A new contest record
691.4056
highest overall ever cooked here
691.4056 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 684.5372 BIG UGLY'S BBQ - MD set in 2016.
- old record 684.5372
- set 2016 by BIG UGLY'S BBQ - MD
Que & Cruz 2018
Oct 5–6, 2018 · Louisa, VA · 📍 4400 Byrd Mill Rd
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE won Grand Champion at the Que & Cruz on October 5, 2018 in Louisa, VA at 4400 Byrd Mill Rd, scoring 691.4056 in a field of 25 teams. GRATE SMOKE took Reserve Grand Champion with 684.4800. Category winners: Chicken — OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE (176.5600); Pork Ribs — OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE (174.2972); Pork — 3N1 Q (175.4172); Brisket — 3N1 Q (169.7144). This is the 4th of 5 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by SMOKETASTIC BBQ; the next was held in 2019.
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.
498.74
median 649.63
691.41 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 176.56
- Pork Ribs 174.30
- Pork 175.42
- Brisket 169.71
20
176.56
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2019 — this edition picked out.
Entries
25
4 judged meats
Top score
691.4056
Winning margin
6.9256
GC over RC
Field average
638.07
498.74691.41
median 649.63 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Brisket
1.7260 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
654.2628
498.74691.41
10th place overall
Field spread
192.6624
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 66%
beats 34% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
46%
13 of 28 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.63 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,615
avg power rating going in · stronger than 85% of contests
Storylines (7 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
26-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 74 times in 100
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE came in rated below the field's top team, WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 26-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1776
- top seed 1962
Photo finishes
0.0004
closest of 9 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 9–10: GRATEFUL 'QUE edged e2BBQ by 0.0004. Chicken places 8–9: 3N1 Q edged GRATEFUL 'QUE by 0.0112. Pork Ribs places 5–6: 3 EYZ BBQ edged WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ by 0.0112.
- Chicken 9–10 · 0.0004
- Chicken 8–9 · 0.0112
- Pork Ribs 5–6 · 0.0112
- Pork Ribs 6–7 · 0.0116
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was pork at 4th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 4th
- Brisket 3rd
A contest record in pork
175.4172
best pork ever cooked here
3N1 Q turned in 175.4172 in pork — past the 172.0000 that had stood across 3 earlier editions.
- old best 172.0000
- across 3 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: 3 EYZ BBQ (won 2013), SMOKETASTIC BBQ (won 2017).
- 3 EYZ BBQ · 2013
- SMOKETASTIC BBQ · 2017
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 2013 | Louisa, VA | Louisa, VA | 45 | 677.7372 | 3 EYZ BBQ | PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ |
| Sep 30, 2016 | Louisa, VA | Louisa, VA | 31 | 684.5372 | BIG UGLY'S BBQ - MD | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE |
| Oct 6, 2017 | Louisa, VA | Louisa, VA 23093 | 28 | 677.0740 | SMOKETASTIC BBQ | HOOS SMOKIN |
| Oct 5, 2018 ← this one | Louisa, VA | 4400 Byrd Mill Rd | 25 | 691.4056 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | GRATE SMOKE |
| Oct 4, 2019 | Louisa, VA | 4400 Byrd Mill Rd | 28 | 693.0856 | 3N1 Q | LAKEVIEW BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176.5600 | 168.5600 | 165.6912 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.2972 | 167.4400 | 164.5256 |
| Pork | 175.4172 | 167.9656 | 163.9428 |
| Brisket | 169.7144 | 167.9884 | 164.5372 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
25 entries · top 691.4056 · median 649.6344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 2 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 3 | 3N1 Q | |
| 4 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 5 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 6 | LOVE-N-SMOKE | |
| 7 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 8 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 9 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 10 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 11 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 12 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 13 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 14 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 15 | PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 16 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 17 | HICKNECK'S BBQ | |
| 18 | e2BBQ | |
| 19 | HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM | |
| 20 | Shockin BBQ | |
| 21 | WOOD JUICE BBQ | |
| 22 | Burner Bash BBQ | |
| 23 | RIBS BY ANDY | |
| 24 | MEAT SHARKS | |
| 25 | SMOKETASTIC BBQ |
Chicken
25 entries · top 176.5600 · median 163.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 2 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 3 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 4 | LOVE-N-SMOKE | |
| 5 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 6 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 7 | PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 8 | 3N1 Q | |
| 9 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 10 | e2BBQ | |
| 11 | HICKNECK'S BBQ | |
| 12 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 13 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 14 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 15 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 16 | RIBS BY ANDY | |
| 17 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 18 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 19 | HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM | |
| 20 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 21 | Burner Bash BBQ | |
| 22 | Shockin BBQ | |
| 23 | MEAT SHARKS | |
| 24 | WOOD JUICE BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKETASTIC BBQ |
Pork Ribs
25 entries · top 174.2972 · median 162.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 2 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 3 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 4 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 5 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 6 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 7 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 8 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 9 | HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM | |
| 10 | LOVE-N-SMOKE | |
| 11 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 12 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 13 | 3N1 Q | |
| 14 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 15 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKETASTIC BBQ | |
| 17 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 18 | MEAT SHARKS | |
| 19 | e2BBQ | |
| 20 | Shockin BBQ | |
| 21 | PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 22 | HICKNECK'S BBQ | |
| 23 | WOOD JUICE BBQ | |
| 24 | RIBS BY ANDY | |
| 25 | Burner Bash BBQ |
Pork
25 entries · top 175.4172 · median 161.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3N1 Q | |
| 2 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 3 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 4 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 5 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 6 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 7 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 8 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 9 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 10 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 11 | LOVE-N-SMOKE | |
| 12 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 13 | Shockin BBQ | |
| 14 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 15 | SMOKETASTIC BBQ | |
| 16 | WOOD JUICE BBQ | |
| 17 | MEAT SHARKS | |
| 18 | PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 19 | Burner Bash BBQ | |
| 20 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 21 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 22 | HICKNECK'S BBQ | |
| 23 | e2BBQ | |
| 24 | RIBS BY ANDY | |
| 25 | HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM |
Brisket
25 entries · top 169.7144 · median 162.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3N1 Q | |
| 2 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 3 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 4 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 5 | LOVE-N-SMOKE | |
| 6 | HAMTOWN SMOKERS | |
| 7 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 8 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 9 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 10 | PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 11 | WOOD JUICE BBQ | |
| 12 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 13 | DIRTY POSSUM BBQ | |
| 14 | HICKNECK'S BBQ | |
| 15 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 16 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 17 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 18 | SMOKETASTIC BBQ | |
| 19 | e2BBQ | |
| 20 | HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM | |
| 21 | Shockin BBQ | |
| 22 | Burner Bash BBQ | |
| 23 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 24 | RIBS BY ANDY | |
| 25 | MEAT SHARKS |