BJCP Exam Tips - LONG post

[TexLaw]

Hmmm, I just took it a few weeks ago, and I'm trying to figure out what was difficult about the AG recipe? As brewers we make recipes all the time no? Just take 2mins to learn some rules of thumb for lbs of grain = OG and same for hops.
If you know the style and have brewed for a bit, the picking of ingredients takes all of 2 seconds.

There's nothing very difficult about it . . . if you prepare. It sounds like you prepared well, so you should be able to sail through it.

And, you may be surprised by how many brewers do not work up their own recipes or have any concern about those rules of thumb or the choice and character of ingredients. Many just buy kits (extract or all-grain). That's no judgment on them, but they have a bit more preparation to undertake.


TL

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Took the exam on 12/5/09... still no results. I'm not going to raise a stink about it unless I get to around the 9 month mark and still haven't heard anything. I was in a group with maybe 20-25 others. 5 or 6 of which were only doing the tasting portion.

 

[rhoadsrage]

I'm taking the exam in less that a month and I'm starting to feel the stress. In my ever growing pile of resources I have a copy of a powerpoint called "Mastering the BJCP Exam" by Gordon Strong. In the common mistakes section he bullets "Providing detail that doesn't contribute to your score."
I have the point breakdown of the written sections but I'm still kind of confused on what are some details that wouldn't contribute to my score?

For example, I know many beer styles shouldn't have diacetyl as noted in their description but is listing flavors that a beer style should not have earn any points? How much detail do I have to write for the 6 points to describe a style?

Thanks for your tips.

 

[remilard]

I'm taking the exam in less that a month and I'm starting to feel the stress. In my ever growing pile of resources I have a copy of a powerpoint called "Mastering the BJCP Exam" by Gordon Strong. In the common mistakes section he bullets "Providing detail that doesn't contribute to your score."
I have the point breakdown of the written sections but I'm still kind of confused on what are some details that wouldn't contribute to my score?

For example, I know many beer styles shouldn't have diacetyl as noted in their description but is listing flavors that a beer style should not have earn any points? How much detail do I have to write for the 6 points to describe a style?

Thanks for your tips.

Here is what I think Gordon is getting at, having relatively little experience with the BJCP exam (I took it) but a lot with some different essay exams.

Listing that a beer style does not have diacetyl is not extraneous as it is listed on the style guideline for many styles.

What Gordon is getting at is that people are really good about answering questions that nobody asked. Look at Gordon's example of a fairly verbose answer with an average score and a terse answer with a perfect score. The first answer answers some things that weren't asked.

So if I ask you to name three cities and describe the water there and how it affects the beers, don't start telling me everything you know about water. Tell me thee cities and describe the water....

So basically answer what was asked, everything that was asked and nothing that wasn't asked.

 

[olllllo]

Took the exam on 12/5/09... still no results. I'm not going to raise a stink about it unless I get to around the 9 month mark and still haven't heard anything. I was in a group with maybe 20-25 others. 5 or 6 of which were only doing the tasting portion.

We took ours in June of 2009 before NHC, so about mid month. I think we finally got results in March 14th of 2010.

So it was a full term baby.

 

[z987k]

We took ours in June of 2009 before NHC, so about mid month. I think we finally got results in March 14th of 2010.

So it was a full term baby.

I just realized this.... I won't even live in the same state by the time they get around to mailing it to me.

 

[TexLaw]

For example, I know many beer styles shouldn't have diacetyl as noted in their description but is listing flavors that a beer style should not have earn any points? How much detail do I have to write for the 6 points to describe a style?

Thanks for your tips.

Remilard pretty much hit the nail on the head. Detail, depth, and breadth are good, but only to the extent the question calls for it. To further Remilard's example, if a question asks you to describe a style, it can score you some points to briefly describe the proper water profile for that style (e.g., Bohemian Pilsners typically are brewed with very soft water, while German Pilsners typically are brewed with harder water that is higher in sulfates which contributes to their sharper hop character). However, you waste your time to go into the details of water chemistry.

As for your specific example of diacetyl, I think it is a good idea to add "no diacetyl" where that is the case. I have never actually gone through the guidelines to see if it is written, but you know that diacetyl is inappropriate for nearly every lager, the one exception I can think of right off-hand being the Bohemian Pilsner. It takes only moment to write "no diacetyl," and it can be something the grader is looking for.

Of course, you better be correct about that absence of diacetyl. I graded an exam where the participant noted "no diacetyl" for some British styles where mild diacetyl is appropriate. That counted against him. I would like to say that it counted against him no more than if he had failed to mention anything about diacetyl, but the truth is that it made him look like he did not know what he was talking about and just taking some swings.

