"Jon Judson" > wrote in message
news:Om%Pe.129$Aw1.64@trndny02...
> Joe Pak wrote:
>
> "I understand the thinking behind the baffle and the bricks, but what does
> lowering the chimney to grate level do?"
>
> In my opinion, nothing good. Unless you like creosote, bitterness, and
> oversmoked food.
>
> I used to have my chimney down to grate level on my smoker, but pulled the
> extension off. I think improving the draft through the pit helps improve
> the end result with food flavor. In my beginning days, I smoked the heck
> out of everything, thinking that it made for good BBQ. Now, I've
> discovered that good BBQ means a proper balance of smoke flavor to
> meat/spice flavor. You'll find in many championships, the number one or
> two complaint judges have with BBQ is "oversmoked flavor." Pulling the
> chimney down to grate level does two things: Holds the smoke in the
> chamber longer at a lower level, and helps hold heat. If you're bricking
> up your pit bottom, the heat retention problem is solved.
>
> Just my two cents... (worth four cents in this housing market)
>

The only thing I can add is that I did a test before and after and found
that the temperature along the length of the grate was more constant with
the mod that without it. I don't have any exact figures, but the
temperature at the chimney end was about 20 deg higher with the mod than
without it. But, I also did the test before making any of the mods. Also,
I leace the chimney damper wide open while smoking and control the temp
using only the firebox damper. I like my results but YMMV.

--
Al Reid