GRILLER INSTINCT

GRILLER INSTINCT is a competition barbecue team with 15 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2021. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest (2018). They are ranked #2818 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,818

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1510

peak 1517 · rated over 15 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 14, 2014

latest Sep 25, 2021 · 7.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#456

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve · wins it all 7% of the time

Category wins

11 podiums

Overall top-10s

53% of 15 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 56%

overall standings

Best overall

684.5712 / 720

Master · Rugby Sound BBQ Competition

Perfect 180s

Current form

666.29 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 660.44 (+5.85)

Walk rate

80%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.0228

Pork · BBQ Friui Venezia Giulia

Consistency

±16.38

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 165.68 · weakest Pork Ribs (164.42)

Road miles

1,702

across 15 mapped stops · furthest 238 mi

Schedule strength

22%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1530)

Master avg

660.44 / 720

15 Master contests · 1 GC

Storylines (13 found in their record)

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

Against the odds

14-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 86 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest (Jan 13, 2018) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 14-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, HOT WACHULA'S.

Giant slayer

30 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 30-team field at W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest.

Jan 13, 2018

They almost always walk

80% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 12 of 15 contests

A top-10 category call in 80% of their 15 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

684.5712 career-best overall

95.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 684.5712 at Rugby Sound BBQ Competition — 95.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 25, 2016

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

BROS HOG has finished one call ahead of GRILLER INSTINCT 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 1 Grand Championship

2018 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 1 Grand Championship and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 45%.

5 contests
3 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 45%

A tough matchup

7–2 behind in the head-to-head

SMOKING BAD BBQ TEAM ahead in 78% of their meetings

SMOKING BAD BBQ TEAM has come out ahead in 7 of their 9 shared contests.

Show 6 more storylines

The drought

9 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest on Jan 13, 2018 — 9 contests and 8.7 years ago.

last GC Jan 13, 2018
8.7 years ago

A strong matchup

6–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BURROS BBQ in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

The comeback

2.3 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.3 years, then back at FO.G & SMOKE (Sep 25, 2021).

last seen Jun 22, 2019
back Sep 25, 2021

Chicken nemesis

7 of 11 shared chicken entries lost

STICKY FINGERS BARBECUE TEAM ahead 64% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, STICKY FINGERS BARBECUE TEAM has out-cooked them in 7 of 11 shared chicken entries.

A March team

Top 43% average finish in March

Something about March: average finish in the top 43% across 3 contests, versus top 56% the rest of the year.

3 March contests
top 56% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.27% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.27% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.7% of a perfect score
15 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
2021 ↗	Master	#1048 (106 pts)	#1163 (91 pts)	#901 (156 pts)	#1032 (116 pts)	#634 (266 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#560 (587 pts)	#597 (577 pts)	#659 (517 pts)	#535 (642 pts)	#523 (642 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#456 (778 pts)	#555 (673 pts)	#584 (633 pts)	#447 (813 pts)	#475 (778 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to GRILLER INSTINCT, each with one reason worth a look.

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

IRON BBQ

#2,837 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1572

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to GRILLER INSTINCT)

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

rated over 30 contests
last seen Feb 24, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

Piccolos BBQ

#2,831 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1535

Careers of much the same size, 12 contests to 15, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Jun 19, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

42 BBQ

#2,821 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1525

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen May 29, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BBQ TEAM SMOKE IT ALL

#2,810 of the rated field

1511 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1511

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Aug 22, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

HAZY BLUE BBQ

#2,832 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1532

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 3 years before GRILLER INSTINCT's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 11 contests

⚔ Compare careers

BEER DART BBQ

#2,824 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1516

23 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 22% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
STICKY FINGERS BARBECUE TEAM	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
ITALIAN STYLE BBQ TEAM	10	6	4	60%	⚔ compare
BROS HOG	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
SMOKING BAD BBQ TEAM	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
DRAGON BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
THE BARKTENDERS	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
BURROS BBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
Griller Unchained	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
SMOKEY JOB	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
SMOKE'N'FIRE BBQ TEAM	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
COOKLOUNGE BBQ	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
TORINO RIBS	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
White Squirrel BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
GECKO BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Covered Embers	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	15	6	1	2	174.8800	150.2856	165.68	top 56%
Pork Ribs	15	7	0	1	171.9772	153.7256	164.42	top 56%
Pork	15	7	1	3	176.0228	149.1312	164.94	top 53%
Brisket	15	11	2	5	174.8572	150.8572	165.41	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 field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	6	0	top 56%
Medium (20–39)	9	1	top 55%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
IT	2	0	top 58%
BZ	1	1	top 3%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Bardo-Q BBQ Competition	2	8	0	top 70%	Apr 21, 2018
Italian Barbecue Championship 2016	2	19	0	top 81%	Jun 11, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 5 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 2.1 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IT 2 of 15 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 13 2 of them more than once

First title Jan 13, 2018 W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest

Opponents faced 130 finished ahead 143 times, behind 152

Longest layoff 2.3 yrs Jun 22, 2019 → Sep 25, 2021

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

20211 milestone

Sep 25 Most recent contest FO.G & SMOKE

20192 milestones

May 11 Career-best single call (Pork)176.0228 BBQ Friui Venezia Giulia
Jun 22 Peak power rating (1517) The War of Barbeque