The most important thing to remember is to get the meat of the question correct. If you are fairly well prepared, it is not terribly hard to get 6 or 7 points out of a question. Trying for that eighth, ninth, and tenth points send you up an ever-steepening curve. Don't sacrifice several points on one question to try and get a point or two on another. Go for the fruit on the ground first.


TL

 

[TexLaw]

I just realized this.... I won't even live in the same state by the time they get around to mailing it to me.

Whatever you do, do not lose your participant/examinee number (whatever it's called). That is the best way to associate your record with you, no matter where you go. Also, if you keep the same email address you registered with, you should have little (if any) problem keeping your record straight. It may take a couple emails to BJCP, but I would not expect more than that. When you move, send an email to the Exam Directorate ([email protected]) with your new address. You might have your BJCP number by then, even if you don't have your exam results.


TL

 

[TexLaw]

We took ours in June of 2009 before NHC, so about mid month. I think we finally got results in March 14th of 2010.

So it was a full term baby.

Unfortunately, that is many participants' experience. There are many, many more people taking the exam when compared to even only a few years ago. However, the number of graders has not increased by much. Graders are volunteers, they have real lives and real jobs, and (as you might expect) many are working more hours than they were a few years ago. They just don't have the spare time to grade like they used to. When you consider that a lead grader spends about as much time grading an exam as a participant spends taking it (maybe more), the delay starts to make sense.

I do know that BJCP tries hard to have exams graded within twelve weeks of the exam date, but that deadline is getting harder and harder to meet. They would rather it take longer than sacrifice the quality.


TL

 

[rhoadsrage]

Thanks guys for the help. Sorry I have one more question.
I couldn't find any detail on how big the pours are for the tasting questions. I have been practicing with 1-2 oz samples because that is what we had, the one and only time I judged. And I imagine it would be the standard small glass tasting cups that they use?

 

[olllllo]

Yes TL, I am completely sympathetic to the plight of the graders. In our case, someone dropped the ball. Quit as i understand it and failed to tell anyone.

I know this because someone in our group tracked that information down over several weeks. My issue would be that, presumably since the (lead grader?) knew who we were and we did not know who they were... well it would have been nice to get an email about that instead of the detective work we did.

They have our email.

 

[Hopheader]

Hi, folks. Great thread with great information. As a guy on the net today looking for last-minute explanations to a few things, I ran across the thread. I'm taking my exam tomorrow and am fairly ill-prepared so have no hope of getting the 60 required but the way I look at it: it is a hobby, and this test is like a driver's exam... you can always take the test again to prove you know what you (think you) know.

For other folks who may get a chance to get into a study group, etc. in your area: PREPARE IN ADVANCE, read (and write) the materials often and then REVIEW (and re-write) in the weeks and days leading up to your exam. I've always been a procrastinator and schooling/exams/studying used to come quite easily to me. Last exam I had to study for was back in 1993... so this little puppy is stressin' to high heaven.

All the points given in the thread about imagining you're drinking a style as opposed to just trying to memorize are correct--not a whole lot is sticking at this stage as I'm in the cramming mode now before tomorrow but I will say a lot of 'lights' are beginning to come on now (too late for this time, but will make it easier next time) about certain relationships and the way things/processes go together.

There are a HECK of a lot of styles out there to know (73) and if you see the patterns (I think I ended up seeing 32 'absolute must-knows' in the way I organized recipes, classic brewing centers, and the 3 of this, 3 of that) it takes a bit of the load off.

Also learned just in the past couple days: rather than trying to learn and memorize all the styles down pat, learn more about the appearances and the INGREDIENTS (the BJCP style guides aren't totally helpful/specific with that---do research and look at 'classic' recipes/award-winning recipes)----knowing the limited types of MALTS AND GRAINS and the characteristics they provide to a beer is sure a heck of a lot easier (and easier to understand) than knowing 73 beers that might use that type of malt/ingredient.

Know your malts and grains and adjuncts and hops and yeasts / characteristics. I think I actually heard a 'click' in my brain when I began noticing this was a bit easier to work with.

That aside, I'll be able to say much better tomorrow, but as I 'already know all the questions on the exam'--because the BJCP gives them to you (they're all there, 7 style and 14 technical--just don't know which ONES will be on your exam), I can already say I personally have a problem with the format of the exam.

Suffice to say I'm very happy to see the short answer and T/F type things for the very small % that it counts for. There are ways to prove knowledge without having to write and write and write and write and write.

(this perhaps goes back to my 6 years of University and psychology degree).

More questions, shorter answers, different wording of questions, recognition vs recall. All good ways to prove knowledge levels.

