Heat Management

[Stuie]

I see a lot of talk about ashing coals and stuff and heat management. I was wondering if someone could school me.

I started with natural coals (no name) from a small tobacco shop in Waco, after 6 months of frustration with them, a friend gave me Golden Star Quicklights and I haven't looked back. I light two of these 33mm coals with one slightly laying top of the other one. Whether I smoking my combo bowl, Pyrex bowl or Hemi bowl I never touch the coals and they last the entire session ranging from 90-120 minutes.

So I am looking to try natural coals again so could someone give me some help on all this heat management stuff?

[Shifty]

Depending on what type, size, and number of coals you use, coupled with what type of bowl you have, your heat management is going to change. For instance, my standard mya bowl isn't really large enough to support more than 2 coals. So when I am using it normally i start with the coals on the outside edge, and every 15-20 minutes, rotate them slightly and move them more towards the center. I use Coconaras/QL/broken finger coals so the size of each when I use them are pretty constant.

Now for my phunnel, which is significantly larger, I tend to use 3-4 square coals. (2 QL broken in half) If 3, i put them in a triangle pattern and rotate them clockwise every 10 minutes. I realize that every 10 may be overkill, but I enjoy it. I ash them 2-3 times a session, since the coals last about an hour or so, thats roughly every 20 minutes. Square pattern I move them every 5 minutes due to the amount of heat they are kicking off. The key point in this dance is to know when there is too much heat on your bowl and when to move them off. I may start with 3 coals, but if I notice the taste is moving towards the harsh side, I'll set one piece in my coal holder till later. Surprising how long coals will last if you just let them sit there. Once the coals start to die off a little, instead of lighting another I have found that adding a wind cover will actually help loads. It controls the heat better and can still keep the shisha cooking without the coals being at full strength.

The big problem you will find with true naturals is that each piece is going to be different, which makes managing your heat more crucial. One piece may last you an hour, one piece may last 30 minutes. Naturals definitely are fantastic but this is the price you pay for them.

Go nuts.

[Stuie]

Thanks Shifty, I have been using QLs for years. I have read so much praise of Exoticas and wanting to try Coconara's because I love their concept, I thought I might need a little education on them before tackling them again after several years of not using them.