FIRESIDE ALCHEMY

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#2513

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1519

peak 1526 · rated over 20 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2015-04-17

latest 2018-09-28

Best ToY finish

#632

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 20 contests

Avg finish

top 54%

overall standings

Best overall

662.7196 / 720

Master · Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition

Perfect 180s

Current form

646.94 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 641.26 (+5.68)

Walk rate

55%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.2744

Pork · 13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship

Consistency

±12.97

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 161.68 · weakest Brisket (158.34)

Road miles

2,129

mi across 20 mapped stops · furthest 186 mi

Schedule strength

48%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1562)

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

641.26 / 720

20 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (6 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

High-water mark

662.7196 career-best overall

92.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 662.7196 at Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition — 92.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
2018-04-27

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE has finished one call ahead of FIRESIDE ALCHEMY 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

16–0 behind in the head-to-head

WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ has come out ahead in 16 of their 16 shared contests.

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of JAM'N HAMS in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

13 of 16 shared pork entries lost

WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ ahead 81% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ has out-cooked them in 13 of 16 shared pork entries.

The metronome

±1.80% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.80% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.1% of a perfect score
20 contests

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

84 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

SMOKIN TURTLE LOW N SLOW BAR-BE-QUE

#2504 of the rated field

1520 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1536

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 23 contests to 20, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 23 contests
last seen 2019-08-23

⚔ Head-to-head

Grumpy Old Patriot Barbeque

#2521 of the rated field

1519 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1527

No shared contest yet.

26 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 19% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 26 contests
last seen 2026-08-08

⚔ Head-to-head

M & K BBQ

#2505 of the rated field

1520 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1533

No shared contest yet.

Level with FIRESIDE ALCHEMY on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2025-10-17

⚔ Head-to-head

JAYBIRD'S BBQ

#2516 of the rated field

1519 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1556

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1556 at their best, 37 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 27 contests
last seen 2026-05-01

⚔ Head-to-head

Big Juicy BBQ

#2509 of the rated field

1519 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1519

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 9 years after FIRESIDE ALCHEMY did, first appearing in 2024.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2026-05-23

⚔ Head-to-head

SLABS OF APPROVAL

#2512 of the rated field

1519 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1543

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 14 contests to 20, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2017-08-18

⚔ Head-to-head

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
Serial Griller	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
APORKALYPSE NOW	13	0	13	0%	⚔ compare
BIG DOG BBQ VA	12	6	6	50%	⚔ compare
Smoke-A-Holics	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
LIL WILL'S LONE STAR QUE	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
KIRBBQ	10	6	4	60%	⚔ compare
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
3 EYZ BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKETASTIC BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
4:20 Q	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	20	4	0	173.1084	143.9084	159.61	top 61%
Pork Ribs	20	3	0	169.7144	155.4056	161.63	top 50%
Pork	20	7	1	174.2744	143.3944	161.68	top 48%
Brisket	20	3	2	173.7372	140.4684	158.34	top 53%

“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.

By state / province

Where	Contests	Avg finish
VA	17	top 54%
MD	1	top 86%
NJ	1	top 35%
DC	1	top 45%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	9	0	top 57%
Large (40+)	11	0	top 52%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ Jamboree	2	18	0	top 32%	2016-05-13

The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 3.4 yrs 2015-04-17 → 2018-09-28

Busiest season 2015 7 contests

Contests a season 5 across 4 seasons in the data

Cooks most in VA 17 of 20 contests · 4 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 19 1 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 20 entries · 0 wins · 4 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 161.68 · weakest Brisket (158.34)

Walk rate 55% a top-10 call in 11 of 20 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 20 contests

Master average 641.26 out of 720 · 20 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 361 402–408 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,129 20 mapped stops · furthest 186 mi

Schedule strength 1562 average field rating faced — tougher than 48% of rated contests

State championships 0 from 2 state-championship entries

Power rating 1519 peak 1526 · #2513 of 6,413 rated

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

2015
Apr 17 First tracked contest 2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition
May 15 First call Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off
May 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.0628 Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off
Aug 21 Peak power rating (1526) VA BBQ Championships
2016
May 20 10th tracked contest Chesapeake Jubilee
2017
Sep 8 Career-best single call (Pork)174.2744 13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship
2018
Apr 27 Career-best overall score662.7196 Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition
Sep 28 Most recent contest Smithfield BBQ Classic

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+9	BBQ Jamboree	2015-05-08
+6.5	Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition	2018-04-27
+6.3	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off	2015-05-15
+6.1	*Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off	2017-05-19
+6	13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship	2017-09-08

