Don SBGE, Tiny Mini & Shiny Momma Pitts n Spitts

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  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
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     I've been lucky to participate in group buys and order pallets to split.  Even bags that are damaged (e.g. ripped)  are still decent in terms of fines.  Bummer to hear that Firecraft RW gets beat up. Hopefully I don't run out before the next group buy. 

    When I get to the very end of the bag and the amount of dust is high, I pour the charcoal on a screen (1/4" x 1/4") and let the dust go through it. I don't like loading the egg up with dust, even if it will burn and so far the amount of dust hasn't been enough to make me feel that I'm dumping my money in the trash. 
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
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