Best of the Midwest BBQ
2021-10-22 – 2021-10-23 · Union Grove, WI · 📍 19805 Durand Ave · State championship
Reps: BECKY DRUETZLER, DAVE DRUETZLER · Prize money: $7,500.00
Grand Champion: Big E BBQ (690.2172) · 44 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 RUSTY PIG BBQ
Entries
44
6 judged meats
Top score
690.2172
Winning margin
0.5600
GC over RC
Field average
655.91
median 664.45
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
1.1540 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
678.7084
10th place overall
Field spread
143.5772
winner to last place
Prize money
$7,500.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 85%
beats 15% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
56%
of the 54 teams with a home region came from outside WI
Came back for more
34%
20 of 59 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.44 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1542
avg power rating going in · stronger than 47% of contests
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5600 points — closer than 90% of every championship in the data.
🧹 A double category winner
Crown Town Q won Pork Ribs, Brisket — a double.
📸 Photo finishes
Master Series — Chicken places 6–7: IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ and Red Rock Cafe tied on 172.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 9–10: WICKED SMOKE BBQ and MACHETE BOYS BBQ tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 8–9: HOME FARM BBQ and Shiggin aint easy tied on 171.9772 — 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)
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)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-10-16 | Union Grove, WI | 19805 Durand Ave | 50 | 692.5600 | Shiggin Ain't Easy BBQ | GETTIN' BASTED |
| 2021-10-22 ← this one | Union Grove, WI | 19805 Durand Ave | 44 | 690.2172 | Big E BBQ | RUSTY PIG BBQ |
| 2022-10-14 | Union Grove, WI | 19805 Durand Ave | 36 | 697.6456 | iBQ'n | UP FROM THE PITS BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 178.8572 | 173.1084 | 171.9656 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 174.2856 | 173.1316 | 170.8572 |
| Master Series — Pork | 176.5600 | 174.8456 | 171.4172 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180.0000 | 174.8456 | 171.4172 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 170.8344 | 158.2628 | 119.8972 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 167.4172 | 146.7772 | 99.9088 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
44 entries · top 690.2172 · median 664.4512
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 2 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 3 | Risky Brisket | |
| 4 | Crown Town Q | |
| 5 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 6 | DB BBQ | |
| 7 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 8 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 9 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 10 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 11 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 12 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 13 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 14 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 15 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 16 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 17 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 18 | QUE U | |
| 19 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 20 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 21 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 22 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 23 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 24 | iBQ'n | |
| 25 | Little O BBQ | |
| 26 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 27 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 28 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 29 | Blue Island | |
| 30 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 31 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 32 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 33 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 34 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 35 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 36 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 37 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 38 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 39 | MC BBQ | |
| 40 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ | |
| 41 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 42 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 43 | MIL-TOWN BBQ | |
| 44 | Caught Smoking Again |
Chicken
44 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.2514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DB BBQ | |
| 2 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 3 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 4 | Risky Brisket | |
| 5 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 6 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 7 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 8 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 9 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 10 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 11 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 12 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 13 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 14 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 15 | iBQ'n | |
| 16 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 17 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 18 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 19 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 20 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 21 | Blue Island | |
| 22 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 23 | Little O BBQ | |
| 24 | QUE U | |
| 25 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 26 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 27 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 28 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 29 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 30 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 31 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 32 | MC BBQ | |
| 33 | Crown Town Q | |
| 34 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 35 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 36 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 37 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 38 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 39 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 40 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ | |
| 41 | MIL-TOWN BBQ | |
| 42 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 43 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 44 | Caught Smoking Again |
Pork Ribs
44 entries · top 174.2856 · median 164.2514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crown Town Q | |
| 2 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 3 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 4 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 5 | Little O BBQ | |
| 6 | QUE U | |
| 7 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 8 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 9 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 10 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 11 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 12 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 13 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 14 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 15 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 16 | Risky Brisket | |
| 17 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 18 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 19 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 20 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 21 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 22 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 23 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 24 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 25 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 26 | DB BBQ | |
| 27 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 28 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 29 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 30 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 31 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 32 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 33 | Blue Island | |
| 34 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 35 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 36 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 37 | iBQ'n | |
| 38 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 39 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ | |
| 40 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 41 | MIL-TOWN BBQ | |
| 42 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 43 | Caught Smoking Again | |
| 44 | MC BBQ |
Pork
44 entries · top 176.5600 · median 167.3828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 2 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 3 | Risky Brisket | |
| 4 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 5 | Crown Town Q | |
| 6 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 7 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 8 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 9 | iBQ'n | |
| 10 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 11 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 12 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 13 | DB BBQ | |
| 14 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 15 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 16 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 17 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 18 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 19 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 20 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 21 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 22 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 23 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 24 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ | |
| 25 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 26 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 27 | MC BBQ | |
| 28 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 29 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 30 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 31 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 32 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 33 | QUE U | |
| 34 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 35 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 36 | Little O BBQ | |
| 37 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 38 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 39 | Blue Island | |
| 40 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 41 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 42 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 43 | Caught Smoking Again | |
| 44 | MIL-TOWN BBQ |
Brisket
44 entries · top 180.0000 · median 164.8056 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crown Town Q | |
| 2 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 3 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 4 | HOME FARM BBQ | |
| 5 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 6 | BIG "E" BBQ | |
| 7 | 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | |
| 8 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 9 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 10 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 11 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 12 | Risky Brisket | |
| 13 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 14 | QUE U | |
| 15 | DB BBQ | |
| 16 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 17 | Blue Island | |
| 18 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 19 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 20 | iBQ'n | |
| 21 | MIL-TOWN BBQ | |
| 22 | Second Hand Smoke SLV | |
| 23 | Little?s Barbecue Company | |
| 24 | Two Brews BBQ | |
| 25 | Little O BBQ | |
| 26 | Red Rock Cafe | |
| 27 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 28 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 29 | CITY SLICKERS BBQ | |
| 30 | HOG CALL BBQ | |
| 31 | MC BBQ | |
| 32 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 33 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 34 | Chunky Monkey BBQ | |
| 35 | Mediocre BBQ | |
| 36 | Kick Ash BBQ | |
| 37 | Smokin Highwaymen | |
| 38 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 39 | The Rub Doctors | |
| 40 | Caught Smoking Again | |
| 41 | SUPERLINS BBQ | |
| 42 | KP2 BBQ | |
| 43 | Raging Mermaid BBQ | |
| 44 | THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ |
Backyard Series
Overall
10 entries · top 333.6572 · median 301.6342
Chicken
10 entries · top 170.8344 · median 155.7142
Pork Ribs
10 entries · top 167.4172 · median 145.9200