mattarios2 Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 QUOTE (Barnaby @ Jun 20 2009, 10:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>true, but I just usually throw 3 cocos on there, hanging off and call it a day.. it just seems, that while cutting them in half works great, it just doesn't last as long. I might give it some more experimentation this weekend, but considering I don't smoke as frequently, I'm less prone to playing around, vs. just getting a good session going. .4 on what size bowl?i tried 2 on my mini and found it to taste a bit like coal, so i started cracking them and i get full flavor now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryno Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 QUOTE (SimplexCoda @ Jun 19 2009, 05:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>QUOTE (ryno @ Jun 19 2009, 02:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Right now is when I miss the old Al'Alwahel (sp?) coals from Hookah Company. Hands down the best coals I ever had...On a side note, Mush, have you heard of a coal called "Natural Bird Charcoal"? I get them all the time from a Sunoco in IN where i get Nakhla as well, they are great coals.YOu can still get the Al' Alwahel from like smoking hookah or the hookah i think. I cant remember which one. But i never order from either so im not gonan order from there just for a box of coals, but how i did love those things.http://www.thehookah.com/all-natural-cocon...h-charcoal.htmlAre those the same ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjako Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Gah, they finally caught up with me too..it seems local shops and the online orders I got for the last three months were fine, until recently.Though I haven't had the messes as others in this thread (like the coals bouncing off the fire), they are crumbling like mad, first ON the stove as they are lighting, then cracking all over the bowl once placed.Even though a licking orange flame and nice glow was present on these, when they crack, I've found un-lit slivers of black..crud still in teh coal, which, more then likely isn't helping my session any.BUMP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fezmeister Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 one of my local hookah lounges was having this issue too. but the latest case they got (last friday) has been wonderful. i went in last night and talked to em about it and apparently the new one was normal Exotica quality as opposed to the failing quality of the case you got. check the batch code if it has one, because it may be entirely that batch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoop Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 cutting coconaras in half is laughable. i dont buy charcoal to do work on it.exoticas are shit...simple and plain. he was selling kilos for a buck each on craigslist a while ago lolgolden canaries still the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svaals Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I am getting ready to order some new coals. Last box I got were exotica semi-QLs and they were having a lot of the same problems being described here: tons of ash, cracking when lighting, burning up completely in about 30 minutes. And the semi-QL coating just doesn't seem to work, I still have to flip the coals several times when lighting to get the whole thing lit right.I'm gonna try coconaras next time I buy coals, I just wish they were a little cheaper from H-S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 It would be likely that different distributors and wholesalers would have a mix of old and new if the "new" ones were different than the old ones. Some companies would have mixes of both, some would wait until their "old" stock exhausted and then replace them with new ones. Its possible Exotica has a mix of old and new simultaneously that they're sending out, too. Its likely that they're marked identically and they can't tell the difference. If they're sending out a mix to wholesalers, then the cases that retailers get will go "old" and "new" alternately until the "old" is completely depleted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaytoo3 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 QUOTE (jaytoo3 @ Jun 18 2009, 08:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Damnit! i have 3 boxes on the way. I just had to try them out now.So far my 1st box is alright. I'll update as i go through them.Kinda still in favor of coco's. Much more consistent product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjako Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 In response to the above discussion on Coco's not giving off enough heat for Tangiers...weird, but maybe they are actually putting off so much heat that you are overloading your Tang.I've only stuck to Exotica's because I can get them locally, and am pretty lazy to order online the Golden Japanese Canaries, which are, the perfect charcoal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 QUOTE (fezmeister @ Jul 11 2009, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>one of my local hookah lounges was having this issue too. but the latest case they got (last friday) has been wonderful. i went in last night and talked to em about it and apparently the new one was normal Exotica quality as opposed to the failing quality of the case you got. check the batch code if it has one, because it may be entirely that batch.Never saw a batch ode on any of them, and I was looking. Im still getting generally crappy quality out of them. Some boxes have a few good sticks in them and the rest crumble in my hand. You should have the local owner contact whoever they are getting them from. According to my main distributor, he has gotten other complaints about the quality issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fezmeister Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 QUOTE (mushrat @ Jul 12 2009, 09:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>QUOTE (fezmeister @ Jul 11 2009, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>one of my local hookah lounges was having this issue too. but the latest case they got (last friday) has been wonderful. i went in last night and talked to em about it and apparently the new one was normal Exotica quality as opposed to the failing quality of the case you got. check the batch code if it has one, because it may be entirely that batch.Never saw a batch ode on any of them, and I was looking. Im still getting generally crappy quality out of them. Some boxes have a few good sticks in them and the rest crumble in my hand. You should have the local owner contact whoever they are getting them from. According to my main distributor, he has gotten other complaints about the quality issue.yeah, ill see if i can get some more info on the latest delivery, because like they told me friday this newest case hasnt had a single bad stick in it and the go through roughly a case a month. though i buy my boxes from a retailer up the street from said local lounge and the guy who works there all day (its a private business been around for 20+ years so theres usually only one guy working ) he smokes a box of exoticas in a week