Sep 22–23, 2018 · Seaside Heights, NJ · 📍 Grant Ave
DANTE'S INFERNO won Grand Champion at the Que by the Sea on September 22, 2018 in Seaside Heights, NJ at Grant Ave, scoring 671.9776 in a field of 43 teams. BEERBEQUE took Reserve Grand Champion with 670.8688. Category winners: Chicken — FINN'S FINEST BBQ (173.7028); Pork Ribs — BEERBEQUE (174.3088); Pork — ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ (174.2628); Brisket — TOP GUN BARBECUE (176.5828). This is the 6th of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by WEEKEND SMOKERS.
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 2018 — 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 84% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1088 points — closer than 84% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 73 times in 100
DANTE'S INFERNO came in rated below the field's top team, ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 27-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
DANTE'S INFERNO won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
2 of 6 tracked editions
BEERBEQUE has won this contest 2 times across its 6 tracked editions.
Chicken places 1–2: FINN'S FINEST BBQ and THE BBQ GURU tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 8–9: BEERBEQUE and HOT RODS BARBEQUE tied on 166.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: DEAD ON Q edged LOCAL SMOKE BBQ by 0.0112.
TOP GUN BARBECUE turned in 176.5828 in brisket — past the 174.8800 that had stood across 5 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: BEERBEQUE (won 2013, 2015), TOP GUN BARBECUE (won 2016), WEEKEND SMOKERS (won 2017).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 2013 | Seaside Heights, NJ | Seaside Heights, NJ | 49 | 658.7884 | BEERBEQUE | QUE AND A HALF MEN |
| Sep 20, 2014 | Seaside Heights, NJ | Seaside Heights, NJ 08751 | 48 | 667.9200 | QUE AND A HALF MEN | DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM |
| Sep 19, 2015 | Seaside Heights, NJ | Seaside Heights, NJ 08751 | 41 | 674.2512 | BEERBEQUE | 3 EYZ BBQ |
| Sep 17, 2016 | Seaside Heights, NJ | Grant Ave | 44 | 669.6572 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | ACK-QUE |
| Sep 22, 2017 | Seaside Heights, NJ | Grant Ave | 43 | 679.9656 | WEEKEND SMOKERS | TOP GUN BARBECUE |
| Sep 22, 2018 ← this one | Seaside Heights, NJ | Grant Ave | 43 | 671.9776 | DANTE'S INFERNO | BEERBEQUE |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 173.7028 | 172 | 167.3944 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.3088 | 169.7144 | 163.4172 |
| Pork | 174.2628 | 170.2972 | 166.8228 |
| Brisket | 176.5828 | 169.1428 | 166.2972 |
43 entries · top 671.9776 · median 639.9432
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DANTE'S INFERNO | |
| 2 | BEERBEQUE | |
| 3 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 4 | PACKANACK LAKE BBQ CLUB | |
| 5 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 6 | THE BBQ GURU | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKOPOLIS BBQ | |
| 9 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 10 | TOM TOM BOB A QUE | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' HOT PIGGIES | |
| 12 | LOCAL SMOKE BBQ | |
| 13 | DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM | |
| 14 | HOT RODS BARBEQUE | |
| 15 | FINN'S FINEST BBQ | |
| 16 | THE BEARDED ONE BBQ | |
| 17 | CRESCENT MOON BBQ | |
| 18 | WEEKEND SMOKERS | |
| 19 | SHADY CREW | |
| 20 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKIN' ADDICTION | |
| 22 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 23 | BBQ PIT KING | |
| 24 | DIG'N N PIG'N | |
| 25 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 26 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 27 | CHICKEN CHOKERS | |
| 28 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 29 | 5-ALARM BBQ | |
| 30 | DEAD ON Q | |
| 31 | HERDER HERDER BBQ | |
| 32 | KING COAL AND THE SOUL SMOKERS | |
| 33 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 34 | Lava-Q | |
| 35 | WE RIB U LONG TIME | |
| 36 | MITCH'S BBQ | |
| 37 | OLD COACHES BBQ | |
| 38 | BOGGS HOG BBQ | |
| 39 | PORK AND MINDY | |
| 40 | North Meat's South (DRJ Catering) | |
| 41 | LFQ | |
| 42 | Notorius P.I.G. | |
| 43 | Two Bones BBQ |
43 entries · top 173.7028 · median 162.8000
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FINN'S FINEST BBQ | |