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.2	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2015-08-28
-9.1	12th Annual Recovery Fest/7th Annual BBQ State Championship	2016-09-09
-5.6	Smithfield BBQ Classic	2018-09-28
-5.2	*BBQ Jamboree-Day 1(JUDGES FULL)	2017-05-12
-3	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition	2015-04-17

Category scores over time

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	2	0%	top 59%	92%	89.8%
2017	5	80%	top 57%	91.6%	89.4%
2016	6	67%	top 57%	90.5%	88.6%
2015	7	43%	top 48%	91.4%	89.1%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-09-28	Smithfield BBQ Classic Richmond, VA	33 / 41 (630.6512)	35 (155.3600)	33 (155.4056)	18 (165.6800)	38 (154.2056)
2018-04-27	Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition Lenexa, VA	17 / 45 (662.7196)	22 (165.0856)	15 (167.9656)	21 (163.4056)	18 (166.2628)
2017-10-06	*Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic Virginia Beach, VA	15 / 23 (643.2800)	8 (168.5372)	9 (164.5256)	23 (143.3944)	11 (166.8228)
2017-09-08	13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship 🏅 Richmond, VA	15 / 35 (659.3028)	28 (157.6340)	7 (169.7144)	2 (174.2744)	21 (157.6800)
2017-05-19	*Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA	13 / 34 (638.7312)	9 (165.7028)	17 (161.7144)	8 (163.9656)	23 (147.3484)
2017-05-12	*BBQ Jamboree-Day 1(JUDGES FULL) Fredericksburg, VA	42 / 54 (632.9140)	51 (153.6228)	18 (168.5256)	45 (153.0628)	32 (157.7028)
2017-04-28	4th Annual Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition Lanexa, VA	28 / 46 (642.7312)	37 (155.9312)	31 (155.4172)	9 (169.6800)	19 (161.7028)
2016-09-30	Que & Cruz Louisa, VA	14 / 31 (651.8744)	17 (162.8112)	27 (156.5144)	9 (163.4172)	3 (169.1316)
2016-09-23	Brew, Barbecue & Oysters Too! Cape Charles, VA	12 / 22 (632.9368)	12 (157.0856)	5 (165.7028)	9 (165.0740)	19 (145.0744)
2016-09-09	12th Annual Recovery Fest/7th Annual BBQ State Championship 🏅 Richmond, VA	21 / 25 (632.4340)	23 (155.3484)	18 (157.7144)	18 (162.8112)	16 (156.5600)
2016-05-20	Chesapeake Jubilee Chesapeake, VA	16 / 26 (622.0456)	22 (157.0628)	17 (156.5372)	5 (167.9772)	22 (140.4684)
2016-05-13	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	26 / 72 (648.9484)	10 (173.1084)	38 (160.5144)	49 (157.0856)	38 (158.2400)
2016-04-29	3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin Lanexa, VA	29 / 48 (638.1596)	28 (162.2284)	26 (161.1312)	34 (156.5256)	28 (158.2744)
2015-08-28	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Laurel, MD	25 / 29 (608.4460)	25 (150.8344)	13 (161.6916)	28 (147.9312)	23 (147.9888)
2015-08-21	VA BBQ Championships Hampton, VA	19 / 46 (658.2284)	28 (158.8456)	27 (160.5256)	12 (168.5600)	10 (170.2972)
2015-07-10	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	23 / 65 (642.2172)	8 (166.8456)	19 (164.5944)	41 (155.9428)	27 (154.8344)
2015-06-27	National Capital Barbecue Battle Washington, DC	19 / 42 (652.5372)	12 (169.7028)	33 (155.4172)	24 (159.4172)	13 (168.0000)
2015-05-15	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA	13 / 36 (649.0628)	31 (143.9084)	12 (164.5600)	10 (166.8572)	3 (173.7372)
2015-05-08	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	18 / 65 (646.7312)	42 (156.5600)	12 (165.6800)	20 (162.7884)	19 (161.7028)
2015-04-17	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition Lanexa, VA	30 / 46 (631.2572)	35 (155.9428)	29 (158.8228)	14 (165.6800)	37 (150.8116)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018 ↗	Master	#1368 (160 pts)	#1529 (135 pts)	#1421 (170 pts)	#1380 (175 pts)	#1462 (155 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#833 (447 pts)	#842 (467 pts)	#722 (552 pts)	#597 (677 pts)	#901 (417 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1775 (120 pts)	#1457 (195 pts)	#1884 (120 pts)	#1872 (120 pts)	#1839 (120 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#632 (579 pts)	#665 (574 pts)	#617 (634 pts)	#605 (639 pts)	#492 (764 pts)