Lodi Beerfest & BBQ Championship

2018-04-20 – 2018-04-21 · Lodi, CA · 📍 413 E Lockeford St

Grand Champion: SON OF SMOKE (696.5144) · 48 teams

Reserve Champion: 🥈 RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ

🥇

SON OF SMOKE

696.5144 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ

684.5140 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

BIG POPPA SMOKERS

682.2856 · Master Series — Overall

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.

472.50 median 650.22 696.51 🏆

How the meats cooked

Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.

Chicken 177.18
Pork Ribs 177.20
Pork 179.44
Brisket 174.30

127.98 179.44

Winning score by edition

What it has taken to win here, 2018 to 2023 — this edition picked out.

Entries

4 judged meats

Top score

696.5144

Winning margin

12.0004

GC over RC

Field average

645.52

472.50696.51

median 650.22 · last place to winner

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Brisket

0.5944 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

669.6796

472.50696.51

10th place overall

Field spread

224.0116

winner to last place

Most consistent

SON OF SMOKE

avg finish 4.00 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Pork Ribs

won by 2.9028 pts — OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ

How hot was the win?

Top 47%

beats 53% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data

Form held

Strong

ρ = -0.62 between pre-contest rating and finish

Field strength

1558

avg power rating going in · stronger than 45% of contests

Top-rated in the field

BIG POPPA SMOKERS

rated 1963 pre-contest

Storylines (4 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.

An upset on the books

23-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 77 times in 100

SON OF SMOKE came in rated below the field's top team, BIG POPPA SMOKERS, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 23-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.

champion 1753
top seed 1963

Won without a category win

4 of 4 meats called to the stage

SON OF SMOKE won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 3rd. Consistency beat fireworks.

Chicken 3rd
Pork Ribs 3rd
Pork 4th
Brisket 6th

A statement win

12.0004 points clear of the field

Wider than 91% of the 4,742 championships in the data

The champion won by 12.0004 points — a wider margin than 91% of championships in the data.

Photo finishes

Tie closest of 8 calls decided inside half a point

Chicken places 7–8: BIG POPPA SMOKERS and KICKEN ASH AND MAKEN FLAMES tied on 170.8228 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 4–5: Sharpe's Woodshed and NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: KICKEN ASH AND MAKEN FLAMES edged RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ by 0.0116.

Chicken 7–8 · tie
Brisket 4–5 · tie
Chicken 8–9 · 0.0116
Pork Ribs 7–8 · 0.0116

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)

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
2018-04-20 ← this one	Lodi, CA	413 E Lockeford St	48	696.5144	SON OF SMOKE	RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ
2019-04-26	Lodi, CA	413 E Lockeford St	48	693.7372	Burnin and Lootin	SON OF SMOKE
2023-04-28	Lodi, CA	413 E Lockeford Street	27	704.0000	Smokin' Bliss BBQ	West Coast BBQ Shop

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Category	1st	5th	10th
Chicken	177.1772	172.5600	170.2972
Pork Ribs	177.2000	171.4056	169.1772
Pork	179.4400	175.4056	168.5828
Brisket	174.2972	173.7028	169.1316

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

48 entries · top 696.5144 · median 650.2228

#	Team	Score
1	SON OF SMOKE	696.5144
2	RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	684.5140
3	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	682.2856
4	SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	680.5940
5	The Smoking J's	677.7256
6	Sharpe's Woodshed	677.6800
7	SLO DOG Q	673.0512
8	CYNICAL BBQ	670.8344
9	7-8-9 BBQ	670.8116
10	OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ	669.6796
11	RAD FONDO BBQ	669.1088
12	SMOKED SEDUCTION	667.3600
13	BIG B'S DOWN-N-DIRTY BBQ	667.3372
14	NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q	665.6340
15	PIRATES OF THE PIG	664.4912
16	Pops BBQ 22	663.4056
17	PETE'S MEAT BBQ	662.2512
18	SMOKESHOW	662.1484
19	Smokey and the Pirate	661.6228
20	BLAZIN BY THE BAY BBQ	660.9940
21	7 SINS BBQ	660.0116
22	NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT	657.0400
23	WEST COAST SMOKE	653.7828
24	PIGGY D'S BBQ	650.7772
25	RBQ	649.6684
26	JACK9 BBQ - CA	649.6344
27	BAR-B-Q'S-2GO	647.4060
28	ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT	646.8112
29	FU MAN QUE CREW	643.8972
30	KICKEN ASH AND MAKEN FLAMES	642.6972
31	THIN BLUE QUE	638.7544
32	GNAW	638.6740
33	THE CALIFORNIA GRILL BILLIES	637.6116
34	JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ	637.6116
35	CANYON RIDERS BBQ	635.2916
36	BAR-B-CUDA BBQ	634.7084
37	ROCKIN' BAR-B SMOKERS	633.6116
38	lord of the ribs bbq	632.6288
39	SALTWORKS BBQ	630.8116
40	FLAME THROWER BBQ CO.	628.5028
41	GIT-R-SMOKED	627.8404
42	REDNECKS WITH FIRE	625.7256
43	SMOKIN' AXE BBQ	617.6000
44	BBQR916 SMOKEHOUSE AND BREWPUB	599.9772
45	ASH KICKIN SMOKERS	595.9200
46	CHERRY LANE SMOKERS	595.2340
47	BOLIN BARBEQUE	571.9548
48	Hot Link and Chorizo BBQ	472.5028

