Best of the Midwest

2019-10-18 – 2019-10-19 · Union Grove, WI · 📍 19805 Durand Ave · State championship

Prize money: $7,000.00

Grand Champion: Hogline BBQ (700.5028) · 52 teams

Reserve Champion: 🥈 THE REAL SMOKIN ACES

🥇

HOGLINE

700.5028 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

THE REAL SMOKIN ACES

682.8116 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

WICKED SMOKE BBQ

678.7772 · Master Series — Overall

Entries

4 judged meats

Top score

700.5028

Winning margin

17.6912

GC over RC

Field average

646.55

median 649.95

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

D.F.G.'S BBQ (Pork)

Tightest race

Pork Ribs

4.0000 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

666.2056

10th place overall

Field spread

126.8800

winner to last place

Prize money

$7,000.00

on the line

Most consistent

HOGLINE

avg finish 3.75 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Pork

won by 3.9884 pts — D.F.G.'S BBQ

How hot was the win?

Top 46%

beats 54% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data

Traveled in

52%

of the 52 teams with a home region came from outside WI

Form held

Moderate

ρ = -0.59 between pre-contest rating and finish

Field strength

1520

avg power rating going in · stronger than 25% of contests

Top-rated in the field

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ

rated 1680 pre-contest

Storylines

💪 A statement win

The champion won by 17.6912 points — a wider margin than 98% of championships in the data.

🧳 Out-of-towners took the title

Hogline BBQ took the Grand Championship home to MN.

🧹 A double category winner

HOGLINE won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.

📸 Photo finishes

Pork places 6–7: PORKRASTINATORS and IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 8–9: QUE U and A BOY NAMED QUE tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 4–5: BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. and HOG CALL BBQ tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.

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)

Where the field came from (home regions on file)

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

Category	1st	5th	10th
Chicken	177.7144	173.1200	168.5372
Pork Ribs	178.8572	174.8572	167.3944
Pork	180.0000	173.1544	170.8228
Brisket	178.2972	172.5600	169.6800

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

52 entries · top 700.5028 · median 649.9490

#	Team	Score
1	HOGLINE	700.5028
2	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	682.8116
3	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	678.7772
4	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	678.1252
5	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	674.2060
6	A BOY NAMED QUE	673.0288
7	SmokinGhost BBQ	671.3028
8	D.F.G.'S BBQ	670.7200
9	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	669.6340
10	SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN	666.2056
11	BIG HORNED BBQ	665.0972
12	QUE U	662.7544
13	HOG CALL BBQ	662.1828
14	THE BBQ BUS	660.4228
15	RUSTY PIG BBQ	659.8740
16	JACKS PIT SHACK	659.3488
17	BILLY RAY BBQ	658.1600
18	TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	657.0056
19	CHANNABILLY BBQ	656.4916
20	SMOKE INFUSION	655.8740
21	STEAMBOAT BBQ-HOTDIGGITY HOG	653.5424
22	SI2 BBQ	651.3716
23	PORKRASTINATORS	651.2688
24	Beauty and the Beef	650.8228
25	Littles BBQ Co	650.7312
26	Pit Snipe BBQ	650.2748
27	SMOKE FREAKS	649.6232
28	LIMP BRISKET	648.4572
29	BURNIN BENJAMINS	647.8172
30	HOT DADDY'S BBQ	646.6400
31	SECOND HAND SMOKE SLV	646.1488
32	43RD PARALLEL BBQ	645.0060
33	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	644.9712
34	TOPPGATOR BBQ	644.4912
35	FLYIN' FINN BREWERY & BBQ	643.7944
36	MONTANA MAX BBQ	642.7316
37	P.I.G.	642.1260
38	CARNIVORE'S PARADISE	633.6004
39	Two Brews bbq	633.1088
40	EF-Q	631.8740
41	CRACKHOUSE BBQ	631.2916
42	Moose's Barbecue	631.2688
43	Chocolate City BBQ	630.6284
44	HAWGWASH BBQ	629.0176
45	The Rub Doctors	622.1600
46	Smoke Eat Repeat	617.5428
47	ROLL THE BONES BBQ	614.7088
48	PURPLE SHADOW	614.2176
49	BRASS MONKEY BBQ	611.2460
50	Monkey Karl'z Party Q	587.1544
51	JJ QUE	586.8232
52	The Crooked Barrel Burns	573.6228

