British BBQ Society Forums

Hello everybody. Is it me or have Weber brought out a new briquette in a plain white bag? I keep seeing these new style bags on the tinterweb and was wondering if there is any difference or is it just a bit of re-merchandising by Weber?


Cheers Cawky

Hi Cawky.
When we were over at the Weber Academy in Oxford last year, they spoke then about a new range of long lasting briquettes coming out in the UK this year. Havent seen any in the shops yet. What size have you seen?
Derek.

I've picked up two bags recently from a garden centre, £4.99 for 3kg or £9.99 for 7kg a bag Quite a lot more than I usually pay for charcoal, I usually stick to lumpwood/wood combination but was curious about their claims to these being premium extra long burn time. I think they would benefit more when hot n fast grilling lots of food.

Can you post a pic of the bag?

I bought some at the end of last year, and due to the weather it's been stuck in the garage. I think it's a different style bag (more white) than I've had previously.

I think the old ones looked like this:

http://www.weberbbq.co.uk/uploads/produ ... eight/283/

The new ones look like this:

http://www.keengardener.co.uk/6401-1004 ... uettes.jpg

There's been a lot of debate and discussion about Weber briquettes: yellow/orange ash (apparently caused by vegetable starch binder - my guess would be carrot?), a funny smell when lit (though most people seem to find this disappears by the time they're ready to cook), and so on.

But one thing I've always found is that they're very good at keeping burning for a long time.

If the new sort burn even longer than the old ones, that'll be excellent.

Steve W

Yes they're the ones in the whiter bags, I'm currently storing all my lumpwood charcoal and these new briquettes in the dining room as m y shed is too damp, The Mrs is so happy with that arrangement lol

Pecker wrote:There's been a lot of debate and discussion about Weber briquettes: yellow/orange ash (apparently caused by vegetable starch binder - my guess would be carrot?),Steve W

Talking to Weber, they say its cornstarch.
Derek.

derekmiller wrote:

Pecker wrote:There's been a lot of debate and discussion about Weber briquettes: yellow/orange ash (apparently caused by vegetable starch binder - my guess would be carrot?),Steve W

Talking to Weber, they say its cornstarch.
Derek.

Cheers, that's good to know. Most of us will eat cornstarch as an ingredient in food on an almost daily basis, so there's no fear of it damaging the food. It is food! I occasionally use it as a thickener in foods, gravies, casseroles, etc. I can see why it'd be good as a binder.

You may notice from the bag that these are:

"...made from high purity carbon concentrate derived from mineral coal..."

Generally speaking this means coal with a particularly high carbon content, and fewer impurities. As such it should be excellent for the job.

Wood is usually around 50% carbon. Charcoal is around 80-85%. High carbon mineral coal can be way up in the 90s, so these could potwentially be purer than lumpwood. I know that Australian heat beads are made from high carbon coal, and are then carbonised (in the same way charcoal is made from wood), so the purity should be extremely high.

Just waiting for the weather to warm up a bit, and I'll be able to give these a go.

Steve W

Good evening, that's the stuff I've seen on the web but not actually seen it available around here yet, all though I am in Hull after all I'm under the impression that Weber once used Aussie Heatbeads as there own briquette so do you think they may have gone back to that idea again?

Pecker wrote:Generally speaking this means coal with a particularly high carbon content, and fewer impurities. As such it should be excellent for the job.

Wood is usually around 50% carbon. Charcoal is around 80-85%. High carbon mineral coal can be way up in the 90s, so these could potwentially be purer than lumpwood. I know that Australian heat beads are made from high carbon coal, and are then carbonised (in the same way charcoal is made from wood), so the purity should be extremely high.

Steve W

Thanks for that Steve. Very interesting, cant wait to try some. I have also got a bag of heat beads somewhere, bought them as an emergency backup but never used them.

derekmiller wrote:Thanks for that Steve. Very interesting, cant wait to try some. I have also got a bag of heat beads somewhere, bought them as an emergency backup but never used them.

Me too! Never used heat beads, but have a sack waiting to go.

Steve W