Every fourth Saturday in October, some of the finest teams from the US and abroad converge on Lynchburg, TN for one of the most prestigious barbecue contests in the world – The Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue. This year I was honored to serve as a judge for the fifth time, critiquing some of the finest BBQ from around the world.
Now in its 29th year, the contest features grand championship winners from the US who were selected by draw in September, as well as teams from as far away as Japan and Germany. Gathered in the famed Jack Daniel’s Hallow, these top tier outdoor cooks will compete for the top prize in chicken, pork ribs, pork shoulder/butt, and beef brisket as well the ancillary categories of dessert, cook’s choice and sauce (featuring Jack Daniel’s, of course!).
“Our teams continue to amaze the judges and me, bringing different flavors and techniques to the competition and constantly raising the bar in barbecuing,” notes Jack Daniel’s master distiller Jeff Arnett. “They have spent thousands of dollars and countless hours perfecting their trade, and this competition is truly the best of the best in barbecuing. But while the competition is fierce, there is still a strong sense of friendship and camaraderie among teams when they gather together in Lynchburg for The Jack.”
Grand Champion: ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE
Reserve Champion: TheAmericanDreamBBQTeam
OVERALL
1 ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE
2 The American Dream BBQ Team
3 Smokin' Hoggz BBQ
4 PARROTHEAD SMOKERS
5 GETTIN' BASTED
6 LUCKY'S Q
7 R BUTTS R SMOKIN
8 Drilling & Grilling BBQ Team
9 SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ
10 BIG BOB GIBSON BAR-B-Q
11 THUNDER HOG BBQ
12 COOL SMOKE
13 WHO CARES BBQ
14 VICTORY LANE BBQ
15 Rio Valley Meat
16 SHIG NINJA BBQ
17 SHARPE GOURMET COOKING WOOD
18 GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA
19 JO-BAWB'S BBQ
20 BUTCHER BBQ
21 APORKALYPSE NOW
22 INSANE SWINE BBQ
23 GOOD SMOKE BBQ
24 CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ
25 All in Que
26 FYC BARBEQUE
27 SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ
28 REDNECK SCIENTIFIC
29 BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ
30 Swamp Boys
31 BALLS OUT BBQ
32 Smokin' Mo's
33 CAJUN BLAZE
34 ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ
35 FOUR SMOKING GUYS
36 IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ
37 BIG POPPA SMOKERS
38 BLUE CHIP BBQ
39 MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ
40 THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ
41 YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG
42 Hickory and Spice BBQ
43 *Smokin Boys & Hot Grills
44 SHIGGIN & GRINNIN
45 Helping U Barbeque
46 Rooftop Barbeque
47 ACK-QUE
48 GREY STREET BBQ
49 CLARK CREW BBQ
50 GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE
51 TOP GUN BARBECUE
52 TEAM AMERICA
533 N1 Q
54 *De Vliegende Hollander BBQ Team
55 Palmetto Pitmasters
56 CITY SLICKERS BBQ
57 4:20 Q
58 PB & J's BBQ
59 HOTTY TOTTY BBQ CREW
60 HIGH ON THE HAWG
61 *Sticky Fingers Barbecue Team
62 Wicked Smoke BBQ
63 OKLAHOMA JOE'S SERIOUS QUE
64 *Bunch Of Swine
65 SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST
66 Rockin W Smokers
67 B-S BBQ OUTLAWS
68 *Grill Team Gut Glut e.V.
