2024 Commander SAAZ Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff

2025 Commander SAAZ
Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff

August 16th, 2025

Quick Links

REGGIE  – Register your competition entries.

JUDGE or STEWARD AT COMMANDER SAAZ – Register to join the mission team.

RESULTS  – See the winners from past years, and this year once the competition is completed.

LIVE FEED – Can’t make it?  You can still watch the debauchery online. A Zoom link for the livestream of the awards ceremony will be posted on the SAAZ Homebrew Club Facebook site prior to the ceremony (https://www.facebook.com/saazhomebrew/).

If you have any questions, feedback, or pictures to share regarding the Commander SAAZ Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff, please email the Mission Commander through REGGIE or at info@saaz.org.

General Information

Judging for the 2024 Commander SAAZ Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff follows the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines. If you are not familiar with the BJCP, please read the guidelines for your entry styles, as all required information must be provided, and all criteria must be met. Most judges will be BJCP certified and any non-BJCP judges will be paired with an experienced BJCP judge. 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 Commander also offers a special competition category called Rocket Fuel (Category 99) that does not abide by the BJCP Guidelines. By the name you can guess that these entries are not for the faint of heart. Contestants can register for both Rocket Fuel and the Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff. Entry requirements for both the Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff and Rocket fuel are outlined below.

Entry Scope/Qualification

This competition is open only to amateur brewers; commercial or brew-on-premises beers will be disqualified. Brew-on-premises is defined as wort boiled and fermented in a commercial brewing facility on the commercial equipment with assistance or done by a professional brewer.

Entries derived from a wort share are permitted. A wort share typically involves a base wort created at a commercial brewery, which is then distributed to homebrewers for subsequent modification, boiling, and packaging. This is essentially a form of mini-mash or extract brewing. Both are common brewing techniques for homebrewing and competitions.

All contestants must use the on-line REGGIE system for registration. AHA paper entry forms are not allowed. Payment will only be accepted through PayPal within REGGIE’s on-line system. No refunds will be permitted after a registered entry is paid for. All entries must be properly labeled using the labels produced by REGGIE. Be sure that you choose the appropriate BJCP category for your entry. Entry categories cannot be changed once registration closes.

Prohibited items include: (1) entries containing any form of cannabis, THC, CBD, illegal, or dangerous substance, (2) Grolsch-style flip top bottles, (3) 22 oz bombers, (4) 750 ml bottles, (5) plastic bottles or containers, and (6) cans not meeting the specific packaging requirements listed below. Any such entry will be DISQUALIFIED and will NOT be judged.

Entry Limits

  • Maximum of three (3) entries per brewer/brewing team.
  • Maximum of two (2) entries per sub-style.
  • An entry consists of three (3) bottles or cans meeting the packaging requirements listed below. If you choose to submit fewer bottles/cans, you must mention the quantity provided in the comments when registering. Submitting less than three bottles/cans may make the entry ineligible for Best of Show.

Entry requirements for the Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff

Each entry shall consist of three (3) glass bottles or aluminum cans. Cans are allowed for beer entries only. Brown glass bottles are preferred. Green and clear glass bottles are allowed but strongly discouraged (refer to Light-struck in the BJCP’s “Beer Fault List”).

Entry volume and packaging requirements:

  • Beer: 10 to 12 oz glass bottles or 11-12 oz aluminum cans. Cans not meeting this size/volume requirement are prohibited.
  • Mead: 6 to 12 oz glass bottles
  • Cider: 6 to 12 oz glass bottles

All commercial and homemade labels must be removed. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

All entries should be free of home-made identifying marks. Raised markings (e.g., brand names, manufacturing codes, and no deposit markings) are acceptable when reusing commercial bottles.

Bottle caps must be unmarked crown caps or have any markings completely blacked out. No logos or print allowed. Plain gold or silver caps are preferred.

All entries must have labels attached by rubber band, preferably around the bottle neck – no glue or tape.

For entries containing lactose, please note this in the comments when registering (see the “Comments (optional)” box above the “Save new entry” button). This does not bar you from competing. We will simply pair lactose-tolerant judges with your entry.