20185 milestones

Jan 13 First category win (Pork) W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest
Jan 13 First overall podium W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest
Jan 13 First Grand Championship W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest
Jan 13 Biggest field won (30 teams) W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest
Oct 20 10th tracked contest SMOKE IN SCHLIEREN

20162 milestones

Jun 11 First overall past 90% of a perfect score662.2856 Italian Barbecue Championship 2016
Jun 25 Career-best overall score684.5712 Rugby Sound BBQ Competition

20143 milestones

Jun 14 First tracked contest Italian Barbecue Championship
Jun 14 First call Italian Barbecue Championship
Jun 14 First overall top-10 Italian Barbecue Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+18.8	W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest	Jan 13, 2018
+13.6	BBQ Friui Venezia Giulia	May 11, 2019
+13.5	Country Road & BBQ Contest -Day2	Mar 23, 2019
+8.5	Rugby Sound BBQ Competition	Jun 25, 2016
+7.9	The War of Barbeque	Mar 24, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.4	Italian Barbecue Championship	Jun 14, 2014
-9.6	Bardo-Q BBQ Competition	Apr 22, 2017
-9	Italian Barbecue Championship 2016	Jun 11, 2016
-8.2	Italian Barbecue Championship 2015	Jun 20, 2015
-7.4	Italian Hardcore Barbecue (Day 2)	Jun 9, 2018

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2021	1	0	0	1	100%	top 75%	91%	91%
2019	4	0	3	2	100%	top 41%	94.4%	92.9%
2018	5	1	3	1	100%	top 45%	93.7%	92.4%
2017	1	0	0	0	0%	top 86%	90.5%	90.5%
2016	2	0	1	0	50%	top 58%	95.1%	93.5%
2015	1	0	0	0	0%	top 79%	86.4%	86.4%
2014	1	0	1	0	100%	top 88%	87.3%	87.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 25, 2021	FO.G & SMOKE Modena	12 / 16 (654.8684)	15 (150.2856)	6 (170.8456)	10 (161.7372)	1 (172)
Jun 22, 2019	The War of Barbeque Jesolo, Venezia	10 / 19 (663.4744)	1 (174.8800)	15 (161.7144)	11 (164.5828)	8 (162.2972)
May 11, 2019	BBQ Friui Venezia Giulia Lignano Sabbiadoro, Udine	4 / 23 (671.4744)	14 (165.7372)	7 (164.5600)	2 (176.0228)	8 (165.1544)
Mar 23, 2019	Country Road & BBQ Contest -Day2 Torreglia	5 / 25 (679.4400)	13 (168.5828)	11 (165.7144)	6 (170.2856)	1 (174.8572)
Mar 22, 2019	Country Road & BBQ Contest -Day1 Torreglia	15 / 20 (662.2172)	15 (165.1428)	7 (171.9772)	11 (167.9772)	17 (157.1200)
Oct 20, 2018	SMOKE IN SCHLIEREN Goldschlagiplatz	11 / 20 (656.4684)	9 (164.5828)	15 (156.5028)	11 (163.9656)	2 (171.4172)
Jun 9, 2018	Italian Hardcore Barbecue (Day 2) Milano	16 / 20 (659.3940)	13 (167.9656)	10 (165.7372)	16 (161.1428)	10 (164.5484)
Apr 21, 2018	Bardo-Q BBQ Competition Bardonecchia	8 / 15 (662.2056)	6 (169.1312)	14 (156.5716)	3 (171.9656)	8 (164.5372)
Mar 24, 2018	The War of Barbeque Noventa di Piave	6 / 18 (672.4916)	13 (167.3828)	2 (170.8688)	11 (166.8228)	7 (167.4172)
Jan 13, 2018	W.E.S.T. Winter extreme South Tyrol BBQ Contest Rein in Taufers, BZ	1 / 30 (674.8688)	5 (171.4284)	20 (159.9888)	1 (174.8572)	10 (168.5944)
Apr 22, 2017	Bardo-Q BBQ Competition Bardonecchia	24 / 28 (651.9428)	21 (165.7256)	22 (165.1544)	22 (163.3828)	24 (157.6800)
Jun 25, 2016	Rugby Sound BBQ Competition Parabiago, Italy	5 / 15 (684.5712)	3 (174.3200)	5 (171.4400)	10 (165.0856)	3 (173.7256)
Jun 11, 2016	Italian Barbecue Championship 2016 Perugia, Italy	24 / 29 (662.2856)	19 (168)	18 (168)	26 (159.4056)	17 (166.8800)
Jun 20, 2015	Italian Barbecue Championship 2015 Percorso Verde, Perugia	19 / 24 (622.2852)	15 (158.8684)	12 (163.4284)	21 (149.1312)	20 (150.8572)
Jun 14, 2014	Italian Barbecue Championship Perugia Italy	7 / 8 (628.6512)	7 (153.1428)	7 (153.7256)	4 (157.7028)	3 (164.0800)

GRILLER INSTINCT

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (13 found in their record)

Against the odds

Giant slayer

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

A March team

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)