Black Tie BBQ

Black Tie BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 20 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2023. Their best overall finish is 20th of 55 at the Keystone Classic Barbeque (2013). They are ranked #6399 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#6,399

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1390

peak 1390 · rated over 19 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 23, 2013

latest Mar 3, 2023 · 9.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1414

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 20 contests

Avg finish

top 80%

overall standings

Best overall

642.1944 / 720

Master · New Holland Summer Fest

Perfect 180s

Current form

601.55 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 613.02 (-11.47)

Walk rate

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

169.1660

Pork Ribs · Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier)

Consistency

±21.29

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 156.29 · weakest Brisket (148.91)

Road miles

11,546

across 20 mapped stops · furthest 3,775 mi

Schedule strength

30%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1541)

Purse competed for

$39K

listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 4 state-championship entries

Master avg

613.02 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard (3-meat) avg

463.85 / 540

1 Backyard (3-meat) contest · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

Storylines (8 found in their record)

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

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 61%.

4 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 61%

A tough matchup

8–0 behind in the head-to-head

BEERBEQUE ahead in 100% of their meetings

BEERBEQUE has come out ahead in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.4 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.37 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 5%.

Brisket avg 148.91
Pork Ribs avg 156.29
0 calls in 18 entries

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at New Holland Summer Fest (Aug 27, 2021).

last seen Sep 7, 2019
back Aug 27, 2021

Pork Ribs nemesis

7 of 8 shared pork ribs entries lost

DRILLING & GRILLING ahead 88% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, DRILLING & GRILLING has out-cooked them in 7 of 8 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BUTTHEAD BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The long haul

11,546 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 11,546 miles across 20 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 3,775 miles to Farm Meat De Vaartse Hoeve BBQ Contest.

20 mapped stops
furthest 3,775 mi

Show 1 more storyline

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked New Holland Summer Fest every year from 2015 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

8 visits in all
best finish 36th

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
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#2049 (60 pts)	#1898 (80 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1414 (191 pts)	#1359 (221 pts)	#1075 (306 pts)	#1494 (191 pts)	#1460 (191 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Black Tie BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

BUSHWHACKER COOKING CORP.

#6,398 of the rated field

1390 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1390

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 16 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

BBQ Bros

#6,397 of the rated field

1390 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1390

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 May 25, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

BUTTRUBBERS (NL)

#6,400 of the rated field

1389 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1389

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 4 years before Black Tie BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 19 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Fire in the Hole

#6,396 of the rated field

1390 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1502

14 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jun 30, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

PORK 'N MINDY

#6,395 of the rated field

1390 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 3%
Peak: 1523

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ

#6,394 of the rated field

1390 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 32
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1390

Level with Black Tie BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 32 contests
last seen Jun 5, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PIG PEN BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
SLOWER LOWER BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
WEEKEND SMOKERS	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
BEERBEQUE	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
DRILLING & GRILLING	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Fire Ants BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
HAWG NATION BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
PIGHEADED BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
Stumpy Coals	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
LITTLE CREEK BAR B CUE COMPANY	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
HEAVY HITTERS BBQ	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
Palm tree smokehouse	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
WILLY'S Q SHACK	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	19	0	165.6800	145.0628	153.31	top 80%
Pork Ribs	19	1	169.1660	140.5028	156.29	top 65%
Pork	19	0	164	133.6912	154.50	top 72%
Brisket	18	0	162.8800	131.3484	148.91	top 76%

“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)	3	0	top 89%
Large (40+)	16	0	top 78%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
PA	10	top 77%
GA	6	top 84%
NJ	2	top 76%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
New Holland Summer Fest	8	36	top 80%	Aug 26, 2022
New Jersey State Barbecue Championship	2	46	top 76%	Jul 14, 2018
Hawgin on Lanier (GBC Qualifier)	2	35	top 90%	Aug 28, 2015
Jug Tavern Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)	2	38	top 92%	Sep 12, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 4 contests

Contests a season 2 across 10 seasons in the data

Most contests held in PA 10 of 20 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 9 4 of them more than once

Opponents faced 553 finished ahead 228 times, behind 828

Longest layoff 2 yrs Sep 7, 2019 → Aug 27, 2021

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

20231 milestone

Mar 3 Most recent contest Sip & Swine BBQ Festival

20191 milestone

Aug 23 Career-best overall score642.1944 New Holland Summer Fest

20161 milestone

Aug 26 10th tracked contest New Holland Summer Fest

20142 milestones

Aug 14 First call Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier)
Aug 14 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)169.1660 Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier)

