ALQUEMY - VA

ALQUEMY - VA is a competition barbecue team with 26 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 33 at the Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle (2017), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #911 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#911

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1615

peak 1615 · rated over 26 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2013

latest Jun 9, 2018 · 5.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#330

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

13 podiums

Overall top-10s

35% of 26 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 36%

overall standings

Best overall

692.5368 / 720

Master · Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle

Perfect 180s

Current form

664.38 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 642.80 (+21.57)

Walk rate

92%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.5600

Pork · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Consistency

±43.02

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.82 · weakest Brisket (158.84)

Road miles

2,417

across 26 mapped stops · furthest 158 mi

Schedule strength

34%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1545)

Master avg

642.80 / 720

26 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

Happy hunting ground

Top 19% average finish here

BBQ Jamboree is their spot: an average finish in the top 19% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 5th
average top 19%

They almost always walk

92% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 24 of 26 contests

A top-10 category call in 92% of their 26 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

692.5368 career-best overall

96.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 692.5368 at Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle — 96.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 24, 2017

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

APORKALYPSE NOW has finished one call ahead of ALQUEMY - VA 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

The weak link

−6.0 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.97 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 42% of the time against 46%.

Brisket avg 158.84
Chicken avg 164.82
11 calls in 26 entries

A strong matchup

7–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 78% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of RED WAX BBQ in 7 of their 9 shared contests.

The comeback

1.7 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.7 years, then back at Saltwater Brew 'N' Que (May 20, 2016).

last seen Aug 22, 2014
back May 20, 2016

Show 3 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

11 of 16 shared chicken entries lost

APORKALYPSE NOW ahead 69% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, APORKALYPSE NOW has out-cooked them in 11 of 16 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

SIMPLY Q has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 27% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 27% across 5 contests, versus top 36% the rest of the year.

5 May contests
top 36% the rest of the year

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	#1400 (150 pts)	#1542 (130 pts)	#1614 (120 pts)	#1476 (150 pts)	#1060 (275 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#673 (573 pts)	#748 (533 pts)	#754 (533 pts)	#776 (518 pts)	#857 (448 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1231 (239 pts)	#937 (389 pts)	#2304 (69 pts)	#1057 (339 pts)	#931 (379 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1920 (105 pts)	#2167 (75 pts)	#1911 (120 pts)	#2015 (105 pts)	#2148 (75 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#330 (930 pts)	#235 (1,165 pts)	#326 (925 pts)	#431 (745 pts)	#348 (890 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to ALQUEMY - VA, each with one reason worth a look.

SMOKE THIS

#913 of the rated field

1615 power rating

Contests: 134
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1793

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to ALQUEMY - VA)

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

rated over 134 contests
last seen Jul 9, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

STICKY FINGERS BARBECUE TEAM

#910 of the rated field

1615 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 81%
Peak: 1615

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 25 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2021
on a 5-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

DAY OF THE PIG BBQ

#909 of the rated field

1615 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1615

Careers of much the same size, 22 contests to 26, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Feb 21, 2020

⚔ Compare careers

House of Que

#914 of the rated field

1614 power rating

Contests: 45
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1632

Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 45 contests, alongside a 42% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 38 contests
last seen Jul 18, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

ALL HOGS GO TO HEAVEN

#912 of the rated field

1615 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1615

Their last contest in the data was back in 2014, 4 years before ALQUEMY - VA's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 14 contests
on a 4-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

TREEFROG BBQ

#915 of the rated field

1614 power rating

Contests: 51
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1625

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

rated over 51 contests
last seen Jun 27, 2020

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
APORKALYPSE NOW	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ	14	5	9	36%	⚔ compare
3 EYZ BBQ	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ	12	5	7	42%	⚔ compare
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
4:20 Q	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
HOG-IT-UP BBQ	10	6	4	60%	⚔ compare
PORK BARREL BBQ	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
RED WAX BBQ	9	7	2	78%	⚔ compare
Serial Griller	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
BONE TO BARK BBQ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	26	12	2	4	174.8572	152.5372	164.82	top 36%
Pork Ribs	25	12	0	4	176.0228	149.6456	163.61	top 34%
Pork	26	7	1	2	176.5600	149.0968	161.83	top 42%
Brisket	26	11	1	3	174.2972	20	158.84	top 35%

“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 32%
Large (40+)	17	0	top 38%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
VA	10	top 31%
MD	9	top 40%
DC	3	top 17%
DE	2	top 62%
PA	1	top 43%
WV	1	top 36%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	3	3	0	top 26%	Aug 5, 2016
BBQ Jamboree	2	5	0	top 19%	May 9, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 11 contests

Contests a season 5.2 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in VA 10 of 26 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 23 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 540 finished ahead 685 times, behind 442

Longest layoff 1.7 yrs Aug 22, 2014 → May 20, 2016

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

20183 milestones

Apr 20 25th tracked contest Interstate BBQ Festival
Jun 9 Peak power rating (1615) Beltway BBQ Showdown
Jun 9 Most recent contest Beltway BBQ Showdown

20171 milestone

Jun 24 Career-best overall score692.5368 Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle

20161 milestone

Aug 5 Career-best single call (Pork)176.5600 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20138 milestones

