2025 Awards of Excellence

The NBBQA Awards of Excellence are a long-running award series that recognizes excellence in the commercial side of the barbecue industry. Products available in stores and on-line are eligible to enter.

Key Dates

             October 1, 2024 – Awards of Excellence Entry Window Opens

             December 2, 2024 -  All entries must be RECEIVED by this date.

     December 7, 2024  -  Judging takes places at Sweet Swine O'Mine

             December 14, 2024 (Tentative Date)  - All Top 5 position, place winners will be notified before this date.

             2025 Awards of Excellence Awards Ceremony Dinner Tentative Date:  Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at The Shed Saucery Ocean Springs, MS.

2025 Entry Forms

The contestant entry form will need to be completed only once.  Please place a copy of the contestant entry form along with EACH CATEGORY (entered) form in your shipment of entries.   Payment can be made by check or credit card.  Please check your membership status before sending entry fees.  Mail all entries to NBBQA, 336 Phelps Road, Douglas, GA 31533.  All Entries Must Be RECEIVED at NBBQA, 336 Phelps Road, Douglas, GA 31533 by December 1, 2024.  

The online entry form and payment used over the last few year has been eliminated.  

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at (800) 385-0002.  As of Friday, October 11, 2024, our landlines are still down from damage from Hurricane Helene.  Please call Janet Phelps at 912-501-0971 if you have any questions.  

Click on the live links below for a pdf of the entry forms.  

Contestant Entry Form

BBQ Sauce Category Entry Form (Member Fee $35 per entry/Non-Member Fee $45 per entry)

BBQ Rubs Category Entry Form (Member Fee $35 per entry/Non-Member Fee $45 per entry)

BBQ Food Category Entry Form (Member Fee $35 per entry/Non-Member Fee $45 per entry)

BBQ Equipment Category Entry Form  (Member Fee $30 per entry/Non-Member Fee $40 per entry)

BBQ Publication Category Entry Form  (Member Fee $30 per entry/Non-Member Fee $40 per entry)

BBQ Photo Category Entry Form  (Member Fee $15 per entry/Non-Member Fee $20 per entry)

BBQ Digital Category Entry Form  (Member Fee $30 per entry/Non-Member Fee $40 per entry)

BBQ Drink Mixers, Alcohol, and Nonalcoholic Beverages Entry Form (Member Fee $30 per entry fee/Non-Member Fee $40 per entry fee)

Judging

Judging will be held at Sweet Swine O'Mine Distributing on Saturday, December 7,  2024.

Judging will utilize the SCA methodology with NBBQA judging criteria.

The judges will be as follows...

  • Culinary Chefs, any person with a current certified judge number with any of the following sanctioning bodies, SCA, KCBS, PNWBA, MBM, FBA, GBA, or in the EAT Methodology.
  • Judges may not have any business or family connection to anyone with entries in the Awards of Excellence

To Register to Judge, click here.