It's available in Costco Business for $25 per 40 lb. bag. And based on other posts here, it's been around for a while. I picked up a bag.....
And not likely to pick up another. For one very simple reason.
The piece size is wildly variable. In the first half bag I dumped, there were a couple of lbs. of pieces that were only about 1/2" in the longest direction, and one monster a good 6" in diameter, and probably 8-10" long. While I do expect a certain amount of variability in lump charcoal sizing, the range was more than I'd generally care to use. Some of that is probably due to the mesquite feedstock, it being rather smaller in general than, say, hard oak. Fortunately, in my smoker with it's automated controller, the piece size is a much smaller issue than if I was stoking my charcoal grill, a WSM, a Kamado, etc. It did light easily, and I got my expected 1 lb/hr burn rate.
Taste.... the smoke seemed to be a bit "thicker" and a little more white than the other lump oak charcoal that I generally use. The flavor seems to also be a little stronger, with that distinct mesquite edge to it. I did vacuum pack the brisket and froze it today, I'll post up the big taste test results in a couple of weeks.
So, all in all..... while I'm not completely displeased with it, I'm not likely to buy it again unless I'm in a jam for charcoal. It's really only usable IMO in my smoker and not in my grill as I just can't trust the piece sizes.
And not likely to pick up another. For one very simple reason.
The piece size is wildly variable. In the first half bag I dumped, there were a couple of lbs. of pieces that were only about 1/2" in the longest direction, and one monster a good 6" in diameter, and probably 8-10" long. While I do expect a certain amount of variability in lump charcoal sizing, the range was more than I'd generally care to use. Some of that is probably due to the mesquite feedstock, it being rather smaller in general than, say, hard oak. Fortunately, in my smoker with it's automated controller, the piece size is a much smaller issue than if I was stoking my charcoal grill, a WSM, a Kamado, etc. It did light easily, and I got my expected 1 lb/hr burn rate.
Taste.... the smoke seemed to be a bit "thicker" and a little more white than the other lump oak charcoal that I generally use. The flavor seems to also be a little stronger, with that distinct mesquite edge to it. I did vacuum pack the brisket and froze it today, I'll post up the big taste test results in a couple of weeks.
So, all in all..... while I'm not completely displeased with it, I'm not likely to buy it again unless I'm in a jam for charcoal. It's really only usable IMO in my smoker and not in my grill as I just can't trust the piece sizes.
