So I took the written BJCP exam today...

[Qhrumphf]

And my got that was a very hard 90 minutes that felt like it flew by in seconds.

Props to all the National+ BJCP judges who made it through this exam (or even worse, the multi hour torture that was the combined exam) with a high enough score. That was one of the harder tests I can recall.

The amount of knowledge you need for this exam is astronomical, and astounding (the question pool is massive), and makes the tasting exam seem like a cakewalk. The tasting exam you can have limited style knowledge, but as long as you trust your palate and accurately describe what you're tasting, and know the brewing process well enough to make suggestions based on what you taste, you can still do quite well.

But cramming an entire set of style guidelines into your head, well that's a different story.

I'm so relieved to have this off of my shoulders, and with a little luck I did well enough to never have to take it again (as in high enough for 90+ combined for the highest ranks). Not sure about that (had to rush the last question as I ran out of time), but I'm confident I did well enough at least to high the 80+ combined for National

 

[beergolf]

Good luck. Hope you did well.

The waiting ill be difficult. Any idea of how long until you getbth results.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I'm assuming ~4 months like the judging exam. But the idea with the quarterly written exam (which this was) is to pool multiples at once to speed the grading. So hopefully less than that.

But in the next 4 weeks I'm judging 3 additional comps that'll put me over the point threshold for National, so hopefully as soon as results are in I'll be getting a promotion.

I didn't need a high score on this to hit National. But I'm hoping it was just high enough that I don't need to retake it to hit Master (I'm a ways off there when it comes to points though, but with those same 3 comps I'll have the judging points, the rest can be administrative).

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Just don't go all Beer Advocate Snob on us now...

 

[slym2none]

 

[Natdavis777]

Congrats. I was actually talking to the lady at the LHBS today about dipping my feet in judging. I plan on going to some of their classes that are like an intro into the judging process then proceed from there if I like it.

I recall taking 2 of my boards, and no matter how well you study, you still feel unsure at the end. The best tip I got that really helped was not to second guess yourself. Go with your first choice. That advice paid off too

 

[Qhrumphf]

Just don't go all Beer Advocate Snob on us now...

Yeah I avoid that place like the plague. Groupthink is not my bag.

Congrats. I was actually talking to the lady at the LHBS today about dipping my feet in judging. I plan on going to some of their classes that are like an intro into the judging process then proceed from there if I like it.

I recall taking 2 of my boards, and no matter how well you study, you still feel unsure at the end. The best tip I got that really helped was not to second guess yourself. Go with your first choice. That advice paid off too

Know what you know and know what you don't know.

And if you know you don't know, act like you do know.

Or something.

Looking at it now, even the one I had to make up I got pretty close just having had a few in that vein. Didn't nail it, but got it. Did get the commercial example right though, and that was a WAG.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Well, almost 4 months to the day, got my results. 87, same score as my tasting exam. Had the points, and got my promotion to BJCP National. A great score all things considered, but not enough to get Master. It's about what I'd figured I'd get, give or take, maybe even a bit better than expected, but I'm hard on myself.

As I figured it would, the question I had to rush hurt me, it would seem significantly. I wonder, had I answered that question as completely and thoroughly as the others (style compare and contrast question, had to wing one of the styles as it was one of the few I didn't have time to study, as well as scrawl the entirety of the compare/contrast portion in 15 seconds), if I would have gotten the score needed to push my combined score into master range.

Point I'm trying to make is that, as many will tell you, it's not just the actual knowledge you need to work on for that exam. It's time management.

 

[Spokangeles]

Congrats!

 

[Biscuits]

Congrats, Alex!

 

[jspain3]

Pretty impressive!