Abu Hitam Black Japanese Charcoal

[NIGHTS OF BAGHDAD]

anyone have any experience with these?

http://www.hookahcompany.com/abu_hitam_black_61_prd1.htm

[Santino]

My choice of coal is a golden canary isn't available.

Quality points.

[no longer welcome]

i tried them at tangier's oddessey lounge last week and saw that they are shaped differently. also i was working kind of and playing cards, not really making my smoke a priority. i felt like they break apart easier or crumble differently. i think they are replacing gc's only by default, meaning no other choices when it comes to japanese coals, other than crap quality imitations.
i'd like to hear mush's opinion on these (if he hasn't given it) since he owns a lounge and I think he uses tangiers and exoticas.
the gc's are really pricey as are the ah's.
i'm going to visit eric tomorrow and will pay more attention to them, and report back.

[Jacob Shock]

Eric has already stated that the new batches are not that good. not horrible, but not quite $15.

[Codename067]

Newer batches are meh, nothing like before, no question there. Any regular smoker would notice.

I haven't tried these coals yet, if anyone's tried them, chime in!

[foibled again]

anyone have any experience with these?

http://www.hookahcompany.com/abu_hitam_black_61_prd1.htm

Why ya gotta be calling them black???

Check out the most recent Golden Canary thread as they are discussed in that thread also.

Eric has already stated that the new batches are not that good. not horrible, but not quite $15.

Not quite $15? When did he say that? He only doesn't like them because they've been lighter than the now depleted GCs and they wholesale for a little more, which makes sense considering they go through more hands before vendors get them compared to GCs. They retail for the same though. FWIW my last box of Golden Canaries were of the 16g variety whereas the entire current box of Abu Hitams I have open are 15g. Personally I think the difference in density is actually negligible and that the weight difference is because the Abu Hitams have a concave ridge on one side instead of being flat. They're functionally the same as GCs with the exception of a little less heat output, which isn't that big of a deal once you make some minor adjustments to your heat management practices. That actually makes them pretty good IMO, especially when the alternatives aren't up to par with the exception of Fumari charcoals which are the only other authentic Japanese coals I know of available but more expensive (btw, thanks Wade, you were right about them).

Newer batches are meh, nothing like before, no question there. Any regular smoker would notice.

I haven't tried these coals yet, if anyone's tried them, chime in!

If you haven't tried them yet, how do you know the newer batches are meh and that any regular smoker would notice?

[Scrappydoo]

I have some in my cupboard right now! THey are great; heat up quick, not much smell (more than coconaras, but WAY less than almost anything else). They ash up a lot but that's really my only complaint! This is what most people smoke with around here, especially before coconaras came along, they heat up in about 1/3 of the time!

[antouwan]

i have a box. i can get them locally for a good price. cocos are still my fave by far. these just don't put out enough heat for the way i smoke/am used to heat managing.

[Sonthert]

Whehter Goldens or Abu Hithams, the 15-16g bars crumble, unfortunately, if you put lateral torque on them. If you grab the edges carefully or grab them by the faces, they are usually fine.