Honestly I didn’t notice that much of a difference. Red oak I thought was better at leaving a bed of coals. But ash dries so much faster and splits so easy.
Free wood, someone else split it wood, someone else stacked it wood, and hickory. Red oak, white oak, hickory, ash.
Maybe it's not available in his area? I selected wood available to me, 3 of which are in my stacks seasoning. I'm sure most wood probably select osage if there were many many tree's out there for us to process, at least I know I wood.
I have some hedge in the stacks, but I consider it a PITA to fell and buck- hard on chains. My Mount Rushmore? Locust, Locust, Locust, silver maple.
What we have local... hickory, oaks, American Holly, tulip poplar. We have a good bit of cherry also.
I have no plans on moving for the rest of my life and we have several acres of wood so with the wood that is available to me from our place, the 4 would be white oak, white ash, shagbark hickory and elm.
Ok maybe my first comment wasn’t clear enough. I probably shouldn’t have replied because I didn’t have the time to do it clearly. What I mean is I would think everyone would choose at least one or two of the highest btu wood they have in their local area as well as other woods that fit their needs as well, such as a lower btu, quick burning wood for shoulder season or burning down coals, etc.
How does the sourwood burn? We have a few logs now waiting to be CSS... I just noticed that you are in GA...What part do you call home?