Chicken

52 entries · top 177.7144 · median 163.4000

#	Team	Score
1	HOGLINE	177.7144
2	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	176.5600
3	SmokinGhost BBQ	175.4172
4	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	174.2628
5	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	173.1200
6	SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN	172.0000
7	SECOND HAND SMOKE SLV	171.4056
8	TOPPGATOR BBQ	170.2856
9	BIG HORNED BBQ	168.5828
10	SMOKE INFUSION	168.5372
11	Moose's Barbecue	167.9772
12	D.F.G.'S BBQ	167.3944
13	HOT DADDY'S BBQ	167.3944
14	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	167.3828
15	HOG CALL BBQ	166.8344
16	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	166.8228
17	LIMP BRISKET	166.8228
18	SMOKE FREAKS	166.2744
19	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	166.2284
20	43RD PARALLEL BBQ	165.6800
21	Beauty and the Beef	165.1544
22	A BOY NAMED QUE	165.1088
23	CARNIVORE'S PARADISE	164.0116
24	Chocolate City BBQ	163.9772
25	FLYIN' FINN BREWERY & BBQ	163.9544
26	CHANNABILLY BBQ	163.4056
27	JACKS PIT SHACK	163.3944
28	RUSTY PIG BBQ	163.3712
29	Two Brews bbq	162.8456
30	Littles BBQ Co	162.8456
31	EF-Q	162.8228
32	SI2 BBQ	161.7028
33	Smoke Eat Repeat	161.0856
34	P.I.G.	160.5372
35	BILLY RAY BBQ	160.5256
36	STEAMBOAT BBQ-HOTDIGGITY HOG	160.5256
37	CRACKHOUSE BBQ	159.9772
38	QUE U	159.9544
39	THE BBQ BUS	159.3712
40	TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	159.3712
41	Monkey Karl'z Party Q	155.3828
42	BURNIN BENJAMINS	154.2516
43	The Rub Doctors	154.2400
44	Pit Snipe BBQ	153.7144
45	ROLL THE BONES BBQ	153.6800
46	JJ QUE	152.5256
47	PORKRASTINATORS	151.9544
48	HAWGWASH BBQ	150.2172
49	BRASS MONKEY BBQ	146.2400
50	MONTANA MAX BBQ	145.0972
51	PURPLE SHADOW	144.0000
52	The Crooked Barrel Burns	136.5372

Pork Ribs

52 entries · top 178.8572 · median 159.9658

#	Team	Score
1	HOGLINE	178.8572
2	SmokinGhost BBQ	176.0116
3	Littles BBQ Co	176.0000
4	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	175.4516
5	MONTANA MAX BBQ	174.8572
6	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	174.2744
7	RUSTY PIG BBQ	170.2972
8	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	169.1200
9	Two Brews bbq	167.4632
10	D.F.G.'S BBQ	167.3944
11	SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN	166.8572
12	TOPPGATOR BBQ	166.2972
13	43RD PARALLEL BBQ	166.2860
14	A BOY NAMED QUE	166.2628
15	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	166.2284
16	TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	165.6916
17	QUE U	165.1544
18	SI2 BBQ	165.1316
19	BURNIN BENJAMINS	165.0972
20	CHANNABILLY BBQ	163.9888
21	STEAMBOAT BBQ-HOTDIGGITY HOG	163.9428
22	Beauty and the Beef	162.8228
23	LIMP BRISKET	161.7028
24	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	161.1432
25	FLYIN' FINN BREWERY & BBQ	161.0972
26	JACKS PIT SHACK	159.9772
27	PORKRASTINATORS	159.9544
28	CRACKHOUSE BBQ	158.8116
29	HOT DADDY'S BBQ	158.2516
30	BRASS MONKEY BBQ	158.2516
31	BIG HORNED BBQ	158.2400
32	BILLY RAY BBQ	157.6800
33	SECOND HAND SMOKE SLV	157.6688
34	HOG CALL BBQ	156.5600
35	Smoke Eat Repeat	156.5372
36	P.I.G.	156.5260
37	The Rub Doctors	155.4056
38	HAWGWASH BBQ	155.3944
39	ROLL THE BONES BBQ	154.2516
40	THE BBQ BUS	153.6344
41	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	153.1200
42	SMOKE INFUSION	153.1200
43	SMOKE FREAKS	153.0972
44	PURPLE SHADOW	153.0860
45	Moose's Barbecue	152.5372
46	CARNIVORE'S PARADISE	151.3372
47	Chocolate City BBQ	150.7656
48	EF-Q	146.2400
49	Monkey Karl'z Party Q	146.2056
50	Pit Snipe BBQ	145.1088
51	JJ QUE	143.9888
52	The Crooked Barrel Burns	138.2628

