Anyone take the IBD GCB?

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lakeshorebrewer

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Hey All,

Not sure where to post this so I can move it if necessary.

I will be taking the IBD General Certificate in Brewing exam in a few weeks. I've been studying the material that they provided as a study guide as well as a variety of other suggested things, but am curious if anyone has taken this exam. My concern is the depth of knowledge they test against compared to the depth the study guide provides. My intent is pass the darn thing, not throw out good money.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Cheers!!
 
Right. So since there is an abundance of quiet... I took it earlier today. If you are up to it, be sure to study the guide end to end. Never mined the silibus. It's not too accurate. And also be sure to understand every formula possible. Don't worry about the only ones in the guide.
 
So how do you think you did? I've never heard of this exam. What exactly is it for?
 
I think I'm right on the line. But will know the results by January. It's the General Brewers Certificate by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD). This exam is for someone who who may be looking to enter the industry or just test thier knowledge and have it recognized world wide via a certificate. A packaging exam at the entry level is also given.

There are several exams that are of the professional brewer caliber as well. The info is here... http://www.ibd.org.uk/qualifications/examinations/gcb/168/examination-information/
 
I took both the GCB and the GCP. We were supposed to do it online but nobody but 3 people were able to actually log into the site. We all ended up raking the paper exams instead.
 
How did you do? Have you seen your results yet? I lucked out and passed them both. I guess now I have to start studying for the diploma level exams.
 
Way to go jitter!! I just missed it. No worries though. It's coming back around in the spring. I only had a month with the study guide so I am not too disappointed. The diploma level exams seem to be much more detailed in only a couple of areas. Not like the GCB....it's all over the place.
 
Good luck with it in the spring. I didn't study any of the environmental stuff and I though that was going to cost me. At least you will know better what to expect for the next one.
 
I hope you are still using homebrewtalk... I have searched through the IBD website and have only found a syllabus and not a guide that you suggested we study from. Where did you get your guide? Thanks!
 
When I became an IBD member and signed up for the exams, they sent a zip folder of study material. I copied a coworkers material from the year before and the syllabus had changed and it nearly cost me the exam. I wouldn't get the material from anywhere but the IBD and make sure it's the current stuff.
 
jitteringjr, I assumed you passed the GCB, did you ever move on to take the Diploma in Brewing test?

I just sat all three modules of the diploma test these past three days (June 12th -14th) and was wondering: How tough are they are on grading and what type of time frame is there on test grading and getting results back? I feel like I did fairly well, and am fully expecting to pass, but it always feels nice to know fur sure.

Also, are you here in the U.S.A.? Have you ever used the IBD for anything else besides the exams (such as job opportunities, networking, etc)? Assuming I pass, and being that I had to sign up for a membership to sit the exam, I would like to squeeze some other benefits out of them as well.
 
bb that's quite hardcore - all three diploma parts in one sitting! I've been advised to take one a year! I'm taking the GCB this November, been reading the matierial sent from the IBD and making notes, but would like some exam practice beyond the four questions they allow on their website. It's a shame that practice exams don't really seem to be available. Perhaps it's the same exam every time :p
 
Im planning to give the gcb this nov.. Yeah even i couldn't find any practice exams online.. Giving it a shot jus by the notes provided by them..
@yorkbrewer how was your exam.. Any suggestions o. How to go about it?
 
I took the GCB exam spring 2011 @ Guinness/Diageo in Dublin (cool place to take it, for sure!) - chilled and filtered version; not the cask ale version.

The syllabus and the PDFs that they give you wen you register for the exam can get you there.

Read through them each once really slowly in "memorization mode", then a few weeks before the exam pull out the syllabus and determine whether you can answer the objectives off of the top of your head; mark off the ones that you can easily answer and then go back to the individual PDFs for the items that you can't recall (probably most of them if you're anything like me); as you do this make flash cards for answering the objectives. -Then the day before the exam just study the flash cards (I took the day before off of work.).


Good luck!
Adam
 
As other's have said you get the materials emailed to you after you register for the exam so just register early and then you buy yourself a few extra weeks/ months to study.

I pretty much refused to relearn how to do all the calculations (I was already doing most of the calculations using US units and I wasn't about to switch to the UK mega brewery units and confuse myself forever); this definition hurt my score. As others have said the calculations are SUPER important to memorize. (I could have gotten a distinction had I just learned their forumulas.)

-Having said all of that, you can still do the calculations your own way and even ESTIMATE the answers if you understand what's going on and this will eliminate 2 answers for each calculation question that are WAY off; then you basically have a 50/50 shot at getting it right.

Understand dilutions and dilution formulas for sure.


It's really really cool to get more of the mega-brewery perspective AND a bit more of the UK brewing tradition perspective by going through the IBD materials. I DO wish that they'd update the material to be more internationally relevant and relevant at the micro brewery level AND I REALLY wish that they'd make the whole thing far more practical -if they'd show REAL equipment vs. just crappy MSPaint-quality drawings of equipment it would make it much more practical.


Adam
 
Thanks biertourist!! This really helps .. Even im going in for the c&f exam.. Gotten the notes.. Read them once.. Gonna follow your method of going thru the syllabus and try to answer them :D .. Thanks again!!
 
Although this might sound odd; reading "New Brewing Lager" after doing the IBD General Cert exam will help balance your understanding between the British and German tradition.


Adam
 
Jus got done with the exams.. Went quite wrll actually.. I think messed up the quality system questions and a few questions where theyd have numbers as answers..
Tip: Memorize all the numbers in the notes too.
Anyway will return with a few more. Gotta get some sleep!
Cheers!!!
 
Just stumbled across this thread.

I got a Job in July as the main brewer at this little 2Barrel plant, and I'm looking to take the exam.

Is it all online? Some of the info on the IBD site led me to beleive that I would have to travel...

But assuming your'e all in he US that cant be right.

Anyway, any info would be good!
Theres an exam coming up in May that I am tempted to register for.
 
Congrats on the job. It was online but still needs to be taken from a dedicated IBD testing facility.
 
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