Apr 24–25, 2015 · Calhoun, GA
HOT WACHULA'S won Grand Champion at the BBQ Boogie & Blues (GBC Qualifier) on April 24, 2015 in Calhoun, GA, scoring 697.1088 in a field of 35 teams. BOOTYQUE took Reserve Grand Champion with 691.3256. Category winners: Chicken — BLAZIN'7'S (178.2972); Pork Ribs — HEAVENLY HAWGS GA (180.0000); Pork — UNDER THE RADAR (179.4400); Brisket — Hawg Feathers (179.4400). This is the 3rd of 11 editions of this contest on record; the 2014 edition was won by MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM; the next was held in 2016.
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.
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2024 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 73 times in 100
HOT WACHULA'S came in rated below the field's top team, QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 27-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
HOT WACHULA'S won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
3 of 11 tracked editions
UNDER THE RADAR has won this contest 3 times across its 11 tracked editions.
Chicken places 4–5: SWINE AND SHINE BBQ and SWEET SMOKE Q FLORIDA tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: SWEET SMOKE Q FLORIDA and Hawg Feathers tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 9–10: ATLANTA BBQ STORE and QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N tied on 173.1084 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
HEAVENLY HAWGS GA turned in 180.0000 in pork ribs — past the 179.4286 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: BUB-BA-Q (won 2013), MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM (won 2014).
This contest usually draws about 27 teams
35 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 27.
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 2013 | Calhoun, GA | Calhoun, GA | 25 | 703.4288 | BUB-BA-Q | GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM |
| Apr 25, 2014 | Calhoun, GA | Calhoun, GA | 29 | 697.6340 | MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM | THE BLUE BLOODS |
| Apr 24, 2015 ← this one | Calhoun, GA | Calhoun, GA 30701 | 35 | 697.1088 | HOT WACHULA'S | BOOTYQUE |
| Apr 29, 2016 | Calhoun, GA | Calhoun, GA 30701 | 35 | 700.5372 | J & B'S BBQ | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N |
| Apr 28, 2017 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 26 | 689.1088 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | THE PIT CREW GA |
| Apr 27, 2018 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 28 | 693.6340 | UNDER THE RADAR | Organizer Portal |
| Apr 26, 2019 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 33 | 697.6684 | Under the Radar | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS |
| Sep 24, 2021 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 27 | 698.8116 | Under the Radar | REDMULE'S BBQ |
| Apr 29, 2022 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 37 | 702.8344 | Sweet Dixie BBQ | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 32 | 702.8000 | Maya Jane BBQ | COOL HAND QUE |
| Apr 26, 2024 | Calhoun, GA | 109 S King Street | 34 | 699.9544 | Pappy & Roleys | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.2972 | 174.2628 | 173.1084 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 170.2856 | 168.0116 |
| Pork | 179.4400 | 173.1428 | 170.8228 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 174.2628 | 171.9656 |
35 entries · top 697.1088 · median 659.8284
35 entries · top 178.2972 · median 166.2512
35 entries · top 180 · median 163.9772 · 🔥 perfect 180
35 entries · top 179.4400 · median 165.6684
35 entries · top 179.4400 · median 165.1544
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.
17 entries · top 171.4400 · median 158.8572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | My Fat Baby Loves to Eat | |
| 2 | NAVY BLUE BBQ | |
| 3 | FOLKS BBQ | |
| 4 | WATER HAWGS BBQ | |
| 5 | K-TOWN DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 6 | FAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 7 | Salted Hog | |
| 8 | HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO. | |
| 9 | Not Your Daddy's BBQ | |
| 10 | Jokin' & Smokin | |
| 11 | Chris & Phil | |
| 12 | The Fat Guz | |
| 13 | Resaca Sun | |
| 14 | Poorboys Offroad BBQ | |
| 15 | Grillin Sundays Smoke U BBQ | |
| 16 | It's The Pitts BBQ | |
| 17 | Small Town BBQ |
17 entries · top 169.1200 · median 157.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WATER HAWGS BBQ | |
| 2 | K-TOWN DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 3 | The Fat Guz | |
| 4 | Salted Hog | |
| 5 | Chris & Phil | |
| 6 | Famous Ramos Ribs & More | |
| 7 | Poorboys Offroad BBQ | |
| 8 | Resaca Sun | |
| 9 | Jokin' & Smokin | |
| 10 | My Fat Baby Loves to Eat | |
| 11 | FAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 12 | FOLKS BBQ | |
| 13 | HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO. | |
| 14 | It's The Pitts BBQ | |
| 15 | Small Town BBQ | |
| 16 | Grillin Sundays Smoke U BBQ | |
| 17 | NAVY BLUE BBQ |
18 entries · top 173.1200 · median 156.5256
18 entries · top 501.6228 · median 472.4912