Apr 24–25, 2026 · Lodi, CA · 📍 413 E Lockeford Street · State championship
Reps: Ian Schmidt, Julie Poe · Prize money: $6,000
SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ won Grand Champion at the Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship on April 24, 2026 in Lodi, CA at 413 E Lockeford Street, scoring 701.1432 in a field of 29 teams. Cherry Anchor BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 699.9312. Category winners: Chicken — CYNICAL BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Rio Good BBQ (174.8456); Pork — Bad Bears BBQ (178.8800); Brisket — BAR-B-CUDA BBQ (176.5600). This is the 3rd of 3 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by Cherry Anchor BBQ.
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, 2024 to 2026 — 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.
Closer than 77% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.2120 points — closer than 77% of every championship in the data.
701.1432 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 700.5028 Small Axe BBQ set in 2024.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 68 times in 100
Smokin' Bliss BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, Cynical BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 32-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
Chicken places 1–2: CYNICAL BBQ and COACHES PIT BBQ tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: Bad Bears BBQ and OM BBQ COMPANY tied on 177.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: Can Do BBQ and Cherry Anchor BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Small Axe BBQ (won 2024), Cherry Anchor BBQ (won 2025).
2 perfect 180s were 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, 2024 | Lodi, CA | 413 E Lockeford Street | 34 | 700.5028 | Small Axe BBQ | CYNICAL BBQ |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Lodi, CA | 413 E Lockeford Street | 31 | 699.4056 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | Chompa Q |
| Apr 24, 2026 ← this one | Lodi, CA | 413 E Lockeford Street | 29 | 701.1432 | Smokin' Bliss BBQ | Cherry Anchor BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 177.1428 | 171.9884 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.8456 | 173.1428 | 171.9772 |
| Pork | 178.8800 | 175.4056 | 172.5484 |
| Brisket | 176.5600 | 174.2628 | 170.8572 |
29 entries · top 701.1432 · median 674.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 2 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 3 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 4 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 5 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 6 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 7 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 8 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 9 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 10 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 11 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 12 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 13 | COACHES PIT BBQ | |
| 14 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 15 | Chompa Q | |
| 16 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 17 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 18 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 19 | Ric's Righteous Ribs | |
| 20 | KO BBQ | |
| 21 | Pass The Sauce BBQ | |
| 22 | RBQ | |
| 23 | Smokin Colt | |
| 24 | Maillard Reaction | |
| 25 | 8up Barbecue | |
| 26 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 27 | B&E BBQ | |
| 28 | Alotta BS BBQ | |
| 29 | Brewskies BBQ |
28 entries · top 180 · median 170.8284 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 2 | COACHES PIT BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 4 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 5 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 6 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 7 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 8 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 9 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 10 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 11 | KO BBQ | |
| 12 | Chompa Q | |
| 13 | Maillard Reaction | |
| 14 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 15 | RBQ | |
| 16 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 17 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 18 | Alotta BS BBQ | |
| 19 | Pass The Sauce BBQ | |
| 20 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 21 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 22 | Smokin Colt | |
| 23 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 24 | Ric's Righteous Ribs | |
| 25 | 8up Barbecue | |
| 26 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 27 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 28 | B&E BBQ |
29 entries · top 174.8456 · median 170.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 3 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 4 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 5 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 6 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 7 | B&E BBQ | |
| 8 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 9 | Chompa Q | |
| 10 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 11 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 12 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 13 | Alotta BS BBQ | |
| 14 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 15 | KO BBQ | |
| 16 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 17 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 18 | Pass The Sauce BBQ | |
| 19 | Ric's Righteous Ribs | |
| 20 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 21 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 22 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 23 | RBQ | |
| 24 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 25 | Smokin Colt | |
| 26 | 8up Barbecue | |
| 27 | COACHES PIT BBQ | |
| 28 | Maillard Reaction | |
| 29 | Brewskies BBQ |
29 entries · top 178.8800 · median 168.0228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 2 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 3 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 4 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 5 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 6 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 7 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 8 | COACHES PIT BBQ | |
| 9 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 10 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 11 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 12 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 13 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 14 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 15 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 16 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 17 | Ric's Righteous Ribs | |
| 18 | 8up Barbecue | |
| 19 | Maillard Reaction | |
| 20 | Smokin Colt | |
| 21 | Pass The Sauce BBQ | |
| 22 | Chompa Q | |
| 23 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 24 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 25 | RBQ | |
| 26 | B&E BBQ | |
| 27 | KO BBQ | |
| 28 | Alotta BS BBQ | |
| 29 | Brewskies BBQ |
29 entries · top 176.5600 · median 166.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 2 | OM BBQ COMPANY | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' BLISS BBQ | |
| 4 | SLO DOG Q | |
| 5 | Cherry Anchor BBQ | |
| 6 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 7 | Rio Good BBQ | |
| 8 | Ric's Righteous Ribs | |
| 9 | Big Cat BBQ | |
| 10 | Pops BBQ 22 | |
| 11 | Chompa Q | |
| 12 | ONE PIT WONDER | |
| 13 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 14 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 15 | KO BBQ | |
| 16 | Can Do BBQ | |
| 17 | BONE RUBBIN BBQ | |
| 18 | Small Axe BBQ | |
| 19 | COACHES PIT BBQ | |
| 20 | Bad Bears BBQ | |
| 21 | RBQ | |
| 22 | Smokin Colt | |
| 23 | Pass The Sauce BBQ | |
| 24 | Maillard Reaction | |
| 25 | 8up Barbecue | |
| 26 | B&E BBQ | |
| 27 | Lord Of The Ribs BBQ | |
| 28 | Alotta BS BBQ | |
| 29 | Brewskies BBQ |