Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship
2024-04-26 – 2024-04-27 · Lodi, CA · State championship
Reps: IAN SCHMIDT, JULIE POE · Prize money: $6,000.00
Grand Champion: Small Axe BBQ (700.5028) · 34 teams
Entries
34
7 categories
Top score
700.5028
Winning margin
0.5368
GC over RC
Field average
669.95
median 679.36
Perfect 180s
5 🔥
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
2.2628 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
690.8000
what a walk cost here
Field spread
227.3600
winner to last place
Prize money
$6,000.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 33%
beats 67% of 2713 overall wins in the data
Field strength
1537
avg power rating going in · stronger than 43% of contests
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5368 points — closer than 93% of every championship in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
Small Axe BBQ took the Grand Championship home to OR.
🔥 A day of perfect scores
5 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.
🃏 An upset on the books
Small Axe BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, Meat Candy Q, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 22-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)
Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)
Score distribution
This contest over the years
| Date | Where | Teams | High score | Grand Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-26 ← this one | Lodi, CA | 34 | 700.5028 | Small Axe BBQ |
| 2025-04-25 | Lodi, CA | 31 | 699.4056 | Cherry Anchor BBQ |
| 2026-04-24 | Lodi, CA | 29 | 701.1432 | Smokin' Bliss BBQ |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series — Brisket
33 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.5372 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 2 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 3 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 4 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 5 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 6 | GRILLIN' THE SHED | |
| 7 | Beards BBQ | |
| 8 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 9 | Meat Wagon Smokers | |
| 10 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 11 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 12 | Coaches Pit BBQ | |
| 13 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | |
| 15 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 16 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 17 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 18 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 19 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 20 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 21 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 22 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 23 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 24 | PRISON BREAK BBQ | |
| 25 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 26 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 27 | Mid Valley BBQ | |
| 28 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 29 | Team Taste Buds BBQ | |
| 30 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 31 | RBQ | |
| 32 | PIPIN' HOT SMOKERS BBQ | |
| 33 | Daddyo's Hoppin' Habanero Jelly |
Master Series — Chicken
34 entries · top 180.0000 · median 170.5486 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 2 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 3 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 4 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 5 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 6 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | |
| 8 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 9 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 10 | Beards BBQ | |
| 11 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 12 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 13 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 14 | PIPIN' HOT SMOKERS BBQ | |
| 15 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 16 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 17 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 18 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 19 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 20 | RBQ | |
| 21 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 22 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 23 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 24 | Meat Wagon Smokers | |
| 25 | Mid Valley BBQ | |
| 26 | GRILLIN' THE SHED | |
| 27 | Team Taste Buds BBQ | |
| 28 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 29 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 30 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 31 | Coaches Pit BBQ | |
| 32 | Brewskies BBQ | |
| 33 | PRISON BREAK BBQ | |
| 34 | Daddyo's Hoppin' Habanero Jelly |
Master Series — Overall
34 entries · top 700.5028 · median 679.3600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 2 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 3 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 4 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 5 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | |
| 7 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 9 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 10 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 11 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 12 | Beards BBQ | |
| 13 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 14 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 15 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 16 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 17 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 18 | Meat Wagon Smokers | |
| 19 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 20 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 21 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 22 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 23 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 24 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 25 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 26 | RBQ | |
