Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY)
2025-09-12 – 2025-09-13 · Guntersville, AL
Reps: CAROL BIGLER, RANDY G BIGLER · Prize money: $4,000.00
Grand Champion: Big James Kitchen (357.7144) · 28 teams
Entries
Top score
Winning margin
Field average
Perfect 180s
Tightest race
Top-10 cutoff
Field spread
Prize money
Double threats
How hot was the win?
Field strength
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
Big James Kitchen has won this contest 2 times across its 4 tracked editions.
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0116 points — closer than 97% of every championship in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
Big James Kitchen took the Grand Championship home to TN.
🔥 A day of perfect scores
14 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.
🏟️ A stacked field
The field averaged a 1598 power rating going in — stronger than 90% of every contest tracked.
🃏 An upset on the books
Big James Kitchen came in rated below the field's top team, WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 25-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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-09-30 | — | — | — | |
| 2024-09-13 | Guntersville, AL | 33 | 354.2628 | Big James Kitchen |
| 2025-09-12 ← this one | Guntersville, AL | 28 | 357.7144 | Big James Kitchen |
| 2026-09-11 | Guntersville, AL | — | — | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Ancillary — Conecuh sausage
18 entries · top 180.0000 · 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 |
Backyard Series — Chicken
28 entries · top 180.0000 · 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 |
Backyard Series — Overall
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 |
Backyard Series — Pork Ribs
28 entries · top 180.0000 · 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 |
Kids-Q — Kids q- 5-10
8 entries · top 180.0000 · 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 |
Kids-Q — Kids-q 2-4
4 entries · top 180.0000 · median 180.0000 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pretty in Pink | |
| 2 | Rollin Smoke III | |
| 3 | Skeleton Crew Jr. | |
| 4 | Mae Big James Kitchen |