69 Buckshot BBQ
70 *Q'n Canucks
71 LIL EARL'S BUTT NAKED BBQ
72 *Grillet No BBQ Team
73 *Rocky Mountain Smokers
74 SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ
75 BIG D'S BBQ
76 *Smoke On The Wild Side
77 ELITE BBQ SMOKERS
78 913 BBQ
79 LOCAL SMOKE BBQ
80 SWINE THYME U.S.A.
81 *Grillkunst
82 *Dragon BBQ
83 *BBQ Team Smoke It All
84 * Eureka Smoke
85 TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION BBQ
86 Slowpokes Grill & Smoke
87* Salzburger Barbecue Bulls
88 *BBQ SHOGUN
89 *Grill Droids
90 *Slow Joe & The Other Pigs
91 *Grill-Ueli BBQ Team Switzerland
92 *Black Forest
93 *7 Schawben
94 *Swinefellows
95 *Polish BBQ Kings
CHICKEN
1 All in Que
2 GETTIN' BASTED
3 The American Dream BBQ Team
4 R BUTTS R SMOKIN
5 GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA
6 PARROTHEAD SMOKERS
7 HOTTY TOTTY BBQ CREW
8 SWINE THYME U.S.A.
9 ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE
10 CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ
11 BIG BOB GIBSON BAR-B-Q
12 APORKALYPSE NOW
13 ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ
14 BLUE CHIP BBQ
15 HIGH ON THE HAWG
16 VICTORY LANE BBQ
173 N1 Q
18 Smokin' Mo's
19 SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ
20 REDNECK SCIENTIFIC
21 CITY SLICKERS BBQ
22 Smokin' Hoggz BBQ
23 SHARPE GOURMET COOKING WOOD
24 SHIG NINJA BBQ
25 Swamp Boys
26 WHO CARES BBQ
27 LUCKY'S Q
28 BIG POPPA SMOKERS
29 Drilling & Grilling BBQ Team
30 THUNDER HOG BBQ
31 Helping U Barbeque
32 PB & J's BBQ
33 FOUR SMOKING GUYS
34 THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ
35 4:20 Q
36 *Sticky Fingers Barbecue Team
37 Palmetto Pitmasters
38 913 BBQ
39 GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE
40 IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ
41 CAJUN BLAZE
42 *Grillet No BBQ Team
43 COOL SMOKE
44 *BBQ SHOGUN
45 FYC BARBEQUE
46 Hickory and Spice BBQ
47 Rooftop Barbeque
48 Rio Valley Meat
49 BALLS OUT BBQ
50 MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ
51 TEAM AMERICA
52 INSANE SWINE BBQ
53 GOOD SMOKE BBQ
54 BUTCHER BBQ
55 B-S BBQ OUTLAWS
56 SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ
57 Wicked Smoke BBQ
58 *Grillkunst
59 *De Vliegende Hollander BBQ Team
60 *Q'n Canucks
61 BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ
62 ACK-QUE
63 *Smoke On The Wild Side
64 *Smokin Boys & Hot Grills
65 CLARK CREW BBQ
66 *Black Forest
67 TOP GUN BARBECUE
68 Buckshot BBQ
69 JO-BAWB'S BBQ
70 *Bunch Of Swine
71 YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG
72 *Rocky Mountain Smokers
73 SHIGGIN & GRINNIN
74 SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST
75 LOCAL SMOKE BBQ
76 *Eureka Smoke
77 OKLAHOMA JOE'S SERIOUS QUE
78 LIL EARL'S BUTT NAKED BBQ
79 ELITE BBQ SMOKERS
80 GREY STREET BBQ
81 Rockin W Smokers
82 Slowpokes Grill & Smoke
83 BIG D'S BBQ
84 *Slow Joe & The Other Pigs
85 TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION BBQ
86 *Grill-Ueli BBQ Team Switzerland
87 *Salzburger Barbecue Bulls
88 *7 Schawben
89 *BBQ Team Smoke It All
90 *Swinefellows
91 SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ
92 *Grill Team Gut Glut e.V.
93 *Grill Droids
94 *Dragon BBQ
95 *Polish BBQ Kings
PORK RIBS
1 Smokin' Hoggz BBQ
2 PARROTHEAD SMOKERS
3 Rio Valley Meat
4 Rooftop Barbeque
5 LUCKY'S Q
6 BALLS OUT BBQ
7 SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ
8 R BUTTS R SMOKIN
9 JO-BAWB'S BBQ
10 SHIG NINJA BBQ
11 Hickory and Spice BBQ
12 ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE
13 WHO CARES BBQ
14 SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST
15 Drilling & Grilling BBQ Team
16 SHIGGIN & GRINNIN
17 *BBQ Team Smoke It All
18 Smokin' Mo's
19 Rockin W Smokers
20 GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE
21 GETTIN' BASTED
22 HIGH ON THE HAWG
23 BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ
24 COOL SMOKE
25 SWINE THYME U.S.A.
26 TheAmericanDreamBBQTeam
27 IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ
28 BIG BOB GIBSON BAR-B-Q
29 CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ
30 BIG POPPA SMOKERS
31 INSANE SWINE BBQ
32 REDNECK SCIENTIFIC
33 PB & J's BBQ
34 SHARPE GOURMET COOKING WOOD
35 *De Vliegende Hollander BBQ Team
36 CLARK CREW BBQ
37 BUTCHER BBQ
38 BLUE CHIP BBQ
39 GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA
40 *Smokin Boys & Hot Grills
41 GREY STREET BBQ
42 Wicked Smoke BBQ
43 *Grillet No BBQ Team
44 APORKALYPSE NOW
45 *Grill Team Gut Glut e.V.
