Hi everybody!!

I need need some expert advice concerning the referenced subject. In brief,
recently camping on the beach on a fishing trip
I used bottled spring water to soak and cook the beans. I cooked them long
and slow over mesquite coals in a covered Dutch oven using this recipe:

1 1/2 lbs.. Pinto beans,cleaned and washed
1 gallon spring water
Approx. 3/4 lb. lean bacon pieces, chopped into 1 inch squares
1/2 C. plus 1 Tbsp. fresh Garlic, chopped fine
4 Tbsp. Cilantro plus 1/8 C. Cilantro, chopped fine
1 C. White onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. Cumin ( toasted and ground)
1 teaspoon (approx) Chile Petin
1/2 gallon spring water
1 1/2 Tbsp. Salt
2 C. roasted Roma tomatoes, chopped

Preparation:
I soaked the beans in the spring water overnight then drained and replaced
with fresh spring water.
The bacon was fried crisp and 1/2 C. chopped garlic, 3 Tbsp.cilantro, and
chopped onions were added
to the and cooked until the onions were transparent then I added the beans,
cumin, and chili powder.
The beans were covered with approx. 2 inches of spring water, covered and
cooked slow about 2.5 hours
when I added the tomatoes, remaining garlic, and cilantro. This was cooked
another 30 minutes and set
about 30 minutes before we begin to eat.... they were still hot in the Dutch
oven.

These beans were the best I've ever made, the other fellows mentioned they
were outstanding. My question,
do you think it was the spring water or maybe the mesquite coals that made
the difference?

Expert advice/opinions and pontification will be much appreaciated. I want
to be able to consistently do this. Yes,
I make good/o.k Frijoles a la Charra often but what made them so great this
time?

Thanks,
doc