Exotica Coals!

[nickimholte]

just got my exoticas in, along with some new shisha to try(thanks MN hookah ). Anyways, can anyone give me some tips to lighting these, setting them up, etc?

thanks!

[paiintballa182]

coil burner!

[mushrat]

use about one inch to 1 1/2 inch chunks.
If they are good, you'll have to notch them with something to get them to break that small. an electric coil stove or burner is best. lay them directly on the coil, turn m if you think of it. When they are white all over, plop em on.

[Johnny_D]

I take one whole stick

Score it with a knife in 1/4's and then break them so you have 4 equal size chunks.
Then I use a blowtorch to cook 3 of the pieces for a decent size bowl - works a treat!

Make sure they are glowing red all over before placing them down.

JD

[racemyghost]

Whats with everyone scoring these damn things? Just put some muscle into it!!!

I break 1 stick into 4 pieces (yes, by hand. no scoring involved)

Ive noticed something about these coals, even after they are RED hot all the way around, you have to let them sit for another minute or else you will get some coal taste in the begining. After that, you're ballin!

[Johnny_D]

Because it makes it easier.

[mathuv]

I take one whole stick

sorry its early and i couldnt help it

anyways i use a gas burner...works well, gets them red hot in 5-10 mins. i score em and cut em into 1/4s and use 2 1/4s for a bowl.

[paiintballa182]

even coals ftw

[AlphaJuno]

Was going to pick some of these up because I left my Kwikstart coals at my friend's house, but all the damn shops are closed. So I torched them all down.

[paiintballa182]

stop hitting the bottle

[AlphaJuno]

I don't drink.

[mathuv]

even coals ftw

+1.

i think YOU ought to stop hitting the bottle sir

[AlphaJuno]

Yeah, Bryan.

[Snoopy1966]

Coil Burner. I think I will wait for a while to buy anymore of these coals. I just got 2 boxes and they are sub par, usable yes, but they are very soft, burn really hot for 20 minutes and then I need a windcover. They have marks on them from being extruded and they are full of little holes. I think I am going to go find some QL's today. I wish I would have brought my last box of coconaras.

Canon if you have some good coals bring them this weekend. I will compensate them for you. You do not have to sell me some but i do not want to use up all your coals. You will see what I mean when you get here tonight.

[mushrat]

Coil Burner. I think I will wait for a while to buy anymore of these coals. I just got 2 boxes and they are sub par, usable yes, but they are very soft, burn really hot for 20 minutes and then I need a windcover. They have marks on them from being extruded and they are full of little holes. I think I am going to go find some QL's today. I wish I would have brought my last box of coconaras.

Canon if you have some good coals bring them this weekend. I will compensate them for you. You do not have to sell me some but i do not want to use up all your coals. You will see what I mean when you get here tonight.

That sounds like a new problem....got pictures?

[Snoopy1966]

These coals are nothing but problems. The only way I will buy them is if i can see them before I buy them.

You see the ends are bad too. I wish I had some that were notched on the end yet but I have no choice but to use them for now. I don't care if anyone says i am beating a dead horse. These coals suck the dogs bullocks.

[iamscott06]

Woah! That ends look terrible! Nothing like the box I have right now..

I finally opend up the third box I got and there doesnt seem to be anything wrong with them except they dont hold much heat.. I put my windcover on after only 20-30 minutes... I might get a big box of coconaros next and see how those do..

[gaia.plateau]

GP Exotica and Coconara comparative reviews coming by Sunday night.

Mark your calendars.

Edited March 28, 2008 by gaia.plateau

[J-thehookaholic]

GP Exotica and Coconara comparative reviews coming by Sunday night.

Mark your calendars.

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet

[paiintballa182]

Yeah, Bryan.

[ganesha]

I just bought a box of the Exotica's this past Tuesday. I was using QL's but I like these better. I think the ones in the pic above may be a "bad" box. Mine are all smooth and solid... Granted I have only about a week's worth of experience with hookah smoking though and I'm still experimenting with coals and heat control.

[AlphaJuno]

My batch seems fine. Picked them up today. Going to give them a smoke later on.

[mushrat]

These coals are nothing but problems. The only way I will buy them is if i can see them before I buy them.

