BGE Lump Charcoal

Sbiddix · November 2015

BGE Lump Charcoal seems to be burning a lot quicker these days. Anybody else having this problem??I cooked a turkey for 4 hours and 85% is burned to ash...... this dos not make sense as a large bag would usually last me about 3 weeks and cooking on it 2-3 times per week. Brats, dogs and burgers and pizza on Fridays. Anybody using a different lump charcoal?

AaronH · November 2015

Rockwood.

SmokingPiney · November 2015

Hold on to your hat, @Sbiddix....................lump discussions tend to get heated here.

Carolina Q · November 2015

Sbiddix said:

Anybody using a different lump charcoal?

LOL, pretty much EVERYBODY.

lousubcap · November 2015

Saturday night and away we go...
@Sbiddix- welcome aboard and enjoy the journey. BTW-lump discussions here are like politics and religion. But no worries as if it's lump, it will burn, all with different characteristics, some seem to matter more than others.

slovelad · November 2015

If that's the case, just by royal oak... It's a third of the price. And buy 3 bags. Problems solved... I think

SoCalTim · November 2015

IMO, there is absolutely nothing wrong with BGE lump. It is, in all actuality RO in disguise. If you insist on buying some of the lump mentioned above (which can be pricey) maybe, next time instead of putting regular gas in your family vehicle you should fill up with super premium gas.

Hi54putty · November 2015

SoCalTim said:

IMO, there is absolutely nothing wrong with BGE lump. It is, in all actuality RO in disguise. If you insist on buying some of the lump mentioned above (which can be pricey) maybe, next time instead of putting regular gas in your family vehicle you should fill up with super premium gas.

It is a fact that RO makes BGE and that the 2 are identical. Seems like buying BGE is premium gas and RO is regular gas using your analogy.

BGE has the downside of the high cost but with none of the upside. It is hard to debate that there are at least 5 better lump options available. My favorite is Wicked Good. I pay $1/lb and it is superior in every way to RO/BGE.

logchief · November 2015

First off Welcome, check out nakedwiz.com, they have info on every kind of lump you can imagine. Depending on where you're at will dictate what kind of lump is available. RO is quite usable and the same thing as BGE and a lot less expensive.

Mikee · November 2015

Lump does vary from lot to lot and bag to bag. Basing an opinion on nakedwiz's test is questionable. Did they get a good bag or did they get a bad bag? The bags of Royal Oak I used could have scored a perfect score or been a zero. There is a limited amount of choice's in a particular area. Find a lump that suits what you want and realize that some bags will better than another.

Jeepster47 · November 2015

@Mikee ... Thanks for pointing out that lump does vary from bag-to-bag and lot-to lot ... you might also point out that it varies from plant-to-plant for those companies who produce lump in more than one facility.

But, please point out that the user survey on Naked Whiz's site collected over 13,000 ratings from users in order to compile the posted results. Yes, they did an autopsy on a single bag of lump to measure how easily it lights, how long it burns, how much ash is left over, etc. ... that data should be representative of the brand. Lump size and distribution might be suspect because of shipping, but that's really about it that is questionable.

Users (1886 votes) rank these as the top six lumps:

Rockwood Lump Charcoal

Ozark Oak Lump Charcoal

WGC Weekend Warrior Blend (2005)

Maple Leaf Lump Charcoal

Dragon Breath Lump Charcoal

Fogo Premium Hardwood Charcoal

Those results align well with the recommendations that are posted here on the forum. Royal Oak does make the list ... it came in 39th out of 91 rated lumps. Royal Oak received 1307 votes on the survey, so lots of folks are using it. They just don't think it's the Cadillac of lumps ... or put another way, Royal Oak users don't recommend Royal Oak to friends.

As an aside, it looks like Naked Whiz is still taking in user data. I captured a hard copy of the results a year ago. There are more user votes today then a year ago, so I'd suggest that the data is a blend of past and present thinking.

jtcBoynton · November 2015

Some people think Royal Oak is fine and others do not like it. I always wonder if there is a geographic difference in the preferences. RO is made at different plants sourcing different trees species. It is possible there is a noticeable difference between the plants or maybe it is a difference in reviewers preferences.

Mikee · November 2015

Jeepster47 When it comes to which lump to use, a site like nakedwiz is an OK starting point. For the most part, most lump buyers only have a handful of places locally to buy from. The user will eventually determine what they feel is better or worse.

I've been around the block too many times and do not jump on the bandwagon as others. If a brand is touted as superior, I'll give it a try. What is then important is not the belief of the others but my personal experience. I'll make a conclusion and decide from there what to buy regardless of the bandwagon.

HeavyG · December 2015

jtcBoynton said:

Some people think Royal Oak is fine and others do not like it. I always wonder if there is a geographic difference in the preferences. RO is made at different plants sourcing different trees species. It is possible there is a noticeable difference between the plants or maybe it is a difference in reviewers preferences.

The Royal Oak I get in eastern Virginia is pretty decent and I don't find the others I've tried that cost two or three times as much to really be worth the added expense.

