BJCP certification and beer enjoyment...

[davekippen]

Our HB Club is going to put a bunch of people through the certification and I am seriously considering doing it.

In the back of my mind I wonder if learning THAT much about beer and its flaws makes beer drinking less enjoyable? Curious to hear from those of you who are certified - did the process and learning enhance your beer drinking enjoyment or do you think it hurts it?

Is there something to ignorant bliss?

 

[YNOT2K]

As a songwriter, I have a difficult time listening to and enjoying songs. I find myself picking them apart, being highly critical, etc.

As a brewer, I find that I already, to some extent, do the same thing with beer.

The only difference being that if I drink enough beer, I don't care anymore.

 

[davekippen]

I spend 15 years in commercial printing. I cant look at any printed material without noticing every single flaw.

I dont want to do this with beer!

 

[Wynne-R]

Is there something to ignorant bliss?

I don’t think so.

To me, the big thing about judging is vocabulary. Anybody can taste something, but can you describe the flavor?

Coming in a close second, you have to know the styles. Seriously, you have to memorize them. You, and everybody in the class, should try a classic example of pretty much every style. Take notes.

You do need to be able to identify flaws, but I don’t find that to diminish my enjoyment of tasting beer. Again, it’s vocabulary.

By all means, take the class. It won’t hurt a bit, and you get to drink great beer. Some people take the class just for the beer.

 

[Dutch218]

I don’t think so. To me, the big thing about judging is vocabulary. Anybody can taste something, but can you describe the flavor? Coming in a close second, you have to know the styles. Seriously, you have to memorize them. You, and everybody in the class, should try a classic example of pretty much every style. Take notes. You do need to be able to identify flaws, but I don’t find that to diminish my enjoyment of tasting beer. Again, it’s vocabulary. By all means, take the class. It won’t hurt a bit, and you get to drink great beer. Some people take the class just for the beer.

I work in a hotel. It is hard for me to relax on vacation when staying at a hotel because I notice slow service and cleanliness issues more than most people. I say don't take a class and ruin something you currently love so much.

 

[CadillacAndy]

I work in a hotel. It is hard for me to relax on vacation when staying at a hotel because I notice slow service and cleanliness issues more than most people. I say don't take a class and ruin something you currently love so much.

But on the flip side - do you notice when you get really good service somewhere, or see a really clean room?

I just took my tasting exam and have been in a study group for almost a year now and it's really helped me appreciate good beer even more. Plus it's helped take my own beer to the next level and objectively judge them, pickup off flavors, etc.

 

[AnOldUR]

Is there something to ignorant bliss?

IMO no. Most of us brew way more beer than we can personally drink. I want to know the beer I share is the best it can be.

 

[voltin]

I haven't taken the BJCP exam yet, but I am studying for it and have judged in a couple of competitions. I will say that judging beers for a competition can impact the way you taste beer. When I have a beer that I have not tried before I tend to taste it the same way I judge a beer (smell, look, smell again and taste.) After that I usually just enjoy the beer. I do pick up off flavors in some beers, but for the most part I have always been able to do so now I know what it is called.

IMHO the benefits to your brewing through learning the styles and some flaws and learning out to identify and fix them outweigh the potential cons.

 

[Yooper]

I'm happy with being a BJCP judge. I enjoy drinking and tasting beers, and don't notice more flaws than I did before (although lots of beers are flawed!).

That said, I"m happy with being certified, and have no intention of going on to the National level and take that test. Maybe I would if the exams were held closer, but I had to go to Minneapolis (6.5 hours away) for the original BJCP tasting exam and I"m just not THAT dedicated to move up to national level.

 

[Braufessor]

I have not done the BJCP.... but I hope to in the upcoming year. I understand what you are saying. However, in my experience I cannot think of anything that I enjoy less, because I have learned more about it.

I would say most of us started the same way - we drank some form of BMC type beer and got crazy once in a while and drank a sam adams or a heineken or a rolling rock..... and we thought we were really expanding our horizons. We learned more about what "good" beer was - and started to enjoy all kinds of beers - I don't think that has made me enjoy beer less. When I first started brewing, I brewed some tolerable-decent beer...... over the years I have learned more and now brew good-great beer........ I don't enjoy it "less."

I think BJCP is not going to make you enjoy drinking beer less - it is more likely to help you understand exactly why you do/don't like certain beers compared to others - whether that be commercial or homebrew. I think it is something that can help you put a name, explanation and solution to problems you may already detect in beers...... but can't quite put your finger on.

Ignorance is not bliss.

 

[davekippen]

That's great insight gang! Im gonna do it

 

[davekippen]

I just took my tasting exam and have been in a study group for almost a year now and it's really helped me appreciate good beer even more. Plus it's helped take my own beer to the next level and objectively judge them, pickup off flavors, etc.

Hey cadillacandy, do you mind sharing how your study group operates? Do you meed monthly? Bi weekly? How do you structure your sessions? Anything that you can share to help our group get moving will be appreciated!

