Brass Monkey BBQ

Brass Monkey BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 17 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 10th of 30 at the Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) (2026). They are ranked #5926 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,926

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1438

peak 1438 · rated over 15 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 23, 2013

latest Aug 15, 2026 · 13 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1380

Master 2017 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podium

Overall top-10s

6% of 17 contests

Avg finish

top 74%

overall standings

Best overall

638.8460 / 720

Master · Grill Games

Perfect 180s

Current form

606.95 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 603.52 (+3.43)

Walk rate

29%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

172.6056

Pork Ribs · Vine St. BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)

Consistency

±20.98

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 156.85 · weakest Brisket (140.65)

Road miles

1,532

across 15 mapped stops · furthest 558 mi

Schedule strength

30%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1540)

Purse competed for

$16K

listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

603.52 / 720

12 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

315.38 / 360

5 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), 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 (9 found in their record)

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

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

MOOSE'S BARBECUE has finished one call ahead of Brass Monkey BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

9–0 behind in the head-to-head

ROLL THE BONES BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

ROLL THE BONES BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

The weak link

−16.2 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 16.20 points below their pork, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 8%.

Brisket avg 140.65
Pork avg 156.85
0 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

3–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of The Bacon and Hockey Podcast in 3 of their 3 shared contests.

The comeback

3 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3 years, then back at Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Sep 5, 2025).

last seen Aug 20, 2022
back Sep 5, 2025

Pork nemesis

7 of 8 shared pork entries lost

Littles BBQ Co ahead 88% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Littles BBQ Co has out-cooked them in 7 of 8 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

SMOKIN' STACK RACKS has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Show 2 more storylines

An August team

Top 58% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 58% across 5 contests, versus top 74% the rest of the year.

5 August contests
top 74% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off every year from 2015 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 37th

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
2022 ↗	Backyard	—	#332 (60 pts)	#164 (235 pts)	—	—
2021 ↗	Backyard	—	#262 (60 pts)	#224 (100 pts)	—	—
2019 ↗	Master	#1471 (120 pts)	#1702 (115 pts)	#1489 (135 pts)	#1453 (145 pts)	#1407 (150 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1491 (128 pts)	#1764 (113 pts)	#1478 (153 pts)	#1424 (168 pts)	#1739 (113 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1380 (183 pts)	#1452 (193 pts)	#1498 (183 pts)	#1412 (198 pts)	#1470 (183 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1624 (150 pts)	#1293 (245 pts)	#1765 (140 pts)	#1738 (150 pts)	#1839 (120 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Brass Monkey BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

The Q Crew

#5,927 of the rated field

1438 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1515

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Brass Monkey BBQ)

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

rated over 37 contests
last seen May 30, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

Red and Black BBQ Shack

#5,924 of the rated field

1438 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1503

They've been 1503 at their best, 65 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jul 11, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Grandpa Smokeys

#5,919 of the rated field

1438 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1438

Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 5 years before Brass Monkey BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 13 contests

⚔ Compare careers

ATLANTA BBQ CLUB

#5,935 of the rated field

1438 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1438

Careers of much the same size, 13 contests to 17, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Apr 28, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

Chisholm Trail Smokers

#5,929 of the rated field

1438 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1438

12 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

RUB THAT MEAT BBQ

#5,936 of the rated field

1438 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1438

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jun 19, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
ROLL THE BONES BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
D.F.G.'S BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
MOOSE'S BARBECUE	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
Littles BBQ Co	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
A BOY NAMED QUE	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
BIG "E" BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKE FREAKS	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
THE BBQ BUS	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
CHANNABILLY BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
HAZY BLUE BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
SMOKE 2 PULL	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
Two Brews BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
CARNIVORE'S PARADISE	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
QUE U	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	3	0	171.4516	143.9084	153.88	top 72%
Pork Ribs	18	1	1	172.6056	139.3944	154.75	top 67%
Pork	13	1	0	170.3316	142.2400	156.85	top 67%
Brisket	13	0	0	158.8344	118.1944	140.65	top 88%

“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)	8	0	top 64%
Large (40+)	9	0	top 83%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IL	8	top 62%
WI	8	top 84%
NC	1	top 94%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)	5	10	top 45%	Aug 15, 2026
Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off	4	37	top 88%	Oct 19, 2018
Grill Games	3	19	top 76%	Aug 26, 2016
Harbor-Que	2	22	top 87%	Oct 5, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 3 contests

Contests a season 1.5 across 11 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 8 of 17 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 7 4 of them more than once

Opponents faced 359 finished ahead 167 times, behind 506

Longest layoff 3 yrs Aug 20, 2022 → Sep 5, 2025

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

20262 milestones

Aug 15 First overall top-10 Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)
Aug 15 Most recent contest Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)