Pork

52 entries · top 180.0000 · median 162.8286 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	D.F.G.'S BBQ	180.0000 🔥
2	BILLY RAY BBQ	176.0116
3	BIG HORNED BBQ	176.0000
4	THE BBQ BUS	175.4516
5	Pit Snipe BBQ	173.1544
6	PORKRASTINATORS	173.1200
7	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	173.1200
8	QUE U	171.9772
9	A BOY NAMED QUE	171.9772
10	HOGLINE	170.8228
11	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	170.2744
12	SMOKE FREAKS	170.2744
13	SMOKE INFUSION	169.6684
14	Two Brews bbq	167.4172
15	JACKS PIT SHACK	166.8344
16	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	166.2744
17	SECOND HAND SMOKE SLV	166.2516
18	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	166.2400
19	RUSTY PIG BBQ	166.2400
20	HOG CALL BBQ	166.2284
21	Beauty and the Beef	165.1312
22	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	164.5484
23	BURNIN BENJAMINS	164.5256
24	PURPLE SHADOW	163.4400
25	EF-Q	162.8456
26	CHANNABILLY BBQ	162.8344
27	TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	162.8228
28	BRASS MONKEY BBQ	162.2628
29	SmokinGhost BBQ	161.6340
30	LIMP BRISKET	161.0972
31	TOPPGATOR BBQ	160.5716
32	SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN	159.9772
33	Littles BBQ Co	159.9656
34	CRACKHOUSE BBQ	159.9656
35	CARNIVORE'S PARADISE	159.9656
36	ROLL THE BONES BBQ	159.3828
37	MONTANA MAX BBQ	158.2400
38	HOT DADDY'S BBQ	158.2172
39	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	158.2056
40	Smoke Eat Repeat	157.6800
41	P.I.G.	157.6572
42	Moose's Barbecue	156.5144
43	43RD PARALLEL BBQ	156.5144
44	HAWGWASH BBQ	155.9544
45	FLYIN' FINN BREWERY & BBQ	154.8000
46	SI2 BBQ	153.7144
47	Chocolate City BBQ	153.6456
48	Monkey Karl'z Party Q	152.4916
49	STEAMBOAT BBQ-HOTDIGGITY HOG	151.9312
50	The Rub Doctors	149.6800
51	The Crooked Barrel Burns	145.7028
52	JJ QUE	144.0344

Brisket

52 entries · top 178.2972 · median 162.8056

#	Team	Score
1	Pit Snipe BBQ	178.2972
2	STEAMBOAT BBQ-HOTDIGGITY HOG	177.1428
3	HOGLINE	173.1084
4	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	172.5600
5	HOG CALL BBQ	172.5600
6	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	172.5484
7	THE BBQ BUS	171.9656
8	SI2 BBQ	170.8228
9	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	170.2628
10	A BOY NAMED QUE	169.6800
11	JACKS PIT SHACK	169.1428
12	TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	169.1200
13	HAWGWASH BBQ	167.4516
14	P.I.G.	167.4056
15	SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN	167.3712
16	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	166.8228
17	CHANNABILLY BBQ	166.2628
18	PORKRASTINATORS	166.2400
19	QUE U	165.6684
20	SMOKE INFUSION	164.5484
21	MONTANA MAX BBQ	164.5372
22	BURNIN BENJAMINS	163.9428
23	BILLY RAY BBQ	163.9428
24	FLYIN' FINN BREWERY & BBQ	163.9428
25	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	163.4284
26	The Rub Doctors	162.8344
27	HOT DADDY'S BBQ	162.7768
28	BIG HORNED BBQ	162.2744
29	Chocolate City BBQ	162.2400
30	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	160.5256
31	SMOKE FREAKS	159.9772
32	RUSTY PIG BBQ	159.9656
33	EF-Q	159.9656
34	LIMP BRISKET	158.8344
35	CARNIVORE'S PARADISE	158.2860
36	SmokinGhost BBQ	158.2400
37	Beauty and the Beef	157.7144
38	43RD PARALLEL BBQ	156.5256
39	D.F.G.'S BBQ	155.9312
40	Moose's Barbecue	154.2400
41	PURPLE SHADOW	153.6916
42	The Crooked Barrel Burns	153.1200
43	CRACKHOUSE BBQ	152.5372
44	Littles BBQ Co	151.9200
45	SECOND HAND SMOKE SLV	150.8228
46	ROLL THE BONES BBQ	147.3944
47	TOPPGATOR BBQ	147.3368
48	JJ QUE	146.2744
49	BRASS MONKEY BBQ	144.4916
50	Smoke Eat Repeat	142.2400
51	Two Brews bbq	135.3828
52	Monkey Karl'z Party Q	133.0744

Best of the Midwest

Entries

Top score

Winning margin

Field average

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Top-10 cutoff

Field spread

Prize money

Most consistent

Double threats

Widest winning margin

How hot was the win?

Traveled in

Form held

Field strength

Top-rated in the field

Storylines

💪 A statement win

🧳 Out-of-towners took the title

🧹 A double category winner

📸 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)

Where the field came from (home regions on file)

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