Chicken

48 entries · top 177.1772 · median 164.2628

#	Team	Score
1	The Smoking J's	177.1772
2	SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	176.0228
3	SON OF SMOKE	174.8572
4	JACK9 BBQ - CA	173.1428
5	SLO DOG Q	172.5600
6	SMOKED SEDUCTION	171.9772
7	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	170.8228
8	KICKEN ASH AND MAKEN FLAMES	170.8228
9	RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	170.8112
10	Smokey and the Pirate	170.2972
11	CANYON RIDERS BBQ	170.2628
12	THE CALIFORNIA GRILL BILLIES	169.7144
13	SMOKESHOW	169.6800
14	Pops BBQ 22	168.5944
15	RBQ	168.5600
16	WEST COAST SMOKE	168.0112
17	7-8-9 BBQ	168.0000
18	CYNICAL BBQ	166.2628
19	NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q	165.7144
20	REDNECKS WITH FIRE	165.7028
21	FU MAN QUE CREW	165.7028
22	BIG B'S DOWN-N-DIRTY BBQ	165.1200
23	BAR-B-CUDA BBQ	164.5372
24	BLAZIN BY THE BAY BBQ	164.5256
25	BAR-B-Q'S-2GO	164.0000
26	THIN BLUE QUE	164.0000
27	7 SINS BBQ	164.0000
28	Hot Link and Chorizo BBQ	164.0000
29	ROCKIN' BAR-B SMOKERS	163.4172
30	PIRATES OF THE PIG	163.3828
31	ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT	162.8340
32	PETE'S MEAT BBQ	162.3084
33	GNAW	161.6800
34	PIGGY D'S BBQ	161.6800
35	Sharpe's Woodshed	161.1200
36	ASH KICKIN SMOKERS	160.0116
37	FLAME THROWER BBQ CO.	159.9428
38	GIT-R-SMOKED	159.4172
39	NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT	157.6916
40	OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ	157.0856
41	lord of the ribs bbq	156.6056
42	BBQR916 SMOKEHOUSE AND BREWPUB	156.0000
43	RAD FONDO BBQ	155.3944
44	SALTWORKS BBQ	152.5716
45	SMOKIN' AXE BBQ	152.5372
46	JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ	151.3944
47	BOLIN BARBEQUE	141.1544
48	CHERRY LANE SMOKERS	140.5372

Pork Ribs

48 entries · top 177.2000 · median 162.2400

#	Team	Score
1	OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ	177.2000
2	SMOKESHOW	174.2972
3	SON OF SMOKE	173.1084
4	7-8-9 BBQ	172.5944
5	BLAZIN BY THE BAY BBQ	171.4056
6	WEST COAST SMOKE	170.9028
7	PIRATES OF THE PIG	170.8572
8	RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	170.8456
9	NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q	169.7028
10	lord of the ribs bbq	169.1772
11	CYNICAL BBQ	168.5600
12	Pops BBQ 22	168.5484
13	SLO DOG Q	167.9656
14	SMOKED SEDUCTION	167.4172
15	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	166.8572
16	SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	166.2972
17	FLAME THROWER BBQ CO.	165.1544
18	RBQ	165.1428
19	PETE'S MEAT BBQ	164.5600
20	ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT	164.5600
21	FU MAN QUE CREW	164.5488
22	Sharpe's Woodshed	163.4172
23	REDNECKS WITH FIRE	162.8800
24	THIN BLUE QUE	162.8000
25	RAD FONDO BBQ	161.6800
26	7 SINS BBQ	161.1316
27	BIG B'S DOWN-N-DIRTY BBQ	161.0972
28	The Smoking J's	160.0000
29	Hot Link and Chorizo BBQ	159.9772
30	SALTWORKS BBQ	159.9656
31	PIGGY D'S BBQ	158.8344
32	NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT	158.8228
33	CANYON RIDERS BBQ	158.8228
34	Smokey and the Pirate	158.2744
35	SMOKIN' AXE BBQ	158.2744
36	JACK9 BBQ - CA	158.2516
37	JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ	157.7144
38	GNAW	157.0856
39	BBQR916 SMOKEHOUSE AND BREWPUB	156.5600
40	BAR-B-Q'S-2GO	152.5716
41	GIT-R-SMOKED	152.5260
42	BOLIN BARBEQUE	150.8456
43	ASH KICKIN SMOKERS	150.8000
44	CHERRY LANE SMOKERS	149.7028
45	KICKEN ASH AND MAKEN FLAMES	149.0744
46	ROCKIN' BAR-B SMOKERS	147.9772
47	BAR-B-CUDA BBQ	147.3716
48	THE CALIFORNIA GRILL BILLIES	145.1088