Apr 19 First tracked contest Pork in the Park Barbeque Festival
Apr 19 First call Pork in the Park Barbeque Festival
May 10 First overall top-10 BBQ Jamboree
May 31 First overall past 90% of a perfect score652.5710 Beltway BBQ Showdown
Jun 22 First category win (Chicken) Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle
Aug 16 First overall podium Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Sep 20 First Reserve Championship Smokin' on the Track BBQ
Sep 20 10th tracked contest Smokin' on the Track BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.7	BBQ Jamboree	May 10, 2013
+14.5	Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle	Jun 24, 2017
+13.4	Smokin' on the Track BBQ	Sep 20, 2013
+13.2	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Aug 16, 2013
+11.9	Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle	Jun 22, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-17.5	Boo-B-Que	Oct 21, 2016
-16	Pork in the Park Barbeque Festival	Apr 19, 2013
-3.6	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Sep 6, 2013
-3.2	Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza	Jul 26, 2013
-2.2	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Aug 22, 2014

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	2	0	0	50%	top 44%	91.3%	90.7%
2017	4	1	0	100%	top 27%	96.2%	93%
2016	4	2	1	100%	top 46%	94.8%	87.2%
2014	5	1	0	80%	top 33%	91.4%	89.8%
2013	11	5	3	100%	top 35%	93.8%	88.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 9, 2018	Beltway BBQ Showdown Upper Marlboro, MD	19 / 42 (648.9596)	23 (161.6572)	31 (151.4056)	19 (163.9312)	5 (171.9656)
Apr 20, 2018	Interstate BBQ Festival Hagerstown, MD	29 / 67 (657.6800)	38 (163.4400)	36 (161.7144)	35 (163.9884)	19 (168.5372)
Sep 22, 2017	Smoke in the Park Lemoyne, PA	19 / 44 (657.0172)	31 (160.5256)	7 (169.1316)	19 (163.9772)	26 (163.3828)
Aug 11, 2017	Maryland State BBQ Bash Bel Air, MD	16 / 47 (665.6912)	9 (171.9888)	30 (159.9884)	11 (168.5712)	15 (165.1428)
Jun 24, 2017	Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle Washington, DC	2 / 33 (692.5368)	7 (173.1200)	3 (176.0228)	3 (174.8456)	7 (168.5484)
Mar 3, 2017	The Great Brunswick BBQ Throwdown Brunswick, MD	13 / 50 (662.1944)	7 (171.4172)	22 (161.7028)	24 (163.3828)	14 (165.6916)
Oct 21, 2016	Boo-B-Que Rehobeth Beach, DE	65 / 67 (498.2400)	10 (169.7144)	—	34 (157.6800)	6 (170.8456)
Aug 5, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Laurel, MD	5 / 29 (682.2400)	2 (174.8572)	22 (157.6800)	1 (176.5600)	4 (173.1428)
Jun 17, 2016	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Buckhannon, WV	15 / 42 (673.0288)	22 (169.6800)	4 (173.1316)	24 (162.2400)	18 (167.9772)
May 20, 2016	Saltwater Brew 'N' Que Chincoteague, VA	8 / 23 (656.5140)	18 (157.1200)	3 (168.5828)	9 (162.8228)	5 (167.9884)
Aug 22, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Laurel, MD	15 / 29 (641.0396)	21 (156.5600)	8 (166.2628)	14 (158.2512)	14 (159.9656)
Jun 27, 2014	Hogging Up BBQ Festival Winchester, VA	16 / 46 (644.5600)	14 (162.2744)	28 (158.2744)	4 (166.8684)	23 (157.1428)
Jun 21, 2014	Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle Washington, DC	13 / 41 (658.3884)	21 (159.4172)	9 (168.6400)	22 (157.7256)	6 (172.6056)
May 9, 2014	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	19 / 64 (635.3372)	31 (157.0856)	16 (161.7144)	19 (161.1200)	26 (155.4172)
Apr 4, 2014	Rockahock's Pickin' and Pullin' Festival Lanexa, VA	6 / 41 (652.5832)	24 (159.4172)	3 (167.4516)	13 (161.7144)	11 (164)
Oct 18, 2013	Autumnfest Woodstock, VA	13 / 40 (636.4228)	32 (152.5372)	29 (149.6456)	18 (161.6800)	2 (172.5600)
Sep 20, 2013	Smokin' on the Track BBQ Shenandoah, VA	2 / 26 (651.9428)	1 (167.9772)	4 (165.7028)	8 (160.6172)	15 (157.6456)
Sep 6, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Chesapeake, VA	19 / 30 (651.3140)	7 (171.4172)	7 (167.9772)	19 (157.6568)	24 (154.2628)
Aug 16, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Laurel, MD	3 / 29 (675.4172)	5 (171.4400)	17 (163.9656)	11 (165.7144)	2 (174.2972)
Jul 26, 2013	Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza Bluemont, VA	19 / 33 (627.8852)	18 (156.5028)	3 (167.4400)	30 (152.5712)	23 (151.3712)
Jul 19, 2013	Que & Cruz Louisa, VA	11 / 45 (646.7768)	16 (164.5372)	9 (164)	37 (149.0968)	1 (169.1428)
Jun 22, 2013	Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle Washington, DC	6 / 42 (659.4284)	1 (170.8570)	11 (166.2858)	27 (157.1426)	8 (165.1430)
May 31, 2013	Beltway BBQ Showdown Ft. Washington, MD	9 / 25 (652.5710)	2 (172.5714)	16 (158.2856)	16 (157.1426)	7 (164.5714)
May 17, 2013	Middletown BBQ Cook Off Middletown, DE	15 / 56 (632)	33 (153.1428)	8 (162.8570)	10 (162.2858)	28 (153.7144)
May 10, 2013	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	5 / 60 (645.7142)	5 (167.4286)	15 (160)	5 (163.4286)	22 (154.8570)
Apr 19, 2013	Pork in the Park Barbeque Festival Salisbury, MD	106 / 106 (507.4284)	6 (168.5714)	20 (162.2858)	49 (156.5712)	106 (20)

ALQUEMY - VA

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 (10 found in their record)

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A May team

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)