Non-prohibited entries that do not meet these requirements will be judged and feedback provided, however they will NOT be eligible for medals or Best of Show.

Rocket Fuel (Category 99)

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!

Entry requirements for Rocket Fuel:

  • ABV must be 10% or more for each entry.
  • Entries may be beer, mead, cider, or any combination.
  • Entries are not required to meet BJCP style guidelines.
  • Entry must be fermented and not concentrated, distilled, or fortified in any manner other than in accordance with BJCP guidelines (e.g., Eisbocks are acceptable, but adding spirits to the entry to increase ABV is not).
  • Each entry consists of three (3) glass bottles or aluminum cans. Cans are allowed for beer entries only.
  • For entries containing lactose, please note this in the comments when registering (see the “Comments (optional)” box above the “Save new entry” button). This does not bar you from competing. We will simply pair lactose-tolerant judges with your entry.
  • All entries should adhere to the rules listed under the entry requirements for the Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff.

It’s that easy. 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 for the Interplanetary Homebrew Blastoff and a separate one for Rocket Fuel. Rocket fuel tends to be for more esoteric and extreme (think DFH 120 min IPA or Avery Mephistopheles). Rocket Fuel has its own category (and trophy). Rocket Fuel is NOT eligible for Best of Show.

Shipping Awards following the Competition

Shipping costs have gone up substantially. It is preferable to distribute medals and prizes in-person at the awards ceremony. An attendee from another club can serve as the designated point of contact (POC) for collecting and distributing their club’s medals. Of course in-person attendance is not always possible. To reduce costs (as well as future entry fees), SAAZ will combine medal winners from a club into a single package for shipping, when appropriate. The package will be sent to a POC named by that club. Only medals will be shipped (no swag or promotional items will be mailed). 

Important 2025 Dates and Judging Information

All judging will be carried out using Reggie’s on-line judging system with electronic scoresheets. Judges should bring their own personal electronic devices to access ReggieBeer.com via WiFi. We will work to provide WiFi Internet access at all judging locations.

Competition and awards ceremony:  August 16

Registration window:  June 19 – July 23

Delivery window:  July 9 – July 23

Judge and volunteer registration:  June 19 – August 16

In-person deliveries:  Please email the Commander through REGGIE or at info@saaz.org to coordinate in-person drop off to a SAAZ Representative in Brevard County.

Shipping:  Bugnutty Brewing Company,  225 King St. Unit B,  Cocoa FL 32922. 

Please email the Commander through REGGIE or at info@saaz.org to ensure prompt pickup of your entries from the shipping location. No in-person deliveries are allowed at the shipping location.

Sorting and flighting:  July 25 or July 26 (still T.B.D.)
Location: Contact the Commander for details on location and time.

Informal judging session (in-person):  July 27
Location:  T.B.D.

First formal judging weekend (in-person):  August 2 and 3
Location:  T.B.D.
Saturday hours: 11AM – 6:30PM
Sunday hours: 11AM – 6:30PM

Second formal judging weekend (in-person):  August 9 and 10
Location: T.B.D.
Saturday hours: 11AM – 7PM
Sunday hours: 11AM – 6PM

Final judging session (BOS) and awards ceremony (in-person):  August 17
Location:  Bugnutty Brewing Company,  225 King St. Unit B,  Cocoa FL 32922

2:00 PM  BOS Judging
5:30 PM  Awards Dinner
7:00 PM  Awards Ceremony
10:00 PM  Clean Up

The awards dinner will be catered at Bugnutty Brewing Company. The menu and cost is T.B.D. Once established, advance payment can be made via PayPal. Send your payment to saaz@saaz.org and be sure to note “Awards Dinner”.

Commander SAAZ pub crawl:  August 15

We are also planning a pub crawl for Friday evening. Details are T.B.D.

Accommodations: 

The awards ceremony will be held within Cocoa Village. Nearby accommodations are limited. The closest hotel is the Island Hotel of Space Coast located at 260 E Merritt Island Causeway Suite 1001, Merritt Island, FL 32952. There are limited rental properties nearby in the Cocoa Village area. For those who want to combine judging with a beach vacation, consider hotels in the Cocoa Beach area.