Trial a briquette sample on your own grill in two runs
A specification table answers the supplier’s questions. Your grill answers yours. The two answers do not always agree. A briquette with low ash on paper can be awkward in a narrow stove, and a charcoal that looks ordinary can suit exactly the way you fan the fire. For that reason almost every buyer should run a briquette sample on their own equipment before the first wholesale order.
The trouble is that many trials end as an impression: “seemed fine” or “not great.” Impressions are hard to compare and hard to take to sales. This note offers a plain notebook and two runs.
Prepare before the briquette sample arrives
Write down three things first.
A reference. The charcoal or briquettes you use now. Keep one full basket back so it can be burned on the same day as the sample.
One grill. The one you use most. Do not put the sample on the big grill and the reference on a small stove.
What you are looking for. Pick two or three results that matter to your business, such as a quick light, embers that last until the final customer, little ash settling on the food, or briquettes that stack well on the rack. You may note other things, but do not score them.
Run one: ordinary conditions
Do it as on a normal day. Use the same amount as the reference, light it the same way and manage the fire as you always do. Record:
- the time you lit it and the time the embers were ready;
- the number of pieces you loaded, and any top-ups;
- the time the embers began to fade and the time they were out;
- what the leftovers look like: fine white ash, chips, or pieces that did not burn through;
- the fire keeper’s remarks: did it need more fanning, were there sparks, did the food taste or look different.
Write what you saw, not a guess at the cause. “Embers faded at 8:40 pm” is useful. “Maybe the moisture is high” may be wrong.
Run two: repeat it, change one thing
Repeat on another day. Same conditions, same amount. If you want to test one variable, change only one, for example the way you lay pieces at the bottom, or the number of top-ups. The aim is to see whether run one repeats. A single run can be thrown by wind or by a busier crowd.
Reading the result
Put a page in front of you with two columns, briquette sample and reference. Fill the rows that match what you were looking for. Then ask three questions.
- Is the gap bigger than the day-to-day swing? If two runs of the reference alone differ a lot, a small difference with the sample is not evidence.
- Is the thing that differs the thing you care about? A faster light means little to a kitchen that keeps its fire going all day.
- Does the sample stand for what will be delivered? Ask sales whether the sample comes from the lot in the quotation and which shape will ship.
How far to trust the table
Kora prints grade A briquette figures on the briquette page: ash, fixed carbon, moisture and burn time. Kora prints those figures, and the only lab report so far covers grade B, so read them as questions. If your own result is far from what you expected, take your notes to sales and ask for the method and basis behind the numbers. Tidy notes keep that conversation short.
Burn time per piece in the table is also not the same as how long embers last on your grill. Piece size, airflow and the way you stack them all play a part. Do not be surprised if the numbers do not match. Use your notes as the yardstick for your own business.
Before you approve an order
One page from two runs is enough to decide whether to go on. If you do, ask for a quotation that names the same product and shape as the sample, and keep your notes to compare with the first delivery.
Ask for a briquette sample and a quote
Describe your grill, the results you want and your city through the contact page. Sample availability is discussed with sales, and the first reply arrives within two business days.
Questions buyers ask
How do I trial a briquette sample before a first wholesale order?
Run it twice on the grill you use most, next to a reference basket of your current charcoal. Record the light time, when embers were ready, top-ups, when they faded and what the leftovers look like. Write what you saw, not guesses about the cause.
How can I tell a real difference from one bad day in a charcoal trial?
Check whether the gap is bigger than the swing between two runs of your reference alone. A second run on another day shows whether the first repeats, since wind or a busier crowd can throw a single run off.
Does the burn time in Kora's briquette table equal how long embers last on my grill?
No. Kora prints a burn time of at least 90 minutes per unit for grade A, but burn time per piece is not ember life on your grill. Piece size, airflow and stacking all play a part, so use your own notes as the yardstick.
Does Kora have a laboratory report for its grade A briquettes?
No. Kora prints grade A figures, but the only laboratory report it shows covers grade B samples. Read the table as questions, and if your result is far from expectations, ask sales for the method and basis behind the numbers.