| 2 | THE BBQ GURU | |
| 3 | BBQ PIT KING | |
| 4 | SMOKIN' HOT PIGGIES | |
| 5 | DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM | |
| 6 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 7 | DANTE'S INFERNO | |
| 8 | WEEKEND SMOKERS | |
| 9 | DIG'N N PIG'N | |
| 10 | SMOKIN' ADDICTION | |
| 11 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 12 | SMOKOPOLIS BBQ | |
| 13 | BEERBEQUE | |
| 14 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 15 | Lava-Q | |
| 16 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 17 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 18 | DEAD ON Q | |
| 19 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 20 | SHADY CREW | |
| 21 | HOT RODS BARBEQUE | |
| 22 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 23 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 24 | CHICKEN CHOKERS | |
| 25 | OLD COACHES BBQ | |
| 26 | PACKANACK LAKE BBQ CLUB | |
| 27 | HERDER HERDER BBQ | |
| 28 | THE BEARDED ONE BBQ | |
| 29 | TOM TOM BOB A QUE | |
| 30 | LOCAL SMOKE BBQ | |
| 31 | 5-ALARM BBQ | |
| 32 | WE RIB U LONG TIME | |
| 33 | North Meat's South (DRJ Catering) | |
| 34 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 35 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 36 | PORK AND MINDY | |
| 37 | CRESCENT MOON BBQ | |
| 38 | KING COAL AND THE SOUL SMOKERS | |
| 39 | MITCH'S BBQ | |
| 40 | LFQ | |
| 41 | BOGGS HOG BBQ | |
| 42 | Two Bones BBQ | |
| 43 | Notorius P.I.G. |
43 entries · top 174.3088 · median 157.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BEERBEQUE | |
| 2 | DANTE'S INFERNO | |
| 3 | DEAD ON Q | |
| 4 | LOCAL SMOKE BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 6 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 7 | THE BEARDED ONE BBQ | |
| 8 | PACKANACK LAKE BBQ CLUB | |
| 9 | SHADY CREW | |
| 10 | 5-ALARM BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' ADDICTION | |
| 12 | SMOKOPOLIS BBQ | |
| 13 | BBQ PIT KING | |
| 14 | MITCH'S BBQ | |
| 15 | HOT RODS BARBEQUE | |
| 16 | TOM TOM BOB A QUE | |
| 17 | FINN'S FINEST BBQ | |
| 18 | DIG'N N PIG'N | |
| 19 | DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM | |
| 20 | BOGGS HOG BBQ | |
| 21 | CRESCENT MOON BBQ | |
| 22 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 23 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 24 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 25 | OLD COACHES BBQ | |
| 26 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 27 | KING COAL AND THE SOUL SMOKERS | |
| 28 | WEEKEND SMOKERS | |
| 29 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 30 | HERDER HERDER BBQ | |
| 31 | THE BBQ GURU | |
| 32 | CHICKEN CHOKERS | |
| 33 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 34 | LFQ | |
| 35 | Lava-Q | |
| 36 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 37 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 38 | Two Bones BBQ | |
| 39 | SMOKIN' HOT PIGGIES | |
| 40 | PORK AND MINDY | |
| 41 | North Meat's South (DRJ Catering) | |
| 42 | WE RIB U LONG TIME | |
| 43 | Notorius P.I.G. |
43 entries · top 174.2628 · median 161.1200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' HOT PIGGIES | |
| 3 | DANTE'S INFERNO | |
| 4 | TOM TOM BOB A QUE | |
| 5 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 6 | THE BEARDED ONE BBQ | |
| 7 | THE BBQ GURU | |
| 8 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 9 | WE RIB U LONG TIME | |
| 10 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 11 | PORK AND MINDY | |
| 12 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 13 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 14 | BEERBEQUE | |
| 15 | SHADY CREW | |
| 16 | DIG'N N PIG'N | |
| 17 | Lava-Q | |
| 18 | LOCAL SMOKE BBQ | |
| 19 | DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM | |
| 20 | WEEKEND SMOKERS | |
| 21 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 22 | PACKANACK LAKE BBQ CLUB | |
| 23 | BBQ PIT KING | |
| 24 | SMOKOPOLIS BBQ | |
| 25 | CRESCENT MOON BBQ | |
| 26 | LFQ | |
| 27 | MITCH'S BBQ | |
| 28 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 29 | HERDER HERDER BBQ | |
| 30 | HOT RODS BARBEQUE | |
| 31 | SMOKIN' ADDICTION | |
| 32 | OLD COACHES BBQ | |
| 33 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 34 | KING COAL AND THE SOUL SMOKERS | |