or less and says hes not had an issue nor a complaint from the customer, so yeah it could be your distributor. but ill see if i cant get some info from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I got some samples of CH coals and CH QL, I love them both. I think I might actually switch from 3K to CH QL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 QUOTE (fezmeister @ Jul 12 2009, 11:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>QUOTE (mushrat @ Jul 12 2009, 09:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>QUOTE (fezmeister @ Jul 11 2009, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>one of my local hookah lounges was having this issue too. but the latest case they got (last friday) has been wonderful. i went in last night and talked to em about it and apparently the new one was normal Exotica quality as opposed to the failing quality of the case you got. check the batch code if it has one, because it may be entirely that batch.Never saw a batch ode on any of them, and I was looking. Im still getting generally crappy quality out of them. Some boxes have a few good sticks in them and the rest crumble in my hand. You should have the local owner contact whoever they are getting them from. According to my main distributor, he has gotten other complaints about the quality issue.yeah, ill see if i can get some more info on the latest delivery, because like they told me friday this newest case hasnt had a single bad stick in it and the go through roughly a case a month. though i buy my boxes from a retailer up the street from said local lounge and the guy who works there all day (its a private business been around for 20+ years so theres usually only one guy working ) he smokes a box of exoticas in a week or less and says hes not had an issue nor a complaint from the customer, so yeah it could be your distributor. but ill see if i cant get some info from them.I go through a box to 2 boxes a DAY, so i have a it wider sample to go by. My supplier isn't the problem, its Exotica's manufacturer who's cheaping out on the ingredients to make a few more bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Or the manufacturer without his knowledge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indian_villager Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 QUOTE (SmokinMoose @ Jun 19 2009, 02:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>If you want a less expensive alternative to Coconaras go with Starlight Coco's they are just as good and alot cheaper. I use cocos because I get for the wholesale price which works out cheaper for me.Starlights are good cocos. I get em for $4.5, but I have coconaras now. I think the starlights put out a much better heat profile for tangiers but every 10 or 15 i'd find one that cracked or split while ashing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted July 13, 2009 Author Share Posted July 13, 2009 QUOTE (Sonthert @ Jul 12 2009, 11:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Or the manufacturer without his knowledge?I dont buy that knowing the company owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 QUOTE (mushrat @ Jul 13 2009, 11:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>QUOTE (Sonthert @ Jul 12 2009, 11:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Or the manufacturer without his knowledge?I dont buy that knowing the company owner.I've seen it in action. The whole Hookah Company washable hose debacle, for instance...manufacturer. I'm not saying you're wrong, just saying its possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 QUOTE (Sonthert @ Jul 14 2009, 04:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>QUOTE (mushrat @ Jul 13 2009, 11:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>QUOTE (Sonthert @ Jul 12 2009, 11:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Or the manufacturer without his knowledge?I dont buy that knowing the company owner.I've seen it in action. The whole Hookah Company washable hose debacle, for instance...manufacturer. I'm not saying you're wrong, just saying its possible?Missed that one. If its the manufacturing plant in China, then It's Exotic import's job to maintain quality control. If they are selling theis product, then they should know it's dropping in quality fast. Like them knowingly selling the water damaged boxes.No, this is being done to make more money by selling an inferior lower grade product is my guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcbayern Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 YOu know after trying exoticas (thanx Mush), I would easily pay 10-12 dollars a box for them retail. I see most places have them for about $9.If they would just keep the quality up. Given the choice for a box of coco's or a box of exotica's for the same price I would take the exoticas all day long.Just my Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Ya, thats the problem, they are still better than almost anything else for the price..but i dont see that lasting much longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_rabbit Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I am going to have to agree here. I got a case of exoticas and these are not right... I have a box of the older ones and they burn great... heck this old box I have doesnt even have the oval inspection sticker on it. I guess we will see what is going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldog_916 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 QUOTE (mushrat @ Jul 14 2009, 08:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Ya, thats the problem, they are still better than almost anything else for the price..but i dont see that lasting much longer.The problem though is that you have a much broader cross section of coals than we do. You get them by the caseload, we get them a couple boxes at a time. It's a much different predicament between you and us. Someone in Texas could get a bad box or 2 and anyone in Florida or Minnesota or Washington could be getting great boxes. With the boxes being inconsistent and not the cases, you cant check every box and every case before it goes out to the distributor. You can only grab a few boxes here or there, check them, and if you find a bad one tell the manufacturing center to tighten up the QA, but at the end of the day, it's out of their hands. It's either stay with the current system or try and find another manufacturer to do the same thing at the same price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaffaaf27 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 has anyone tried cocobrincos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 ell, a while back I predicted this would happen. As soemone in the Biz pointed out, there isnt much money to be made in charcoal. so a company comes along and makes great coals for a while to make a name, then starts cheaping out om the materials to make more money. Seen it happen a few times with coals Ive used/ordered for the bar.Just gotta wait for the next up and coming company to do it right again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Wait. Didn't I say that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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