WHISKEY'N'CLEAVERS

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

Power ranking

#1733

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1550

peak 1556 · rated over 11 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2016-05-28

latest 2019-09-21

Best ToY finish

#747

Master 2017

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 11 contests

Avg finish

top 37%

overall standings

Best overall

674.8000 / 720

Master · Capital BBQ Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

654.40 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 646.50 (+7.89)

Walk rate

64%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

172.5600

Pork · Oinktoberfest

Consistency

±19.35

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 162.84 · weakest Brisket (160.18)

Road miles

1,392

mi across 11 mapped stops · furthest 230 mi

Schedule strength

23%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1531)

Purse competed for

$13K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 1 state-championship entries

Master avg

646.50 / 720

11 Master contests · 1 GC

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (8 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.

Giant slayer

42 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 42-team field at Capital BBQ Festival.

2017-08-05

Happy hunting ground

Top 13% average finish here

Oinktoberfest is their spot: an average finish in the top 13% across 3 visits.

3 visits
best finish 4th
average top 13%

They almost always walk

64% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 7 of 11 contests

A top-10 category call in 64% of their 11 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

674.8000 career-best overall

93.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 674.8000 at Capital BBQ Festival — 93.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
2017-08-05

A tough matchup

7–2 behind in the head-to-head

SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS ahead in 78% of their meetings

SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS has come out ahead in 7 of their 9 shared contests.

A strong matchup

7–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 88% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of THE GOOD CUE CREW in 7 of their 8 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

7 of 9 shared chicken entries lost

SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS ahead 78% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS has out-cooked them in 7 of 9 shared chicken entries.

A September team

Top 16% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 16% across 4 contests, versus top 37% the rest of the year.

4 September contests
top 37% the rest of the year

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.

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

DELIVERING SMOKE BBQ

#1729 of the rated field

1550 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1550

1–3 in 4 shared contests (25% to WHISKEY'N'CLEAVERS)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — DELIVERING SMOKE BBQ ahead 3–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2019-06-21
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

HOOF-N-HOG SMOKERS

#1737 of the rated field

1550 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1550

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to WHISKEY'N'CLEAVERS)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 9 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 9 contests
last seen 2019-09-21

⚔ Head-to-head

THE SNORTIN' BOAR

#1738 of the rated field

1550 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 24%
Peak: 1550

3–1 in 4 shared contests (75% to WHISKEY'N'CLEAVERS)

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 17 contests to 11.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2019-07-20

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKIN K

#1734 of the rated field

1550 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1554

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 11 contests, alongside a 36% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2022-06-17

⚔ Head-to-head

FAHRENHEIT 250

#1732 of the rated field

1550 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 64%
Peak: 1550

No shared contest yet.

3 straight overall top-10s says this rating is a moving target.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2022-02-05

⚔ Head-to-head

Ro-Ro's Smokehouse

#1724 of the rated field

1551 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 58%
Peak: 1551

No shared contest yet.

Level with WHISKEY'N'CLEAVERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2025-07-11

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BEHIND BBQ	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
TRANQUIL CARNIVORES	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS	9	1	7	11%	⚔ compare
THE GOOD CUE CREW	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
MEAN MOE'S BBQ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
SKARA OLD SCHOOL BBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
SIBLING RIVALRY	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
Cousin's Catering and BBQ	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
BOYMEETSGRILL	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
HANGING BELLIES BBQ	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
Q+BREW	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
GOOD SMOKE BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
BUTTS & LINKS BBQ	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
SHOP BOYS BBQ	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	11	2	0	169.1544	152.4684	162.84	top 43%
Pork Ribs	11	1	1	170.8228	140.5028	160.38	top 44%
Pork	11	3	1	172.5600	146.2400	160.54	top 46%
Brisket	11	3	0	169.6800	145.0744	160.18	top 43%

“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	GCs	Avg finish
NY	5	0	top 24%
ON	4	1	top 48%
CA	1	0	top 32%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	0	top 59%
Medium (20–39)	2	0	top 75%
Large (40+)	8	1	top 24%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Oinktoberfest	3	4	0	top 13%	2019-09-21

The story so far (20 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 3.3 yrs 2016-05-28 → 2019-09-21

Busiest season 2017 4 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 2.8 across 4 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NY 5 of 11 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 9 1 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 11 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 162.84 · weakest Brisket (160.18)

Walk rate 64% a top-10 call in 7 of 11 contests

Overall top-10 rate 45% 5 of 11 contests

Wins it all 9% 1 Grand Championship · 0 reserve

First title 2017-08-05 Capital BBQ Festival

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 646.50 out of 720 · 11 contests · 1 GC