20132 milestones

Aug 16 First tracked contest Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier)
Aug 23 Peak power rating (1498) New Holland Summer Fest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+5.6	Keystone Classic Barbeque	Oct 4, 2013
+2.8	New Holland Summer Fest	Aug 23, 2019
+1.3	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival	Mar 3, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.7	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)	Sep 12, 2014
-11.6	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC Qualifier)	Sep 13, 2013
-9.9	New Holland Summer Fest	Aug 26, 2022
-9.3	Farm Meat De Vaartse Hoeve BBQ Contest	Sep 7, 2019
-9.3	Hawgin on Lanier (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)	Aug 30, 2014

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)
2023	1	0%	top 55%	85.9%	85.9%
2022	1	0%	top 98%	82.7%	82.7%
2021	1	0%	top 82%	84.5%	84.5%
2019	2	0%	top 76%	89.2%	85.3%
2018	3	0%	top 86%	83.9%	82.4%
2017	2	0%	top 86%	83.5%	81.8%
2016	1	0%	top 86%	83.5%	83.5%
2015	2	0%	top 82%	88.6%	86.8%
2014	3	33%	top 90%	88.5%	88.2%
2013	4	0%	top 61%	88.6%	87.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Mar 3, 2023	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	36 / 65 (463.8512)	39 (146.8000)	33 (157.6684)	32 (159.3828)	—
Aug 26, 2022	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	48 / 49 (595.7260)	44 (155.9544)	44 (148.4800)	44 (151.3716)	48 (139.9200)
Aug 27, 2021	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	36 / 44 (608.4688)	37 (152.5944)	41 (148.4800)	38 (148.5372)	26 (158.8572)
Sep 7, 2019	Farm Meat De Vaartse Hoeve BBQ Contest Dongen	35 / 38 (586.7316)	30 (155.4172)	36 (150.2288)	34 (146.2628)	36 (134.8228)
Aug 23, 2019	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	39 / 65 (642.1944)	44 (158.2516)	21 (167.9772)	27 (163.9884)	50 (151.9772)
Aug 24, 2018	New Holland Summer Fest (JUDGES FULL) New Holland, PA	64 / 71 (574.6288)	54 (149.6572)	63 (143.3944)	62 (147.3828)	67 (134.1944)
Jul 14, 2018	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	46 / 64 (604.4344)	48 (146.8000)	31 (158.2628)	46 (152.5600)	46 (146.8116)
May 18, 2018	Twin Valley Fire And Smoke Morgantown, PA	45 / 47 (600.3428)	44 (145.0628)	46 (147.9200)	38 (151.9428)	31 (155.4172)
Aug 25, 2017	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	63 / 69 (601.1092)	60 (149.7488)	64 (146.2516)	50 (156.5600)	58 (148.5488)
Jul 7, 2017	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	54 / 67 (576.9484)	38 (157.6800)	62 (140.5028)	62 (133.6912)	44 (145.0744)
Aug 26, 2016	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	57 / 66 (600.9144)	61 (146.7772)	52 (153.6228)	32 (162.2628)	63 (138.2516)
Aug 28, 2015	Hawgin on Lanier (GBC Qualifier) Gainesville, GA	37 / 41 (638.0568)	39 (151.9312)	34 (161.0972)	34 (162.2284)	28 (162.8000)
Aug 28, 2015	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	52 / 70 (612.4568)	60 (149.6800)	13 (167.4284)	19 (164)	68 (131.3484)
Sep 12, 2014	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Winder, GA	40 / 42 (633.4740)	37 (162.2284)	28 (163.3828)	41 (155.3600)	39 (152.5028)
Aug 30, 2014	Hawgin on Lanier (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Gainesville, GA	35 / 39 (637.5540)	36 (157.6800)	21 (165.6684)	32 (158.2628)	28 (155.9428)
Aug 14, 2014	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	30 / 35 (634.1832)	19 (165.6800)	8 (169.1660)	32 (153.6800)	34 (145.6572)
Oct 4, 2013	Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA	20 / 55 (637.6684)	31 (155.4056)	12 (162.8344)	18 (160.5828)	22 (158.8456)
Sep 13, 2013	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC Qualifier) Winder, GA	38 / 43 (627.8280)	41 (157.6340)	27 (162.2628)	41 (151.3712)	34 (156.5600)
Aug 23, 2013	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	41 / 71 (621.6684)	62 (147.9656)	39 (154.8112)	40 (156.0116)	11 (162.8800)
Aug 16, 2013	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	—	—	—	—	—

Black Tie BBQ

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

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Backyard (3-meat) avg

Storylines (8 found in their record)

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

The comeback

Pork Ribs nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

The long haul

A standing appointment

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)