 

[Darwin18]

Getting involved with the BJCP program and judging competitions will most definitely help you to become a better brewer. You will have the opportunity to taste a wide variety of beer - most of it bad, but in doing so will learn a great deal that you can directly apply to your own brewing process. You will also have the chance to taste beers that are exceptional and will give you an idea of what you can do as well. If you're not interested in brewing better beer than perhaps ignorance is bliss, but for me being a BJCP judge has been very helpful.

 

[CadillacAndy]

Hey cadillacandy, do you mind sharing how your study group operates? Do you meed monthly? Bi weekly? How do you structure your sessions? Anything that you can share to help our group get moving will be appreciated!

Sure! We meet on a monthly basis in the basement "speakeasy" bar of a local pub. There are between 8 - 15 of us that are part of the group, with about half being pretty serious homebrewers.

Each month we have a set style or two, depending on how many beers. This month is English Brown Ales and Porters. Our study group organizer sends out study material and links. Usually to podcasts, the BJCP guidelines, etc for the group to review prior to meeting.

He goes to a couple local bottle shops and attempts to find a commercial example of each of the categories, as well as requests examples of homebrew from the group.

Members of the group volunteer to be the "subcategory" expert. Usually the person who brewed homebrew example, or someone who has previously brewed or researched the style. Sometimes it's as simple as reading the guidelines, and other times it turns in to a brewing discussion, depending on the style and level of expertise and interest.

We go thru and sample each of the beers while we're discussing, comparing the commercial examples to the homebrew examples.

At the end of each session we judge a beer or two for practice, then discuss our scores and comments.

We also started our study group off by doing the Siebel off-flavors kit and then were planning on doing it again right before the tasting exam which is scheduled for some time in mid 2014 in the Pittsburgh area.

If there's not a study group in your area, or are just looking to expand your knowledge, check out - http://www.wahomebrewers.org/files/fall_2013_kent_classes/Fall2013KentBJCPClassesAudioRSS.xml This club has compiled a ton of awesome content.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers!

 

[CCBrewer]

I have never looked into this, I wonder if they do this in texas, the certification... I would travel to Austin... Dallas is pretty damn far I would have to fly

 

[Wynne-R]

Yooper mentioned 6 ½ hours one way to the tasting test. For those that don’t know, if you get an 80 or better, you qualify to take a written test for National . So for Yooper, her quest for National would be 6 ½ x2 x2 hours drive-time.

Fortunately my test site to try for National was an easy ten minutes away. Unfortunately two weeks before the test I caught a cold. They say 80% of your tasting perception is olfactory. At least 80%. I went in hitting on 2 ½ cylinders.

It was a disaster. There are six beers, fifteen minutes each. I nailed three of them broadly, minus describing subtle nuance. One I scored about 8 points low. Another I missed horribly, judging it to be infected and it turned out to be a Trappist trippel. The last one I judged to be good, but out of style. I was right, but everybody else thought it was close enough and gave it ten points more than I did.

The moral of this story, if you have a cold, stay away from competitions. You’re no good as a judge, even if you just have the sniffles.

 

[voltin]

I have never looked into this, I wonder if they do this in texas, the certification... I would travel to Austin... Dallas is pretty damn far I would have to fly

There are exams in Austin, Dallas and Houston typically twice a year in each city. You can look on http://www.bjcp.org/exams.php for exam dates and locations. As for study groups, I am not sure. You might contact one of the exam proctors listed to see if they can put you in touch with one.

 

[edecambra]

It is definitely worth it. You'll find that true judging is a lot of work and casual judging is enjoyable.

 

[davekippen]

Sure! We meet on a monthly basis in the basement "speakeasy" bar of a local pub. There are between 8 - 15 of us that are part of the group, with about half being pretty serious homebrewers.

Each month we have a set style or two, depending on how many beers. This month is English Brown Ales and Porters. Our study group organizer sends out study material and links. Usually to podcasts, the BJCP guidelines, etc for the group to review prior to meeting.

He goes to a couple local bottle shops and attempts to find a commercial example of each of the categories, as well as requests examples of homebrew from the group.

Members of the group volunteer to be the "subcategory" expert. Usually the person who brewed homebrew example, or someone who has previously brewed or researched the style. Sometimes it's as simple as reading the guidelines, and other times it turns in to a brewing discussion, depending on the style and level of expertise and interest.

We go thru and sample each of the beers while we're discussing, comparing the commercial examples to the homebrew examples.

At the end of each session we judge a beer or two for practice, then discuss our scores and comments.

We also started our study group off by doing the Siebel off-flavors kit and then were planning on doing it again right before the tasting exam which is scheduled for some time in mid 2014 in the Pittsburgh area.

If there's not a study group in your area, or are just looking to expand your knowledge, check out - http://www.wahomebrewers.org/files/fall_2013_kent_classes/Fall2013KentBJCPClassesAudioRSS.xml This club has compiled a ton of awesome content.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers!

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME! Thanks!!!