Commander SAAZ 2011

By Commander SAAZ, Competitions

Mission Complete!  View the Results HERE.

Welcome to the 17th Annual Commander SAAZ Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff! Have your beer judged by Rocket Scientists! The Commander Wants You!

We have a record number of entries this year!! Well over 500!!

Commander SAAZ Commemorative Beer

We will debut this year’s commemorative beer at the Commander SAAZ awards ceremony. This year we brewed 20 gallons of Imperial IPA called SAAZzilla! We’d like to extend a special thanks to those members that helped brew this beer.

Quick Shortcuts:

  • Want to register an entry? [Closed]

  • Want to review your existing entries? [Closed]

  • Want to help judge this event? [Closed]

  • Would you like to attend this event? [Closed]

    • Watch it LIVE! [Here]

Important Dates

  • Entry Window – August 29 thru September 25, 2011 [Closed]

  • Early Round Judging – October 7 thru 9, 2011 [Closed]

  • Final Judging – October 14 thru October 15, 2011 [help out]

  • Commander’s Call at the Hospitality Suite – October 14, 2011 [Sold Out]

  • Awards Ceremony, Dinner, and Splashdown Party – October 15, 2011 [Closed]

    • Watch it LIVE! [Here]

Schedule

The entry window is now open, but slams shut on September 25th.  Due to scheduling, we will only be doing one weekend of early round judging, and we will need your help!  Early round judging will be held the weekend of October 7, 8, and 9 at the International Palms Resort and Conference Center in Cocoa Beach (formerly the Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach).

Final judging, the Splashdown Party and Awards Ceremony will be held the weekend of October 14-15 at the International Palms Resort and Conference Center in Cocoa Beach (formerly the Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach).

Commander’s Call is SOLD OUT
As in years past, we will have heavy, heavy snacks and a Commander’s Call event Friday evening.  This event will feature some of the finest food and tastiest libations from the South’s best breweries.  We are currently finalizing the line up, but this is an event you do not want to miss.  Buy your tickets now, space is limited.

Dinner tickets must be purchased by October 6th.  Dinner tickets will not be available at the door, so make sure to get yours now! Sold out.

Accommodations

Group Pricing availability has EXPIRED!
Rooms are available for early round judging and the event weekend for the low price of $69.99 (a really great rate for a beach front hotel!). All rooms have been recently remodeled. One of our club members went there to see the new rooms, and they look great.  Just call the reservation line at 321-783-2271 and mention code SZ1. This rate is only good until October 2nd so don’t wait too long!

In addition to the standard room prices the International Palms also has oceanfront suites and lofts for $139.99 + Tax.

Call 321-783-2271 for pricing and to make a reservation.


Competition

Winners receive not only intergalactic recognition but the coveted Commander SAAZ Medal and a fabulous prize from one of our generous sponsors. The best of show beer and mead/cider winners will also be awarded the Commander’s Cosmic Trophy and the acclaim of the known brewing universe. Whoever sends the Commander into orbit with their Rocket Fuel (10% abv and above) will also receive the coveted Rocket trophy!!!

So, all you mild mannered homebrewers out there get your kettles boiling and unearth those bottles you’ve got stashed in the back of the fridge!  Engineers, rocket scientists, and other cosmic creatures are ready and waiting to judge your brew.

Questions, comments and accolades only to:

Matt Backus
SAAZ 1st Vice & Commander SAAZ Chair
cmdr.saaz@saaz.org

Drop Off Locations – [Entry window is closed]

  • Sunseed Food Co-op, 6615 N. Atlantic Ave., Cape Canaveral.  Entries will be picked up 7:00pm September 20th.
  • Any entries being dropped off must coordinate with Rob Bennett (contact info at the bottom of the page).
  • Entries will not be accepted after “bed time” on September 25th. Email the Commander if you need Rob’s telephone number.

Rules and Regulations

Judging will be based on the 2008 BJCP Style Guideline revisions. If you are not yet familiar with the changes in this revision, please read the guidelines for your entry styles, as all required information must be provided. Most judges will be BJCP certified and any novice judges will be paired with experienced BJCP judges. Our goal is to provide the best feedback possible for your entry. Judges are encouraged to enter the competition, but will not be allowed to judge any category in which they have entries. The competition is open only to amateur brewers; commercial or brew-on-premise beers will be disqualified.  Only two entries per style subcategory for categories 1 -19. There is no entry limit on categories 20-26. Each entry shall consist of three, preferably but not limited to, 10-12 oz. bottles; 7 oz. bottles are permissible for strong ale and mead categories. Rocket fuel entries only require two 10-12 oz. bottles.  All commercial and homemade labels must be removed. Bottles should be free of identifying marks, no raised letters (Sam Adams bottles are ok). Bottle caps should be plain or have any markings inked or blacked out. Bottle must have labels attached by rubber band, preferably around the bottle neck – no glue or tape. This competition will NOT accept entries using AHA paper entry forms and bottle labels; you must use the electronic entry system, which automatically updates the competition database. All entries must be properly labeled using the bottle labels produced by the electronic entry system. Entries are $6 each (only $5 for Rocket Fuel); please send a check for entry fees made out to SAAZ with your entries.

Rocket Fuel

Rocket fuel is not for the faint of heart. In fact, it is for the warped, twisted, and truly extreme brewers! This category is specifically designed to determine which homebrewer has the rocket fuel it takes to send the Commander into orbit! Rocket fuel requirements: two 12oz entries as described above; entry must be 10% or more ABV; entry must be fermented and not concentrated, distilled, or fortified in any manner other than in accordance with BJCP guidelines (eisbocks are acceptable, but adding spirits to the entry to increase ABV is not). It’s that easy. Entries may be beer, mead, cider, or any combination. If the entry qualifies as any other BJCP style (e.g. Russian Imperial Stout), it may be entered as both, but would require two separate entries – one as rocket fuel and one as RIS. Rocket fuel tends to be for more esoteric and extreme examples, (think DFH 120 min IPA or Avery Mephistopheles). Also, since rocket fuel has its own category (and trophy) and is not a BJCP style, it is not eligible for Best of Show.

Shipping – [Entry window is closed]

If you are shipping entries, please ship to:

SAAZ
c/o Robert Bennett
2215 New York St.
Melbourne, FL 32904

Entries must be received by September 25th. Entries received after September 25th may be disqualified at the discretion of the Cellarmaster.