| 27 | GRILLIN' THE SHED | |
| 28 | Mid Valley BBQ | |
| 29 | Coaches Pit BBQ | |
| 30 | PIPIN' HOT SMOKERS BBQ | |
| 31 | PRISON BREAK BBQ | |
| 32 | Team Taste Buds BBQ | |
| 33 | Daddyo's Hoppin' Habanero Jelly | |
| 34 | Brewskies BBQ |
Master Series — Pork
34 entries · top 180.0000 · median 170.5428 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 3 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 4 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 5 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 6 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 7 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 8 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 9 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 10 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 11 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 12 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 13 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 14 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 15 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 16 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 17 | Beards BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | |
| 19 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 20 | RBQ | |
| 21 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 22 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 23 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 24 | Meat Wagon Smokers | |
| 25 | PIPIN' HOT SMOKERS BBQ | |
| 26 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 27 | Mid Valley BBQ | |
| 28 | Brewskies BBQ | |
| 29 | Coaches Pit BBQ | |
| 30 | Team Taste Buds BBQ | |
| 31 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 32 | GRILLIN' THE SHED | |
| 33 | PRISON BREAK BBQ | |
| 34 | Daddyo's Hoppin' Habanero Jelly |
Master Series — Pork Ribs
34 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.2572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 2 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 3 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 4 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 5 | SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ | |
| 6 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 7 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 8 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 9 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | |
| 10 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 11 | NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT | |
| 12 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 13 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 14 | RBQ | |
| 15 | Meat Wagon Smokers | |
| 16 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 17 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | |
| 18 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 19 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 20 | Beards BBQ | |
| 21 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 22 | Mid Valley BBQ | |
| 23 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 24 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 25 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 26 | GRILLIN' THE SHED | |
| 27 | PIPIN' HOT SMOKERS BBQ | |
| 28 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 29 | PRISON BREAK BBQ | |
| 30 | Coaches Pit BBQ | |
| 31 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 32 | Brewskies BBQ | |
| 33 | Team Taste Buds BBQ | |
| 34 | Daddyo's Hoppin' Habanero Jelly |
Open Comp — Backyard tri-tip
12 entries · top 176.0116 · median 167.1544
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Braddah's BBQ | |
| 2 | BONES SAUCE & HARMONY | |
| 3 | Rack to the Future Barbeque | |
| 4 | Chompa Q | |
| 5 | B&E BBQ | |
| 6 | Max Fam BBQ | |
| 7 | Smokin Colt | |
| 8 | Smokin' Stacks BBQ | |
| 9 | Cuzzos BBQ | |
| 10 | Smoking A's | |
| 11 | Heavenly Hawgs | |
| 12 | Alotta BS BBQ |
Open Comp — Overall
12 entries · top 342.8688 · median 331.9830
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Braddah's BBQ | |
| 2 | Chompa Q | |
| 3 | Rack to the Future Barbeque | |
| 4 | Max Fam BBQ | |
| 5 | Smokin Colt | |
| 6 | B&E BBQ | |
| 7 | Smokin' Stacks BBQ | |
| 8 | Smoking A's | |
| 9 | Heavenly Hawgs | |
| 10 | Cuzzos BBQ | |
| 11 | Alotta BS BBQ | |
| 12 | BONES SAUCE & HARMONY |
Open Comp — Pork Ribs
11 entries · top 170.8228 · median 166.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chompa Q | |
| 2 | Smoking A's | |
| 3 | Braddah's BBQ | |
| 4 | Smokin Colt | |
| 5 | Smokin' Stacks BBQ | |
| 6 | Max Fam BBQ | |
| 7 | B&E BBQ | |
| 8 | Rack to the Future Barbeque | |
| 9 | Heavenly Hawgs | |
| 10 | Alotta BS BBQ | |
| 11 | Cuzzos BBQ |
Turkey Smoke Series — Turkey smoke
28 entries · top 177.7028 · median 168.8400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 2 | RBQ | |
| 3 | PIPIN' HOT SMOKERS BBQ | |
| 4 | Big Boys BBQ | |
| 5 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 6 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 7 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 8 | Team Taste Buds BBQ | |
| 9 | Mid Valley BBQ | |
| 10 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 11 | Daddyo's Hoppin' Habanero Jelly | |
| 12 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 13 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 14 | Braddah's BBQ | |
| 15 | PRISON BREAK BBQ | |
| 16 | Heavenly Hawgs | |
| 17 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 18 | Max Fam BBQ | |
| 19 | Smoking A's | |
| 20 | Smokin Colt | |
| 21 | Smokin' Stacks BBQ | |
| 22 | BONES SAUCE & HARMONY | |
| 23 | Chompa Q | |
| 24 | Rack to the Future Barbeque | |
| 25 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 26 | B&E BBQ | |
| 27 | Alotta BS BBQ | |
| 28 | Pops BBQ 22 |