46 913 BBQ
47 CAJUN BLAZE
48 SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ
49 YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG
50 ACK-QUE
51 GOOD SMOKE BBQ
52 HOTTY TOTTY BBQ CREW
53 SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ
54 FYC BARBEQUE
55 *Grillkunst
56 MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ
57 *Smoke On The Wild Side
58 All in Que
59 OKLAHOMA JOE'S SERIOUS QUE
60 4:20 Q
61 LOCAL SMOKE BBQ
62 THUNDER HOG BBQ
63 ELITE BBQ SMOKERS
64 VICTORY LANE BBQ
65 CITY SLICKERS BBQ
66 Buckshot BBQ
67 *Bunch Of Swine
68 B-S BBQ OUTLAWS
69 THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ
70 TEAM AMERICA
71 Helping U Barbeque
72 *Q'n Canucks
73 TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION BBQ
74 3N1 Q
75 LIL EARL'S BUTT NAKED BBQ
76 Swamp Boys
77 TOP GUN BARBECUE
78 *Salzburger Barbecue Bulls
79 FOUR SMOKING GUYS
80 *Sticky Fingers Barbecue Team
81 Palmetto Pitmasters
82 *BBQ SHOGUN
83 BIG D'S BBQ
84 *Eureka Smoke
85 ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ
86 *Grill-Ueli BBQ Team Switzerland
87* Swinefellows
88* Black Forest
89 Slowpokes Grill & Smoke
90 *Rocky Mountain Smokers
91 *Dragon BBQ
92 *Grill Droids
93 *7 Schawben
94 *Polish BBQ Kings
95 *Slow Joe & The Other Pigs
PORK
1 The American Dream BBQ Team
2 Swamp Boys
3 THUNDER HOG BBQ
4 ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE
5 Smokin' Hoggz BBQ
6 INSANE SWINE BBQ
7 SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ
8 FYC BARBEQUE
9 GOOD SMOKE BBQ
10 LUCKY'S Q
11 Drilling & Grilling BBQ Team
12 BALLS OUT BBQ
13 PARROTHEAD SMOKERS
14 JO-BAWB'S BBQ
15 All in Que
16 FOUR SMOKING GUYS
17 BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ
18 TOP GUN BARBECUE
19 BUTCHER BBQ
20 *Smokin Boys & Hot Grills
21 TEAM AMERICA
22 R BUTTS R SMOKIN
23 Smokin' Mo's
24 GETTIN' BASTED
25 GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA
26 *Grillet No BBQ Team
27 OKLAHOMA JOE'S SERIOUS QUE
28 REDNECK SCIENTIFIC
29 LIL EARL'S BUTT NAKED BBQ
30 VICTORY LANE BBQ
31 COOL SMOKE
32 BIG D'S BBQ
33 *De Vliegende Hollander BBQ Team
34 IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ
35 HOTTY TOTTY BBQ CREW
36 MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ
37 SHIGGIN & GRINNIN
38 ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ
39 B-S BBQ OUTLAWS
40 GREY STREET BBQ
41 WHO CARES BBQ
42 Helping U Barbeque
43 GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE
44 ACK-QUE
45 BLUE CHIP BBQ
46 APORKALYPSE NOW
47 SHARPE GOURMET COOKING WOOD
48 BIG BOB GIBSON BAR-B-Q
49 CLARK CREW BBQ
50 YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG
51 Palmetto Pitmasters
52 *Grill Team Gut Glut e.V.