20251 milestone

Sep 5 First overall past 90% of a perfect score331.3828 Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)

20221 milestone

Aug 20 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)172.6056 Vine St. BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)

20171 milestone

Oct 20 10th tracked contest Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off

20161 milestone

Aug 26 Career-best overall score638.8460 Grill Games

20151 milestone

Oct 23 First call Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook off

20131 milestone

Aug 23 Peak power rating (1485) Grill Games

—1 milestone

First tracked contest Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+11.2	Vine St. BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)	Aug 20, 2022
+10.4	Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)	Aug 15, 2026
+9.9	Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)	Sep 5, 2025
+2.3	Grill Games	Aug 26, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-15.2	Grill Games	Aug 23, 2013
-10.9	Harbor-Que	Oct 6, 2017
-8.8	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off	Oct 20, 2017
-8.5	Hog Capital Challenge	Jun 14, 2019
-8.4	WNC BBQ Festival (Smokin in the Valley)	Jul 21, 2017

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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
—	2	0	0%	top 65%	83.5%	81.5%
2026	1	1	100%	top 33%	93.8%	93.8%
2025	1	0	100%	top 34%	92.1%	92.1%
2022	1	0	100%	top 29%	89.2%	89.2%
2019	2	0	0%	top 93%	85.4%	85.1%
2018	2	0	0%	top 85%	84.9%	84.5%
2017	3	0	0%	top 94%	86.8%	83.4%
2016	2	0	50%	top 68%	88.7%	86.4%
2015	1	0	100%	top 84%	84.8%	84.8%
2014	1	0	0%	top 79%	85.6%	85.6%
2013	1	0	0%	top 98%	78.5%	78.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 15, 2026	Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Park Ridge, IL	10 / 30 (337.6684)	8 (170.2628)	11 (167.4056)	—	—
Sep 5, 2025	Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Park Ridge, IL	13 / 38 (331.3828)	10 (166.8228)	14 (164.5600)	—	—
Aug 20, 2022	Vine St. BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Park Ridge, IL	12 / 41 (321.0624)	33 (148.4568)	3 (172.6056)	—	—
Oct 18, 2019	Best of the Midwest 🏅 Union Grove, WI	49 / 52 (611.2460)	49 (146.2400)	30 (158.2516)	28 (162.2628)	49 (144.4916)
Jun 14, 2019	Hog Capital Challenge 🏅 Kewanee, IL	23 / 25 (614.6628)	24 (148.5028)	20 (156.5256)	18 (155.3712)	17 (154.2632)
Oct 19, 2018	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	38 / 42 (606.1948)	37 (149.1316)	35 (149.7144)	41 (148.5144)	26 (158.8344)
Oct 5, 2018	Harbor-Que Winthrop Harbor, IL	22 / 28 (611.2800)	26 (143.9084)	17 (158.8572)	14 (162.2972)	26 (146.2172)
Oct 20, 2017	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	48 / 52 (591.3720)	40 (154.2744)	52 (142.8800)	38 (154.8116)	47 (139.4060)
Oct 6, 2017	Harbor-Que Winthrop Harbor, IL	22 / 23 (585.5544)	20 (150.8228)	22 (147.9544)	19 (152.5600)	22 (134.2172)
Jul 21, 2017	WNC BBQ Festival (Smokin in the Valley) Maggie Valley, NC	44 / 47 (624.9712)	41 (161.1084)	38 (161.6800)	44 (157.6456)	43 (144.5372)
Oct 21, 2016	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	43 / 51 (605.5544)	38 (156.5372)	41 (150.8000)	26 (159.9772)	47 (138.2400)
Aug 26, 2016	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	19 / 37 (638.8460)	5 (171.4516)	21 (160.5944)	19 (161.0972)	29 (145.7028)
Oct 23, 2015	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook off Union Grove, WI	37 / 44 (610.8228)	27 (160.5600)	34 (150.8800)	7 (170.3316)	44 (129.0512)
Aug 22, 2014	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	37 / 47 (616.4688)	28 (160.0116)	15 (164.5600)	42 (142.2400)	36 (149.6572)
Aug 23, 2013	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	42 / 43 (565.5316)	40 (145.1772)	40 (142.2172)	35 (152.5372)	43 (125.6000)
—	Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Park Ridge, IL	18 / 38 (300.5260)	25 (145.0744)	17 (155.4516)	—	—
—	Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Park Ridge, IL	32 / 39 (286.2628)	26 (145.1772)	33 (141.0856)	—	—

Brass Monkey 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 avg

Storylines (9 found in their record)

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An August team

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)