| 35 | DEAD ON Q | |
| 36 | FINN'S FINEST BBQ | |
| 37 | North Meat's South (DRJ Catering) | |
| 38 | 5-ALARM BBQ | |
| 39 | CHICKEN CHOKERS | |
| 40 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 41 | BOGGS HOG BBQ | |
| 42 | Two Bones BBQ | |
| 43 | Notorius P.I.G. |
42 entries · top 176.5828 · median 157.1372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 2 | PACKANACK LAKE BBQ CLUB | |
| 3 | CRESCENT MOON BBQ | |
| 4 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 5 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 6 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 7 | CHICKEN CHOKERS | |
| 8 | BEERBEQUE | |
| 9 | HOT RODS BARBEQUE | |
| 10 | SMOKOPOLIS BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' HOT PIGGIES | |
| 12 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 13 | TOM TOM BOB A QUE | |
| 14 | FINN'S FINEST BBQ | |
| 15 | KING COAL AND THE SOUL SMOKERS | |
| 16 | THE BBQ GURU | |
| 17 | BURN BARREL BBQ | |
| 18 | WEEKEND SMOKERS | |
| 19 | LOCAL SMOKE BBQ | |
| 20 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 21 | 5-ALARM BBQ | |
| 22 | DANTE'S INFERNO | |
| 23 | WE RIB U LONG TIME | |
| 24 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 25 | DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM | |
| 26 | BOGGS HOG BBQ | |
| 27 | HERDER HERDER BBQ | |
| 28 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 29 | SMOKIN' ADDICTION | |
| 30 | SHADY CREW | |
| 31 | THE BEARDED ONE BBQ | |
| 32 | MITCH'S BBQ | |
| 33 | DIG'N N PIG'N | |
| 34 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 35 | North Meat's South (DRJ Catering) | |
| 36 | BBQ PIT KING | |
| 37 | OLD COACHES BBQ | |
| 38 | PORK AND MINDY | |
| 39 | Lava-Q | |
| 40 | DEAD ON Q | |
| 41 | LFQ | |
| 42 | Notorius P.I.G. |
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.
26 entries · top 358.2972 · median 331.1312
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEAD ON Q | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' HOT PIGGIES | |
| 3 | HOT RODS BARBEQUE | |
| 4 | Lava-Q | |
| 5 | THE BBQ GURU | |
| 6 | BBQ PIT KING | |
| 7 | LOCAL SMOKE BBQ | |
| 8 | DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM | |
| 9 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 10 | North Meat's South (DRJ Catering) | |
| 11 | PACKANACK LAKE BBQ CLUB | |
| 12 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 13 | Two Bones BBQ | |
| 14 | HERDER HERDER BBQ | |
| 15 | BOGGS HOG BBQ | |
| 16 | LFQ | |
| 17 | TOM TOM BOB A QUE | |
| 18 | FINN'S FINEST BBQ | |
| 19 | WE RIB U LONG TIME | |
| 20 | SHADY CREW | |
| 21 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 22 | DIG'N N PIG'N | |
| 23 | PORK AND MINDY | |
| 24 | DANTE'S INFERNO | |
| 25 | THE BEARDED ONE BBQ | |
| 26 | Notorius P.I.G. |
23 entries · top 178.2972 · median 169.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEAD ON Q | |
| 2 | THE BBQ GURU | |
| 3 | SMOKIN' HOT PIGGIES | |
| 4 | DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM | |
| 5 | BBQ PIT KING | |
| 6 | LOCAL SMOKE BBQ | |
| 7 | HOT RODS BARBEQUE | |
| 8 | FINN'S FINEST BBQ | |
| 9 | DIG'N N PIG'N | |
| 10 | Lava-Q | |
| 11 | PORK AND MINDY | |
| 12 | TOM TOM BOB A QUE | |
| 13 | BOGGS HOG BBQ | |
| 14 | PACKANACK LAKE BBQ CLUB | |
| 15 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 17 | North Meat's South (DRJ Catering) | |
| 18 | THE BEARDED ONE BBQ | |
| 19 | HERDER HERDER BBQ | |
| 20 | WE RIB U LONG TIME | |
| 21 | LFQ | |
| 22 | Two Bones BBQ | |
| 23 | Notorius P.I.G. |
22 entries · top 180 · median 170.6056 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEAD ON Q | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 3 | Lava-Q | |
| 4 | SHADY CREW | |
| 5 | HOT RODS BARBEQUE | |
| 6 | Two Bones BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN' HOT PIGGIES | |
| 8 | North Meat's South (DRJ Catering) | |
| 9 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 10 | LFQ | |
| 11 | LOCAL SMOKE BBQ | |
| 12 | PACKANACK LAKE BBQ CLUB | |
| 13 | HERDER HERDER BBQ | |
| 14 | BBQ PIT KING | |
| 15 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 16 | DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM | |
| 17 | DANTE'S INFERNO | |
| 18 | THE BBQ GURU | |
| 19 | WE RIB U LONG TIME | |
| 20 | BOGGS HOG BBQ | |
| 21 | TOM TOM BOB A QUE | |
| 22 | FINN'S FINEST BBQ |