BIRMINGHAM – Celebrity judges picked Phil’s as the state “BBQ Sauce-Off Champion” during a tasting Saturday at Pepper Place Market in Birmingham.  The sauces in the championship were the regional winners of a series of barbecue sauce competitions held across the state earlier this month by the Alabama Tourism Department.

Sauces in the championship included LawLers from Athens representing the North Region, Costas from Birmingham representing the Central Region, Phil’s BBQ from Eufaula representing the South Region and Viper from Fairhope representing the Gulf Region of the state.

Judging the competition held at Pepper Place Saturday Market in Birmingham was Vanessa Rocchio of Southern Living magazine, Clare Huddleston of WBRC-Fox 6 and Cindy Martin, president of the Alabama Media Group.

“Our state has a great barbecue culture and we wanted to highlight it during The Year of Alabama Food. When visitors come through an area they want to sample the local barbecue flavor and take some of it home with them,” said contest coordinator Brian Jones. “These sauces are like barbecue passion in a bottle,” he said.

Thirty-four sauces were gathered from restaurants and grocery stores across the state for the regional competitions, Jones said.  Sauces in the contest included: Bailey’s, Baumhower’s, Berdeaux’s, BBQ Shack, Big Bob Gibson, Bishop’s, Bob Sykes, Bryant, Carlile’s, Costas, Crusty Butts & Bones, Dale’s BBQ, Demetri’s, Dreamland, Fat Boy’s, Full Moon, Golden Rule, Jim ‘N Nick’s, Johnny’s BBQ, LawLers, Mike & Ed’s, Mike Elliott’s, Moon Hollow, Noodie’s, Ollie’s, Perfect Bite BBQ, Phil’s, Rob’s, Saban Sauce, Saw’s, Saucy Q, Slaphappy BBQ, Thomas Rib Shack and Viper.

Learn more about Alabama food products, chefs, culinary destinations and events at Facebook.com/AlabamaFood and at www.yearofalabamafood.com.