Opponents faced 207 305–132 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,392 11 mapped stops · furthest 230 mi

Schedule strength 1531 average field rating faced — tougher than 23% of rated contests

Purse competed for $12,700 listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 1 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1 yrs 2017-09-22 → 2018-09-22

Power rating 1550 peak 1556 · #1733 of 6,413 rated

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

2016
May 28 First tracked contest Roc City Rib Fest
May 28 First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.2288 Roc City Rib Fest
2017
Jun 3 First call *Craze Fest
Jun 3 First overall top-10 *Craze Fest
Aug 5 First overall podium Capital BBQ Festival
Aug 5 First Grand Championship Capital BBQ Festival
Aug 5 Biggest field won (42 teams) Capital BBQ Festival
Aug 5 Career-best overall score674.8000 Capital BBQ Festival
Sep 22 Career-best single call (Pork)172.5600 Oinktoberfest
2019
May 25 Peak power rating (1556) Capital BBQ Festival
Aug 23 10th tracked contest Summer Daze BBQ Classic
Sep 21 Most recent contest Oinktoberfest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16	Capital BBQ Festival	2017-08-05
+14	Oinktoberfest	2017-09-22
+11.7	Oinktoberfest	2018-09-22
+9.3	Ointoberfest BBQ Cookoff	2016-09-23
+7.5	Oinktoberfest	2019-09-21

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13	Summer Daze BBQ Classic	2019-08-23
-3.4	*Drayton Kinsmen Smoke and Sounds Festival	2017-06-09
-2.1	*Craze Fest	2017-06-03

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	GCs	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	3	0	1	67%	top 49%	92.7%	90%
2018	1	0	1	100%	top 14%	91.1%	91.1%
2017	4	1	3	100%	top 33%	93.7%	90.9%
2016	3	0	0	0%	top 37%	90.3%	88.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019-09-21	Oinktoberfest 🏅 Clarence, NY	8 / 43 (667.3256)	11 (166.8228)	11 (167.4056)	15 (164.5372)	9 (168.5600)
2019-08-23	Summer Daze BBQ Classic Niagara Falls, ON	20 / 23 (619.1768)	21 (152.4684)	13 (159.3484)	20 (146.2400)	11 (161.1200)
2019-05-25	Capital BBQ Festival Ottawa, ON	18 / 43 (657.6228)	19 (164.0000)	27 (158.8000)	10 (169.1428)	14 (165.6800)
2018-09-22	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	7 / 51 (655.9544)	15 (164.0000)	15 (161.1200)	14 (162.8344)	6 (168.0000)
2017-09-22	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	4 / 53 (671.9088)	13 (169.1544)	24 (160.5144)	2 (172.5600)	5 (169.6800)
2017-08-05	Capital BBQ Festival Ottawa, ON	1 / 42 (674.8000)	17 (161.7028)	41 (140.5028)	10 (166.2512)	12 (159.9888)
2017-06-09	*Drayton Kinsmen Smoke and Sounds Festival Drayton Ontario, N4B 2W4	14 / 22 (631.8292)	10 (164.5372)	15 (157.1204)	13 (158.8228)	19 (151.3488)
2017-06-03	*Craze Fest Georgina, ON	10 / 17 (639.3144)	5 (167.9772)	3 (170.8228)	15 (147.9200)	12 (152.5944)
2016-09-23	Ointoberfest BBQ Cookoff Clarence, NY	13 / 54 (647.2912)	30 (158.8456)	13 (163.9312)	21 (162.8228)	20 (161.6916)
2016-08-06	Fatboys Classic-Canadian BBQ Championship Ottawa, CA	13 / 41 (614.1372)	11 (157.6800)	11 (156.5716)	18 (154.8112)	28 (145.0744)
2016-05-28	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	28 / 50 (650.2288)	28 (164.0116)	14 (168.0000)	36 (159.9772)	31 (158.2400)

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
2019 ↗	Master	#872 (323 pts)	#979 (288 pts)	#985 (298 pts)	#929 (318 pts)	#837 (378 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1354 (165 pts)	#1780 (110 pts)	#1771 (110 pts)	#1754 (115 pts)	#1388 (175 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#747 (504 pts)	#781 (509 pts)	#890 (439 pts)	#701 (594 pts)	#786 (494 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1060 (300 pts)	#1274 (250 pts)	#992 (365 pts)	#1345 (235 pts)	#1425 (205 pts)