There is also the placebo effect, herd mentality, mass hysteria, peer pressure, and other psychological factors that lead people to choose one lump over another.

People should just buy and try a bag or two of whatever brands are available to them and see what happens.

theyolksonyou · December 2015

HeavyG said:

jtcBoynton said:

Some people think Royal Oak is fine and others do not like it. I always wonder if there is a geographic difference in the preferences. RO is made at different plants sourcing different trees species. It is possible there is a noticeable difference between the plants or maybe it is a difference in reviewers preferences.

The Royal Oak I get in eastern Virginia is pretty decent and I don't find the others I've tried that cost two or three times as much to really be worth the added expense.

There is also the placebo effect, herd mentality, mass hysteria, peer pressure, and other psychological factors that lead people to choose one lump over another.

People should just buy and try a bag or two of whatever brands are available to them and see what happens.

There's also the wife effect. She says, "all this **** tastes the same."

You say, "let me try a neutral lump."

Carolina Q · December 2015

HeavyG said:

There is also the placebo effect, herd mentality, mass hysteria, peer pressure, and other psychological factors that lead people to choose one lump over another.

Around HERE? No way!!

_________________________________________

I'm with Yolk's wife...

theyolksonyou said:

There's also the wife effect. She says, "all this **** tastes the same."

Focker · December 2015

HeavyG said:

jtcBoynton said:

Some people think Royal Oak is fine and others do not like it. I always wonder if there is a geographic difference in the preferences. RO is made at different plants sourcing different trees species. It is possible there is a noticeable difference between the plants or maybe it is a difference in reviewers preferences.

The Royal Oak I get in eastern Virginia is pretty decent and I don't find the others I've tried that cost two or three times as much to really be worth the added expense.

There is also the placebo effect, herd mentality, mass hysteria, peer pressure, and other psychological factors that lead people to choose one lump over another.

People should just buy and try a bag or two of whatever brands are available to them and see what happens.

"Herd mentality" hahahahahahahahahaha

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/5o/jg82h940r2h0.jpg

Mattman3969 · December 2015

I'm with @theyolksonyou for the wife mentality. My wife would not eat veggies off the egg for nothing especially mushrooms. She said way too much smoke. This was after using BGE & The all empowered RO. My first cook with RW was steak and portobellos. While she was eating she asked what I did different. My response was I got some good lump but instead of $13 I paid $20. There is absolutely no complaining when I show up with a truck bed full of RW.

It all boils down to your taste and I doubt very many are just cooking for themselves so the wife's reaction has to be taken into account. I didn't mind RO but I certainly like RW better

stlcharcoal · December 2015

HeavyG said:

There is also the placebo effect, herd mentality, mass hysteria, peer pressure, and other psychological factors that lead people to choose one lump over another.

People should just buy and try a bag or two of whatever brands are available to them and see what happens.

We're pretty lucky on this forum that 100% of people agree that charcoal trumps gas, 99.9% agree that kamado style is the way to go, and that 99% here have BGE's. Solves most of the initial chest thumping arguments right there......so what's left? Charcoal unfortunately.

Go on some other non-BBQ related forums and see the friggin blood bath that ensues when someone posts a "OT: Charcoal or Gas??" thread. You get the whole community out swinging. Kind of like what happens here when someone posts about gun recommendations.....you get people all over the spectrum. Whereas on GlockTalk.com you'd only have to narrow down caliber since type/handgun and brand/manufacturer are a given.

bgebrent · December 2015

Rockwood Rockwood Rockwood Rockwood Rockwood cuz I was told, but really my decision. And my real preference, Rockwood. Doctor said he might have to adjust my meds.

Focker · December 2015

stlcharcoal said:

HeavyG said:

There is also the placebo effect, herd mentality, mass hysteria, peer pressure, and other psychological factors that lead people to choose one lump over another.

People should just buy and try a bag or two of whatever brands are available to them and see what happens.

We're pretty lucky on this forum that 100% of people agree that charcoal trumps gas, 99.9% agree that kamado style is the way to go, and that 99% here have BGE's. Solves most of the initial chest thumping arguments right there......so what's left? Charcoal unfortunately.

Go on some other non-BBQ related forums and see the friggin blood bath that ensues when someone posts a "OT: Charcoal or Gas??" thread. You get the whole community out swinging. Kind of like what happens here when someone posts about gun recommendations.....you get people all over the spectrum. Whereas on GlockTalk.com you'd only have to narrow down caliber since type/handgun and brand/manufacturer are a given.

That sucks.
On XDTalk, there are many subcategories, many not brand specific. Just about everything is fair game when it comes to guns. Not as much fun as here, but fun no doubt.