You see the ends are bad too. I wish I had some that were notched on the end yet but I have no choice but to use them for now. I don't care if anyone says i am beating a dead horse. These coals suck the dogs bullocks.

Ya, those are bad, see the white layer on the sticks and the fluffy/holey interior. I still do not think Exotica has gotten a handle on their quality control. Buying these things is going to me like playing russian roulette for some time now. I'd complain to whoever you got them from, tell them to call exotica and complain. Those are garbage.

[The Devils Playground]

If I had more then half a brain I would not even respond to this. But well we know I am stupid so here goes nothing.

Gabe has new ones. I am going to Cali Monday I will smoke them I think early in the day if I can get him to his wharehouse if not I will smoke them on Tuesday I am sure while in Vinice.

I will be honest I will be rough on them. The new batches better be good. I wont announce who else but many dealers are more and more reluctant to get these back in. I have back orders for them right now. I hope to have them in hand this week so we can try them also.

I will for sure announce what i think. Gabe pray you have good ones dam it. I want to report to the forums I smoked good coals. If I can`t then I will not carry them again dude.

On a lighter note I look forward to trying the new batch. I have only heard good about the new ones. I will say this and Gabe can just get mad at me.

I have seen some bad coals recently. They look like in my opinion to have not been dried enough at the MFG in China or where ever they were made. So I guess in gabes defence/ peril, I think theres some out there that did not get water damaged so we can not directly blame Gabe but on the other hand like Mush said. Quality control is down right now. I am sure the next batch will be better but I like most the dealers I have talked to will be checking Random boxes as they go out and looking for anything wrong. This new container will either make or Break exotic imports I think. I hope its a make and Mush can bring them back in to his lounge.

theres my half a brain thought on this. Good luck everyone and good luck Gabe I will see you this week have some good ones so I can report on a positive note on these.

[mushrat]

If I had more then half a brain I would not even respond to this. But well we know I am stupid so here goes nothing.

Gabe has new ones. I am going to Cali Monday I will smoke them I think early in the day if I can get him to his wharehouse if not I will smoke them on Tuesday I am sure while in Vinice.

I will be honest I will be rough on them. The new batches better be good. I wont announce who else but many dealers are more and more reluctant to get these back in. I have back orders for them right now. I hope to have them in hand this week so we can try them also.

I will for sure announce what i think. Gabe pray you have good ones dam it. I want to report to the forums I smoked good coals. If I can`t then I will not carry them again dude.

On a lighter note I look forward to trying the new batch. I have only heard good about the new ones. I will say this and Gabe can just get mad at me.

I have seen some bad coals recently. They look like in my opinion to have not been dried enough at the MFG in China or where ever they were made. So I guess in gabes defence/ peril, I think theres some out there that did not get water damaged so we can not directly blame Gabe but on the other hand like Mush said. Quality control is down right now. I am sure the next batch will be better but I like most the dealers I have talked to will be checking Random boxes as they go out and looking for anything wrong. This new container will either make or Break exotic imports I think. I hope its a make and Mush can bring them back in to his lounge.

theres my half a brain thought on this. Good luck everyone and good luck Gabe I will see you this week have some good ones so I can report on a positive note on these.

New formula my arse. Ask him what's so new about the "new version." And if they were poorly made in the factory then he shouldn't sell them. They have his fucking name on them so blaming the MFG in China only goes so far in absolving Gabe of making sure he has a decent and consistant product. And what the hell makes you think I'll carry these things again? The schmuck sent out bad coals, knowingly i strongly suspect because he was going to out a lot of money, plus getting a settlement from an insurance company takes for ever, as was illustrated ealier by the fact that someone saw a warehouse with a bunh of boxes still waiting for the settlement. So i suspect he couldn't afford NOT t sent out bad ones because he needed to make money, not just wait for the cost of them being picked up eventually by the insurance company. Then he reneged on his promise to make good on them. I even got a call from Exotic Imports, some other guy offering to make me a deal on Soex and Afzal, crappy stuff, and to tell me what They were charging for the newest thing on the market, Square fingers....I sat on the phone very quietly..then I said "you don't know who you called do you?" He was like.."uh oh..um no..." so I told him the story, he appologized for bothering me. So If Gabe decides to make good on the money I'm out I may consider it. For now, you buy exoticas, you get what you deserve. But that's just me.....