Pork

48 entries · top 179.4400 · median 161.3884

#	Team	Score
1	Sharpe's Woodshed	179.4400
2	RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	178.2972
3	RAD FONDO BBQ	177.7372
4	SON OF SMOKE	176.5716
5	Smokey and the Pirate	175.4056
6	SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	171.9884
7	BIG B'S DOWN-N-DIRTY BBQ	171.4172
8	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	170.8800
9	BAR-B-Q'S-2GO	170.2972
10	The Smoking J's	168.5828
11	OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ	168.0000
12	CYNICAL BBQ	166.8800
13	PETE'S MEAT BBQ	166.8572
14	NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q	166.8456
15	NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT	166.8228
16	SLO DOG Q	166.2628
17	PIRATES OF THE PIG	164.5484
18	PIGGY D'S BBQ	164.5484
19	7-8-9 BBQ	164.5372
20	SMOKED SEDUCTION	163.4400
21	BAR-B-CUDA BBQ	162.8112
22	SMOKIN' AXE BBQ	162.2284
23	THE CALIFORNIA GRILL BILLIES	162.2284
24	FU MAN QUE CREW	161.6912
25	ROCKIN' BAR-B SMOKERS	161.0856
26	7 SINS BBQ	160.5944
27	ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT	160.5716
28	FLAME THROWER BBQ CO.	160.0000
29	JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ	159.9656
30	BLAZIN BY THE BAY BBQ	159.9544
31	GIT-R-SMOKED	159.9428
32	KICKEN ASH AND MAKEN FLAMES	159.9428
33	BBQR916 SMOKEHOUSE AND BREWPUB	159.4400
34	SMOKESHOW	159.3828
35	THIN BLUE QUE	158.8572
36	lord of the ribs bbq	158.8456
37	CANYON RIDERS BBQ	157.6800
38	Pops BBQ 22	157.1428
39	GNAW	157.0628
40	SALTWORKS BBQ	156.5372
41	WEST COAST SMOKE	155.4516
42	ASH KICKIN SMOKERS	155.4284
43	CHERRY LANE SMOKERS	154.2168
44	JACK9 BBQ - CA	150.2400
45	Hot Link and Chorizo BBQ	148.5256
46	REDNECKS WITH FIRE	147.4400
47	RBQ	145.6800
48	BOLIN BARBEQUE	143.4060

Brisket

47 entries · top 174.2972 · median 163.3712

#	Team	Score
1	RAD FONDO BBQ	174.2972
2	7 SINS BBQ	174.2856
3	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	173.7256
4	Sharpe's Woodshed	173.7028
5	NUTIN2IT BUT2QIT	173.7028
6	SON OF SMOKE	171.9772
7	The Smoking J's	171.9656
8	RBQ	170.2856
9	BIG B'S DOWN-N-DIRTY BBQ	169.7028
10	CYNICAL BBQ	169.1316
11	Pops BBQ 22	169.1200
12	JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ	168.5372
13	PETE'S MEAT BBQ	168.5256
14	JACK9 BBQ - CA	168.0000
15	OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ	167.3940
16	SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	166.2856
17	SLO DOG Q	166.2628
18	PIGGY D'S BBQ	165.7144
19	PIRATES OF THE PIG	165.7028
20	7-8-9 BBQ	165.6800
21	BLAZIN BY THE BAY BBQ	165.1084
22	RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	164.5600
23	SMOKED SEDUCTION	164.5256
24	NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q	163.3712
25	KICKEN ASH AND MAKEN FLAMES	162.8572
26	GNAW	162.8456
27	SALTWORKS BBQ	161.7372
28	ROCKIN' BAR-B SMOKERS	161.1316
29	THE CALIFORNIA GRILL BILLIES	160.5600
30	BAR-B-Q'S-2GO	160.5372
31	BAR-B-CUDA BBQ	159.9884
32	WEST COAST SMOKE	159.4172
33	ROYAL SMOKIN' HOT	158.8456
34	SMOKESHOW	158.7884
35	Smokey and the Pirate	157.6456
36	GIT-R-SMOKED	155.9544
37	THIN BLUE QUE	153.0972
38	FU MAN QUE CREW	151.9544
39	CHERRY LANE SMOKERS	150.7772
40	REDNECKS WITH FIRE	149.7028
41	CANYON RIDERS BBQ	148.5260
42	lord of the ribs bbq	148.0004
43	SMOKIN' AXE BBQ	144.5600
44	FLAME THROWER BBQ CO.	143.4056
45	BOLIN BARBEQUE	136.5488
46	ASH KICKIN SMOKERS	129.6800
47	BBQR916 SMOKEHOUSE AND BREWPUB	127.9772

Lodi Beerfest & BBQ Championship

The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)

How the field scored

How the meats cooked

Winning score by edition

Entries

Top score

Winning margin

Field average

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Top-10 cutoff

Field spread

Most consistent

Double threats

Widest winning margin

How hot was the win?

Form held

Field strength

Top-rated in the field

Storylines (4 found in this contest's numbers)

An upset on the books

Won without a category win

A statement win

Photo finishes

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 →

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

Chicken

Pork Ribs

Pork

Brisket