Sep 12–13, 2025 · Guntersville, AL · 📍 24 State Campground Rd
Reps: Carol Bigler, Randy G Bigler · Prize money: $4,000
Big James Kitchen won Grand Champion at the Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) on September 12, 2025 in Guntersville, AL at 24 State Campground Rd, scoring 357.7144 in a field of 28 teams. 931 BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 357.7028. Category winners: Chicken — Armstrong Smoke & Co. (180.0000); Pork Ribs — 205 Smoke (180.0000). This is the 3rd of 3 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition was won by Big James Kitchen.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 96% of the 610 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0116 points — closer than 96% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 81 times in 100
Big James Kitchen came in rated below the field's top team, WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 19-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Big James Kitchen won here last time out too — 2 straight editions of this contest.
6 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
2 of 3 tracked editions
Big James Kitchen has won this contest 2 times across its 3 tracked editions.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 4.5944 points — 2 teams sat within a single point of the lead.
Chicken places 1–2: Armstrong Smoke & Co. and Smokey Bees BBQ - MS tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 2–3: Smokey Bees BBQ - MS and 931 BBQ tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ and Big James Kitchen tied on 177.7144 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
205 Smoke turned in 180.0000 in pork ribs — past the 178.8572 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Big James Kitchen (won 2024).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2016 | Guntersville, AL | 24 State Campground RD | — | — | — |
| Sep 13, 2024 | Guntersville, AL | 24 State Campground Rd | 33 | 354.2628 | Big James Kitchen |
| Sep 12, 2025 ← this one | Guntersville, AL | 24 State Campground Rd | 28 | 357.7144 | Big James Kitchen |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Guntersville, AL | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 177.7144 | 175.4056 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 177.7144 | 174.2628 |
28 entries · top 357.7144 · median 340.5028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big James Kitchen | |
| 2 | 931 BBQ | |
| 3 | 205 Smoke | |
| 4 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 5 | Armstrong Smoke & Co. | |
| 6 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 7 | WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | |
| 8 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 9 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 10 | Bentley Que | |
| 11 | LEE LA Q | |
| 12 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 13 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 14 | Smoke 'Em All | |
| 15 | Bonnie Blue BBQ | |
| 16 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 17 | Electro-Que-ted | |
| 18 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 19 | Going Hoggin | |
| 20 | Modest Meats | |
| 21 | Pork Life | |
| 22 | Smoke Right BBQ | |
| 23 | Red, White & Que | |
| 24 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 25 | Last Place Chicken | |
| 26 | Smith Brothers BBQ | |
| 27 | HOLY SMOKIN!!! | |
| 28 | Backyard Grilling and Smoking |
28 entries · top 180 · median 172.8514 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Armstrong Smoke & Co. | |
| 2 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 3 | 931 BBQ | |
| 4 | Pork Life | |
| 5 | WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | |
| 6 | Big James Kitchen | |
| 7 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 8 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 9 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 10 | Bentley Que | |
| 11 | 205 Smoke | |
| 12 | Bonnie Blue BBQ | |
| 13 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 14 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 15 | Going Hoggin | |
| 16 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 17 | LEE LA Q | |
| 18 | Smoke Right BBQ | |
| 19 | Modest Meats | |
| 20 | Smoke 'Em All | |
| 21 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 22 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 23 | Last Place Chicken | |
| 24 | Smith Brothers BBQ | |
| 25 | HOLY SMOKIN!!! | |
| 26 | Electro-Que-ted | |
| 27 | Red, White & Que | |
| 28 | Backyard Grilling and Smoking |
28 entries · top 180 · median 170.2572 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 205 Smoke | |
| 2 | Electro-Que-ted | |
| 3 | Big James Kitchen | |
| 4 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 5 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 6 | 931 BBQ | |
| 7 | LEE LA Q | |
| 8 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 9 | Red, White & Que | |
| 10 | WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | |
| 11 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 12 | Armstrong Smoke & Co. | |
| 13 | Bentley Que | |
| 14 | Smoke 'Em All | |
| 15 | HOLY SMOKIN!!! | |
| 16 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 17 | Smith Brothers BBQ | |
| 18 | Last Place Chicken | |
| 19 | Modest Meats | |
| 20 | LENOX & SON BBQ COMPANY | |
| 21 | Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | |
| 22 | Bonnie Blue BBQ | |
| 23 | Going Hoggin | |
| 24 | Gustoso BBQ | |
| 25 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 26 | Backyard Grilling and Smoking | |
| 27 | Smoke Right BBQ | |
| 28 | Pork Life |
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
18 entries · top 180 · median 168.8514 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 2 | Wee Daddy's BBQ | |
| 3 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 4 | Big James Kitchen | |
| 5 | Bonnie Blue BBQ | |
| 6 | Red, White & Que | |
| 7 | Bentley Que | |
| 8 | Smoke Right BBQ | |
| 9 | Electro-Que-ted | |
| 10 | Backyard Grilling and Smoking | |
| 11 | LEE LA Q | |
| 12 | Pork Life | |
| 13 | Armstrong Smoke & Co. | |
| 14 | Going Hoggin | |
| 15 | Last Place Chicken | |
| 16 | Modest Meats | |
| 17 | Smith Brothers BBQ | |
| 18 | WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ |
8 entries · top 180 · median 172.5370 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collins 205 | |
| 2 | Cash 205 | |
| 3 | HIll's BBQ | |
| 4 | Smoke House Cracker | |
| 5 | Pork Life Jr. | |
| 6 | Lil Weez's Blazin' Fire Q | |
| 7 | Skeleton Crew Jr. Jr. | |
| 8 | Wy Guy's BBQ |
4 entries · top 180 · median 180 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pretty in Pink | |
| 2 | Rollin Smoke III | |
| 3 | Skeleton Crew Jr. | |
| 4 | Mae Big James Kitchen |