I bought a Bewley!!

rubbbq · Posted: Jun 05 2013 Post subject: I bought a Bewley!!

I finally bought my dream pit - AN Bewley 1100!

For those that aren't familiar, Mr. Bewley was Mr. Oyler's partner when they started making pits in the 60's(?)...

Mr. Oyler got hit by a train, and Mrs. Oyler wanted to sell the company. Mr. Bewley couldn't afford to bankroll it, so he got a job elsewhere and let the company go - it was sold to J&R Manufacturing, so now it's J&R Oyler.

10 years later, Mr. Bewley started making pits again - using his expertise and design experience to start AN Bewley Fabricators .

The pits are identical in technical (combustion) design, both using a magnetic latch to open and close the combustion air vent. 100% Wood Burning.

I like that Bewleys are stationary - I just don't dig rotisserie pits for some reason. I have a rotisserie pit for vending, and it cooks fine, I just like shelves better...probably no difference, just what I learned to cook on and am used to.

I've had my eye on these pits for awhile, but it's hard to find them outside of their home state (Texas)...so after you drop 10k-15k for a used pit, it costs another 2-3 k to get it home! This one was in Joliet, IL - about an hours drive from Chicago - and the guys is delivering it on a truck and bringing his forklift to get it off the truck and into RUB's!

Here's a few pics...she needs a paint job, but is otherwise very sold!

www.Anbewley.com

This weekend is our big ribfest - www.ribfest-chicago.com...so I've paid for it, but it's not being delivered until next weekend (16th/17th).

Wish me luck this weekend, we're the defending champs from last year - and we plan on selling 1600 slabs of ribs, 1000 pounds of pork shoulder and 1000 pounds of chicken....PLEASE DONT RAIN!
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qfanatic01 · Posted: Jun 06 2013 Post subject:

Good for you, I saw probably that one on craigslist a couple of weeks back. Good luck this weekend. The Twin Cities needs to get a ribfest going again. I talked to a promoter last year and he never followed up. Memorial Day weekend is open for events in the cities and the stone arch bridge area would make a awesome site. I might be interested in one of your old ones.
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The lessons are in the customer's criticism. They aren't always right. The rewards are their satisfaction.

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Jun 07 2013 Post subject:

Absolutely spectacular!!!!!
Those are some big ugly SOB's, but they can cook, and cook good!!

Welcome to the "Log-Burners Club"
You're not going to want to feed that thing nice perfectly dry seasoned firewood like other pits prefer, it is going to want fresh cut, so fresh that you have water bubbling out the ends of the logs when cooking.
Logs as big as you can fit in that firebox! If you put small splits of nice dry wood, it will belch black smoke at you all day long and turn out some of the most nasty creosote covered meat you could imagine.

I was real close to buying what I was told was a Bewley pit a few years back, but something just didn't look quite right on it, I forwarded the pictures to Bewley, and they confirmed that the one I was courting was a clone, not one of their pits.

The guy selling it got it out of Podnuhs BBQ in Louisiana, So I called Podnuhs, and they also confirmed that it was a clone.
They downgraded (they think they upgraded) to a pair of SP's
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

Bbq Bubba · Posted: Jun 08 2013 Post subject:

Congrats on the beautiful pit Jarred! Can't wait to see it in person! Will you have it up and running soon?
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2013 BBQ Person of the Year
Pitmaster at Lockharts BBQ in Royal Oak Mi.
I cook the best brisket north of Dallas.
Northern midwest director for Operation BBQ Relief

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Jun 12 2013 Post subject:

You got that big Bewley sumbitch fired up yet?

If so, why no "Show & Tell"?
If not, Why the heck not??
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

rubbbq · Posted: Jun 15 2013 Post subject:

We're picking it up Sunday...pix to follow
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Harry Nutczak · Posted: Jun 16 2013 Post subject:

rubbbq · Posted: Jun 18 2013 Post subject:

Nice Harry! We just went over to Joliet to pick it up...Forklift raised it onto the trailer easily

Off the truck, onto the sidewalk...now just need to get it in the doorway..

Fire's lit!

I cooked some ribs yesterday, they turned out great. This pit heats up to 225 in about 30 minutes with very little wood. Great airflow. I cooked shoulder overnight, put them in about 5pm - just took them out - 5am, unattended fire for 12 hours....pit was still 225 when I went in this morning. It was out of wood, but still had coals - so I don't think I'll ever have to start a fire again. Very happy with my new addition.
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Love what I'm doing, doing what I love

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Jun 18 2013 Post subject:

Nice!

Was it shipped to Joliet, or was it working in a restaurant there?

We got delayed a week on picking our pit up.
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

82's BBQ · Posted: Jun 19 2013 Post subject:

Great pit and great place you've got there.
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rubbbq · Posted: Jun 20 2013 Post subject:

Here I am proudly in front of my new AN Bewley!! Installed, & Cooking!

Here are a pic pron pics from the new pit!

I love this pit! It burns a little different...it LOVES huge pieces of wet (not seasoned) wood. Full logs of Hickory, Oak, and Cherry. I have found the Cherry wood burns WAY too fast in this pit, and spikes temps - even the big pieces. This pit seems to love logs, and I love that! Good times!
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thsmoker · BBQ Fan Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Posts: 322 Location: NC

Pit is a beauty and the food looks fantastic.

qfanatic01 · Posted: Jun 22 2013 Post subject:

Nice Jared! I will be coming through in mid July. Going to pick up a hog roaster in Georgia and some parts for my food truck project in Indiana. Can't wait to check your place out. See you then.
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The lessons are in the customer's criticism. They aren't always right. The rewards are their satisfaction.

Bbq Bubba · Posted: Jun 25 2013 Post subject:

Looking great brother! Can't wait to come see it in person!
_________________
2013 BBQ Person of the Year
Pitmaster at Lockharts BBQ in Royal Oak Mi.
I cook the best brisket north of Dallas.
Northern midwest director for Operation BBQ Relief

nskitts · Newbie Joined: 14 Jun 2011 Posts: 80 Location: Jackson, OH

That pit was used in northern FL, I almost bought it but could not get the guy to come off his price much. It looks like one heck of a smoker.

Great find!!
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