Hi Tim W,<br />Thank you for sharing your experience. Our charcoal is made from dense Acacia bushes, which are harder than hickory or oak and known for burning hotter and longer than most lump charcoal. Because of that density, airflow control is key, too much air can push the temperature up quickly and shorten a cook. We usually recommend starting with less charcoal than you think you need and letting the heat climb and settle before adding more.<br />It’s unusual to hear about quick burn times, especially since more than two dozen national barbecue teams use our charcoal for long, slow smokes with great results. If you’d like to talk through your setup or get more tips to help with smoking meat, please email Hello&#64;TheGoodCharcoal.com and a member of our US based team will be happy to help.<br />The Good Charcoal Team

Dear Bill,<br />Thanks for your feedback. Our charcoal is made from dense Acacia bushes, not old-growth trees, which helps make it one of the most sustainable options on the market. While we include a variety of sizes in each bag to help with even heating and fewer flare-ups, we know consistency matters. If this bag felt unusually broken up, it might have been damaged in transit, and we’d be happy to help make it right.<br />Feel free to reach out to us at Hello&#64;TheGoodCharcoal.com.<br />The Good Charcoal Team

Hi Luc, Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Finding anything in a bag that doesn’t belong there is understandably upsetting, and we take feedback like this very seriously. Our charcoal is made from real hardwood and goes through screening before packing, so hearing about plastic pieces is something we want to look into right away. We also understand your note about the piece size and want to better understand exactly what you received. We’d really appreciate the chance to connect with you directly and take care of this. If you’re open to it, please email us at hello&#64;thegoodcharcoal.com so our team can review this with you.<br />From The Good Charcoal team