Windsor, Vermont- July 27, 2013
Dizzy Pig cooked Harpoon’s New England BBQ Championships way back in 2003, when we dragged our Eggs up to Vermont in a rented U-Haul trailer to compete in our 2nd ever contest. We went back again in 2004, and ended up staying closer to home for the next 8 years.
Well, this year Brian rallied for Dizzy Pig to go up and compete AND vend BBQ to the large crowds that typically attend this awesome event. Chris thought it would be a great contest to return to, and was also very curious how the New England judges would rate Dizzy Pig’s entries. The contest did not disappoint! It may have been the most well run contest that we have ever attended, and the crowds were huge. The weather was awesome with temps in the 70s, the music was excellent, and the beer was flowing freely.
Our goal was to come home sporting a Harpoon “tap handle” trophy, which we had failed to get back in 2003 and 2004. These coveted trophies are passed out only for the top 4, and our 1st place ribs were the ticket!! Dizzy Pig ended up 13th overall in the KCBS contest, but followed up with 3 calls in the NEBS Grilling Contest on Sunday. 10th in wings, 10th in shrimp, and a strong 5th in Anything Butt with Harpoon beer, where we turned in our Red Eye Express rack of lamb with a Harpoon Dark Beer reduction. This all made for a top 10 overall finish up where people take their grilling contests seriously! Congrats to Transformer BBQ on their KCBS Grand, and Grilling Reserve. That is a hell of a weekend.