A hat-trick of category wins
3
category wins in a day
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N won Chicken, Pork Ribs, Brisket — a hat-trick, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Brisket 1st
Roman Roast on the River 2017
May 12–13, 2017 · Rome, GA
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N won Grand Champion at the Roman Roast on the River on May 12, 2017 in Rome, GA, scoring 698.2516 in a field of 37 teams. SMOKE ON THIS took Reserve Grand Champion with 692.4684. Category winners: Chicken — QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N (178.8572); Pork Ribs — QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N (174.2972); Pork — SWINE AND SHINE BBQ (178.2972); Brisket — QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N (177.7144). This is the 5th of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2016 edition was won by HICKORY PRIME; the next was held in 2018.
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
600.29
median 665.58
698.25 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.86
- Pork Ribs 174.30
- Pork 178.30
- Brisket 177.71
140.48
178.86
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2018 — this edition picked out.
Entries
37
4 judged meats · 8 ancillary
Top score
698.2516
Winning margin
5.7832
GC over RC
Field average
661.99
600.29698.25
median 665.58 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
2.2972 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
672.4224
600.29698.25
10th place overall
Field spread
97.9656
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 40%
beats 60% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
53%
19 of 36 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.69 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,546
avg power rating going in · stronger than 34% of contests
Storylines (5 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 6 tracked editions
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N has won this contest 2 times across its 6 tracked editions.
- 2014
- 2017
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 13 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 8–9: WAY 2 QUE and HIGH ON THE HAWG tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 2–3: WAY 2 QUE and HICKORY PRIME tied on 174.2744 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 8–9: HI TECH REDNECK and SWINE AND SHINE BBQ tied on 170.8344 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 8–9 · tie
- Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie
- Pork Ribs 8–9 · tie
- Pork 5–6 · tie
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 3 outright wins — their weakest board was pork at 21st.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 21st
- Brisket 1st
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N (won 2014), HICKORY PRIME (won 2016).
- QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N · 2014
- HICKORY PRIME · 2016
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
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 2013 | Rome, GA | Rome, GA | 33 | 693.7144 | KUDZU Q | PIG WHISPERERS |
| May 9, 2014 | Rome, GA | Rome, GA 30162 | 38 | 704 | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS |
| May 8, 2015 | Rome, GA | Rome, GA 30165 | 41 | 698.8000 | OLD PLANTATION BBQ | CHAIRMAN OF THE BOAR |
| May 13, 2016 | Rome, GA | Rome, GA 30165 | 36 | 693.0512 | HICKORY PRIME | K-TOWN DADDY'S BBQ |
| May 12, 2017 ← this one | Rome, GA | Rome, GA 30165 | 37 | 698.2516 | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | SMOKE ON THIS |
| May 11, 2018 | Rome, GA | 2781 John Petree RD | 39 | 699.4288 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 174.2744 | 171.4056 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.2972 | 172 | 170.8228 |
| Pork | 178.2972 | 171.9656 | 170.8228 |
| Brisket | 177.7144 | 174.2628 | 167.4172 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
37 entries · top 698.2516 · median 665.5772
Chicken
37 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.1200
Pork Ribs
37 entries · top 174.2972 · median 163.9544
Pork
37 entries · top 178.2972 · median 169.1084
Brisket
37 entries · top 177.7144 · median 163.9544
Ancillary categories
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.
Master Series — Anything But
7 entries · top 176 · median 169.1772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 2 | WATER HAWGS BBQ | |
| 3 | CRIMSON Q | |
| 4 | Kennesaw Pig Riggers | |
| 5 | BIG L'S SWEET HEAT | |
| 6 | Pig Out Bar B Q | |
| 7 | WEQ4U |
Master Series — Backyard
12 entries · top 517.6572 · median 505.0628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUNCH OF BUTTS | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' HOT BUTTS & RACKS | |
| 3 | NOAH'S BARK | |
| 4 | STEEL KOOKIN | |
| 5 | THE LOW AND SLOW SMOKERS | |
| 6 | PORK 'N BUTTS | |
| 7 | SOUTHERN FAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 8 | Kudzu Kid | |
| 9 | Smokey Boys Grilling | |
| 10 | Smoke Signals | |
| 11 | Wade's | |
| 12 | Kennesaw Pig Riggers |
Master Series — Backyard Chicken
12 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.2686
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | STEEL KOOKIN | |
| 2 | THE LOW AND SLOW SMOKERS | |
| 3 | SOUTHERN FAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 4 | BUNCH OF BUTTS | |
| 5 | NOAH'S BARK | |
| 6 | SMOKIN' HOT BUTTS & RACKS | |
| 7 | Smoke Signals | |
| 8 | PORK 'N BUTTS | |
| 9 | Kudzu Kid | |
| 10 | Smokey Boys Grilling | |
| 11 | Wade's | |
| 12 | Kennesaw Pig Riggers |
Master Series — Backyard Pork
12 entries · top 177.1428 · median 165.9830
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN' HOT BUTTS & RACKS | |
| 2 | THE LOW AND SLOW SMOKERS | |
| 3 | Kudzu Kid | |
| 4 | BUNCH OF BUTTS | |
| 5 | Smokey Boys Grilling | |
| 6 | NOAH'S BARK | |
| 7 | SOUTHERN FAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 8 | PORK 'N BUTTS | |
| 9 | Smoke Signals | |
| 10 | STEEL KOOKIN | |
| 11 | Wade's | |
| 12 | Kennesaw Pig Riggers |
Master Series — Backyard Ribs
12 entries · top 175.4172 · median 165.4172
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUNCH OF BUTTS | |
| 2 | PORK 'N BUTTS | |
| 3 | NOAH'S BARK | |
| 4 | STEEL KOOKIN | |
| 5 | Smokey Boys Grilling | |
| 6 | SMOKIN' HOT BUTTS & RACKS | |
| 7 | SOUTHERN FAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 8 | THE LOW AND SLOW SMOKERS | |
| 9 | Kudzu Kid | |
| 10 | Wade's | |
| 11 | Kennesaw Pig Riggers | |
| 12 | Smoke Signals |
Master Series — Dessert
9 entries · top 180 · median 175.4056 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CRIMSON Q | |
| 2 | HICKORY PRIME | |
| 3 | WEQ4U | |
| 4 | SMOKIN CHUCKS WAGON | |
| 5 | BUNCH OF BUTTS | |
| 6 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 7 | PORK 'N BUTTS | |
| 8 | CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ | |
| 9 | DEEP SOUTH BBQ |
Master Series — Kids Que
11 entries · top 176.5716 · median 169.1428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana Bowers | |
| 2 | Caleb Thomson | |
| 3 | Merra Lee Young | |
| 4 | Sydney Groves | |
| 5 | Carson Holder Adams | |
| 6 | Carolyn Stubblefield | |
| 7 | Reese Torimoto | |
| 8 | Braiden Holder Adams | |
| 9 | Caleb Bice | |
| 10 | Kieran Cowling | |
| 11 | Dylan Bice |
Master Series — Sauce
8 entries · top 169.6684 · median 163.9598
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN CHUCKS WAGON | |
| 2 | Pig Out Bar B Q | |
| 3 | SOUTHERN FAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 4 | STEEL KOOKIN | |
| 5 | HICKORY PRIME | |
| 6 | POP 'N' CHUBBY'S BBQ | |
| 7 | BUNCH OF BUTTS | |
| 8 | BIG L'S SWEET HEAT |