FIRESIDE ALCHEMY

FIRESIDE ALCHEMY is a competition barbecue team with 20 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2015 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 12th of 22 at the Brew, Barbecue & Oysters Too! (2016). They are ranked #2523 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,523

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1520

peak 1526 · rated over 20 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 17, 2015

latest Sep 28, 2018 · 3.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#632

Master 2015 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% 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

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 161.68 · weakest Brisket (158.34)

Road miles

2,129

across 20 mapped stops · furthest 186 mi

Schedule strength

49%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1563)

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

641.26 / 720

20 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (6 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

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
Apr 27, 2018

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

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the 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)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to FIRESIDE ALCHEMY, each with one reason worth a look.

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

JACK'S OLD SOUTH

#2,512 of the rated field

1520 power rating

Contests: 115
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1698

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to FIRESIDE ALCHEMY)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team FIRESIDE ALCHEMY has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 109 contests
last seen Jul 25, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

Slam Dunk BBQ

#2,518 of the rated field

1520 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1527

Careers of much the same size, 18 contests to 20, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

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M & K BBQ

#2,527 of the rated field

1519 power rating

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

20 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 15% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Oct 17, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

JAYBIRD'S BBQ

#2,531 of the rated field

1519 power rating

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

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 May 1, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BAD BRAD'S BBQ

#2,532 of the rated field

1519 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1551

They turned up 8 years after FIRESIDE ALCHEMY did, first appearing in 2023.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BAYOU STYLE BBQ

#2,520 of the rated field

1520 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1534

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

rated over 14 contests
last seen Sep 16, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

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 field size and state

By contest size

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

By state / province (where the contests were held)

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

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

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

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 7 contests

Contests a season 5 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in VA 17 of 20 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 19 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 361 finished ahead 402 times, behind 408

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

20182 milestones

Apr 27 Career-best overall score662.7196 Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition
Sep 28 Most recent contest Smithfield BBQ Classic

20171 milestone

Sep 8 Career-best single call (Pork)174.2744 13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship

20161 milestone

May 20 10th tracked contest Chesapeake Jubilee

20154 milestones

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+9	BBQ Jamboree	May 8, 2015
+6.5	Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition	Apr 27, 2018
+6.3	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off	May 15, 2015
+6.1	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off	May 19, 2017
+6	13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship	Sep 8, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.1	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Aug 28, 2015
-9	12th Annual Recovery Fest/7th Annual BBQ State Championship	Sep 9, 2016
-5.5	Smithfield BBQ Classic	Sep 28, 2018
-5.1	BBQ Jamboree-Day 1 (JUDGES FULL)	May 12, 2017
-3	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition	Apr 17, 2015

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)

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

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

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
Sep 28, 2018	Smithfield BBQ Classic Richmond, VA	33 / 41 (630.6512)	35 (155.3600)	33 (155.4056)	18 (165.6800)	38 (154.2056)
Apr 27, 2018	Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition Lenexa, VA	17 / 45 (662.7196)	22 (165.0856)	15 (167.9656)	21 (163.4056)	18 (166.2628)
Oct 6, 2017	Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic Virginia Beach, VA	15 / 23 (643.2800)	8 (168.5372)	9 (164.5256)	23 (143.3944)	11 (166.8228)
Sep 8, 2017	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)
May 19, 2017	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA	13 / 34 (638.7312)	9 (165.7028)	17 (161.7144)	8 (163.9656)	23 (147.3484)
May 12, 2017	BBQ Jamboree-Day 1 (JUDGES FULL) Fredericksburg, VA	42 / 54 (632.9140)	51 (153.6228)	18 (168.5256)	45 (153.0628)	32 (157.7028)
Apr 28, 2017	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)
Sep 30, 2016	Que & Cruz Louisa, VA	14 / 31 (651.8744)	17 (162.8112)	27 (156.5144)	9 (163.4172)	3 (169.1316)
Sep 23, 2016	Brew, Barbecue & Oysters Too! Cape Charles, VA	12 / 22 (632.9368)	12 (157.0856)	5 (165.7028)	9 (165.0740)	19 (145.0744)
Sep 9, 2016	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)
May 20, 2016	Chesapeake Jubilee Chesapeake, VA	16 / 26 (622.0456)	22 (157.0628)	17 (156.5372)	5 (167.9772)	22 (140.4684)
May 13, 2016	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	26 / 72 (648.9484)	10 (173.1084)	38 (160.5144)	49 (157.0856)	38 (158.2400)
Apr 29, 2016	3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin Lanexa, VA	29 / 48 (638.1596)	28 (162.2284)	26 (161.1312)	34 (156.5256)	28 (158.2744)
Aug 28, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Laurel, MD	25 / 29 (608.4460)	25 (150.8344)	13 (161.6916)	28 (147.9312)	23 (147.9888)
Aug 21, 2015	VA BBQ Championships Hampton, VA	19 / 46 (658.2284)	28 (158.8456)	27 (160.5256)	12 (168.5600)	10 (170.2972)
Jul 10, 2015	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	23 / 65 (642.2172)	8 (166.8456)	19 (164.5944)	41 (155.9428)	27 (154.8344)
Jun 27, 2015	National Capital Barbecue Battle Washington, DC	19 / 42 (652.5372)	12 (169.7028)	33 (155.4172)	24 (159.4172)	13 (168)
May 15, 2015	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA	13 / 36 (649.0628)	31 (143.9084)	12 (164.5600)	10 (166.8572)	3 (173.7372)
May 8, 2015	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	18 / 65 (646.7312)	42 (156.5600)	12 (165.6800)	20 (162.7884)	19 (161.7028)
Apr 17, 2015	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)

FIRESIDE ALCHEMY

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (6 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

The metronome

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

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)

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

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

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

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