YukonRon · December 2015

I just opened many last bag of BGE lump. It was given to me several months ago as a freebie with my MM purchase. I had one other bag previously, also a freebie, when I got the XL.
After the first bag of BGE, I bought 20 bags of RW. No comparison in the two that I can tell. Both bags of BGE were primarily small pieces, gravel size and dust, approximately 2/3 of the bag. The remainder was mostly smaller than your fist, and about 6-8 pieces of size larger than your fist. The flavor profile was anything but neutral, and for low temp cooks, it is awful. I also use Carbon Del Sur, from RD. much better than BGE, but Rockwood is the best I have used thus far. There may come a time, where I may have to buy BGE again, but it will not be willingly.
The lump is kept in my garage, and my storage bin is a weather proof container, kept out of the elements. No way did humidity play a part in the performance, if you were curious.

bgebrent · December 2015

Rockwood may cost a bit more but for me offers the most neutral profile which allows me to smoke flavor my cook how I choose. To each his own when it comes to lump.

Jeepster47 · December 2015

Why take the opinion of one or two folks on the forum? Over 13,000 votes went into the rankings on Nakedwhiz. Here are the top rated six lumps ... notice that our Canadian friends are included with Maple Leaf Lump and Ozark Oak has gone the way of the buffalo.

1) Rockwood Lump Charcoal

2) Ozark Oak Lump Charcoal

3) WGC Weekend Warrior Blend (2005)

4) Maple Leaf Lump Charcoal

5) Dragon Breath Lump Charcoal

6) Fogo Premium Hardwood Charcoal

If you can't find one of those brands in your local area, check out the user ratings on Nakedwhiz's website ... http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumprankpoll.htm

I like Rockwood, but you may find Martha Steward Chunk Charwood (#86) to be more to your liking.

bgebrent · December 2015

Damn brother @Jeepster47, I thought my pontificating on lump would qualify as gospel. I like my opinion! LOL

Jeepster47 · December 2015

@bgebrent ... Actually I agree with you totally, but some folks in foreign countries can't get Rockwood ... Canada and California for instance. Thus, the reminder that Nakedwhiz provides some great data to guide one towards true lump naverna.

nolaegghead · December 2015

People. Lump is fuel. It's a natural product and it's going to vary from bag to bag in how it burns. You might have more variance in your impressions of how it impacts your cook than how well you built a fire, how many drinks you had, how you didn't remember how much you added, or how many cooks you performed before loading it up to some level you forgot (because you drink when you cook).

Enter the scientific method. Unless you record the data, your conclusions are worth less than a squirt of asparagus piss. Unfortunately the scientific method requires plenty of documentation, controls, yada yada stuff that's work. So unless you do that, your opinions, which are abundant, are probably more influenced by the brand and expectations you learn on this forum and completely meaningless physical characteristics of the lump, like if there was a rock in it, or the pieces were Ron Jeremy sized or "hey, it was cold out". And less by the actual quality of the lump.

Sooo....it is true some brands are more neutral than others. But we add smoke wood to make them not that. Learn to make the best of the natural product you buy and learn to make a good fire, let the good smoke flow before you start cooking and don't smother your fire any time in your cook.

theyolksonyou · December 2015

Well, where's the fun in that?

msloan · December 2015

i prefer rockwood. but my honest opinion is that the quality of my cook and the amount of smoke within the food I cook has been way more based on the quality of my fire than the lump I used to cook with.

Jeepster47 · December 2015

nolaegghead said:

...
Enter the scientific method. Unless you record the data, your conclusions are worth less than a squirt of asparagus piss. Unfortunately the scientific method requires plenty of documentation, controls, yada yada stuff that's work. So unless you do that, your opinions, which are abundant, are probably more influenced by the brand and expectations you learn on this forum and completely meaningless physical characteristics of the lump, like if there was a rock in it, or the pieces were Ron Jeremy sized or "hey, it was cold out". And less by the actual quality of the lump.
...

@nolaegghead ... one word ... spreadsheet! Doesn't everyone do them? How can one survive without a spreadsheet?

Asparagus piss?

nolaegghead · December 2015

@Jeepster47 Spreadsheet!? Get with the 21st century man! Databases are the rage! You can mine statistics out of them like an OCD actuary from Lllyyoods of London.

OK... "Asparagus piss". A bit of literary indulgence. Pee, but stinkier.

Word on that effect (I especially like the "chamber-pot of perfume"):

The effect of eating asparagus on urine has long been observed:

"[Asparagus] cause a powerful and disagreeable smell in the urine, as everybody knows." (Treatise of All Sorts of Foods, Louis Lemery, 1702)[37]

"asparagus... affects the urine with a foetid smell (especially if cut when they are white) and therefore have been suspected by some physicians as not friendly to the kidneys; when they are older, and begin to ramify, they lose this quality; but then they are not so agreeable." ("An Essay Concerning the Nature of Aliments," John Arbuthnot, 1735)[38]

"A few Stems of Asparagus eaten, shall give our Urine a disagreable Odour..." ("Letter to the Royal Academy of Brussels," Benjamin Franklin, circa 1781)[39]

Asparagus "...transforms my chamber-pot into a flask of perfume." Marcel Proust (1871–1922)[40]

BGE Lump Charcoal

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