53 Hickory and Spice BBQ
54 *Dragon BBQ
55 CITY SLICKERS BBQ
56 4:20 Q
57 Rooftop Barbeque
58 BIG POPPA SMOKERS
59 *Bunch Of Swine
60 SHIG NINJA BBQ
61 CAJUN BLAZE
62 *Smoke On The Wild Side
63 SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ
64 Rio Valley Meat
65 *Rocky Mountain Smokers
66 CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ
67 ELITE BBQ SMOKERS
68 PB & J's BBQ
69 Wicked Smoke BBQ
70 Rockin W Smokers
71 SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ
72 HIGH ON THE HAWG
73 THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ
74 Buckshot BBQ
75 *Grill Droids
76 913 BBQ
77 Slowpokes Grill & Smoke
78 3N1 Q
79 *Sticky Fingers Barbecue Team
80 *Q'n Canucks
81 SWINE THYME U.S.A.
82 LOCAL SMOKE BBQ
83 SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST
84 *7 Schawben
85 *Polish BBQ Kings
86 *Slow Joe & The Other Pigs
87 *Grillkunst
88 *Grill-Ueli BBQ Team Switzerland
89 *BBQ Team Smoke It All
90 *Eureka Smoke
91 *Salzburger Barbecue Bulls
92 TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION BBQ
93 *BBQ SHOGUN
94 *Black Forest
95 *Swinefellows
BRISKET
1 THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ
2 BIG BOB GIBSON BAR-B-Q
3 VICTORY LANE BBQ
4 SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ
5 COOL SMOKE
6 YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG
7 GETTIN' BASTED
8 THUNDER HOG BBQ
9 Rio Valley Meat
10 ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE
11 CAJUN BLAZE
12 *Rocky Mountain Smokers
13 SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ
14 WHO CARES BBQ
15 The American Dream BBQ Team
16 ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ
17 Drilling & Grilling BBQ Team
18 SHARPE GOURMET COOKING WOOD
19 GREY STREET BBQ
20 BUTCHER BBQ
21 APORKALYPSE NOW
22 Smokin' Hoggz BBQ
23 SHIG NINJA BBQ
24 MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ
25 *Sticky Fingers Barbecue Team
26 3N1 Q
27 LUCKY'S Q
28 JO-BAWB'S BBQ
29 R BUTTS R SMOKIN
30 ACK-QUE
31 *Grill Team Gut Glut e.V.
32 CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ
33 GOOD SMOKE BBQ
34 FOUR SMOKING GUYS
35 Helping U Barbeque
36 BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ
37 TOP GUN BARBECUE
38 Buckshot BBQ
39 *Bunch Of Swine
40 *Dragon BBQ
41 *Q'n Canucks
42 CLARK CREW BBQ
43 FYC BARBEQUE
44 SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ
45 SHIGGIN & GRINNIN
46 Palmetto Pitmasters
47 PARROTHEAD SMOKERS
48 Swamp Boys
49 SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST
50 *Smokin Boys & Hot Grills
51 Rockin W Smokers
52 REDNECK SCIENTIFIC
53 BIG POPPA SMOKERS
54 INSANE SWINE BBQ
55 GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA
56 IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ
57 BIG D'S BBQ
58 OKLAHOMA JOE'S SERIOUS QUE
59 LOCAL SMOKE BBQ
60 Wicked Smoke BBQ
61 LIL EARL'S BUTT NAKED BBQ
62 4:20 Q
63 BLUE CHIP BBQ
64 TEAM AMERICA
65 Hickory and Spice BBQ
66 ELITE BBQ SMOKERS
67 *De Vliegende Hollander BBQ Team
68 *Eureka Smoke
69 All in Que
70 CITY SLICKERS BBQ
71 Smokin' Mo's
72 B-S BBQ OUTLAWS
73 *Slow Joe & The Other Pigs
74 PB & J's BBQ
75 Rooftop Barbeque
76 *BBQ Team Smoke It All
77 BALLS OUT BBQ
78 GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE
79 TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION BBQ
80 *Smoke On The Wild Side
81 HIGH ON THE HAWG
82 *Salzburger Barbecue Bulls
83 *Grill Droids
84 Slowpokes Grill & Smoke
85 *Grillkunst
86 913 BBQ
87 *BBQ SHOGUN
88 HOTTY TOTTY BBQ CREW
89 *Black Forest
90 *Swinefellows
91 *Grillet No BBQ Team
92 *7 Schawben
93 *Grill-Ueli BBQ Team Switzerland
94 SWINE THYME U.S.A.
95* Polish BBQ Kings
* Denotes International Teams