After all, you still have to taste and critique beers and prove that knowledge using your senses and knowledge of A A F M I and off-flavours. And, yes, yes, regurgitating short things (or long things) doesn't prove you understand. It proves you remember (for the time it takes to leave your brain and go out your pen).

Repetition is the key to learning and understanding.
My local group was pretty well set-up and requested homework assignments be turned in every week; because of inherent human laziness and 'real life getting in the way', a good number of us sloughed off those assignments and I now regret it. Trust your instructors (those lucky enough to have folks leading the group; ones who have taken and passed the exam and have been judging for a number of years).

Good luck, everyone!
Like a wise man said: it is a hobby so unless you're trying for National / Master level, just go out there and continue to enjoy your hobby, write for 3 hours, then go back and keep learning. There's a TON to learn and experience in the wide world of brewing. I'm glad I'm back into it after years and years away.

Meal break's over--back to the books!

 

[rhoadsrage]

Wow j you got me stressed out and I still have a few weeks. Good I'm working on the tasting part tonight. Let us know your impressions once you recover from 3 hrs of writing about beer.

 

[pacebrew]

what if you have to pee?

 

[TexLaw]

Yes TL, I am completely sympathetic to the plight of the graders. In our case, someone dropped the ball. Quit as i understand it and failed to tell anyone.

I know this because someone in our group tracked that information down over several weeks. My issue would be that, presumably since the (lead grader?) knew who we were and we did not know who they were... well it would have been nice to get an email about that instead of the detective work we did.

They have our email.

Jeep Man, you got shafted a bit on that. No doubt about it. The graders absolutely do not have your email or any other information to identify you, though, other than your examinee number. All the grading is done completely blindly. I do not know if the assigned Associate Exam Director has the information. Still, you are correct that someone has it, and you should have been contacted.


TL

 

[TexLaw]

what if you have to pee?

You go pee. The conditions under which you go pee are up to the exam administrator, but this ain't the Foreign Service Exam.

I advise you to go pee before the test starts. You probably want that time for the exam.


TL

 

[TexLaw]

Thanks guys for the help. Sorry I have one more question.
I couldn't find any detail on how big the pours are for the tasting questions. I have been practicing with 1-2 oz samples because that is what we had, the one and only time I judged. And I imagine it would be the standard small glass tasting cups that they use?

It is entirely up to the administrator, who does the pouring, but I would expect to have at least a couple ounces. The exam procedures recommend 3-4 ounces.


TL

 

[remilard]

what if you have to pee?

I took like 8 actuarial exams, 3-6 hours, I probably peed during all of them. My advice in general for exams is to read through before you start (should take about 15 seconds for the BJCP exam because you know all the possible questions beforehand and will recognize what they are quickly) and answer the questions in order of how easy they are for you. The trick here is time management. Don't write for an hour on water because you know a lot about it. Figure out the number of points on the exam and the number of minutes and then have the discipline to divide your time evenly. Have a watch and before you start answering a question, write the time that you need to stop at the top of the sheet. Now the harder questions are in your mind for the whole exam and hopefully you remember some stuff accidentally. If you have to go pee, spend that time thinking about how you are going to answer one of the remaining questions and then when you get back bang it out. I would also try to pee after filling out a score sheet so you are reasonably sure a beer won't be set down while you are gone.

Or stop being a baby and hold it.

 

[Hopheader]

Wow j you got me stressed out and I still have a few weeks. Good I'm working on the tasting part tonight. Let us know your impressions once you recover from 3 hrs of writing about beer.

Back--my right hand is able to type again. Took the day off to rest it, hahaha. All I can say is, really, it depends what you want to get out of it. For me, it was mostly about seeing if the brain functions anymore in a studying capacity after about 20 years of 'not having to study for anything'. Answer: it doesn't.

I think I may have passed (with a 60) IF I had completed the exam. I did not. Poor time management bit me and I had unanswered questions. Cardinal sin.

Also, I had another issue with the exam but won't get into it here because it is more local than anything.

I will tell you: know your styles. Other guys were making flash cards of styles with commercial examples and stats (you know, once you 'get to know' / memorize all the INFORMATION) these were for bonus points.

If you've done any online homework at all / seen any other study guides I don't think I'm giving anything away by saying there is a RECIPE question on the exam. It is up 'quite early' in the exam (of course nobody says you have to answer in order--I didn't.). Use that opportunity (after reading the whole exam first, so as not to repeat yourself if other technical questions refer to certain things) to explain everything you know about the process.

BUT----time management is your FRIEND and ALLY. I didn't use my watch properly and paid for it. But that's fine, I'll just re-write as soon as I can. Like a driver's exam--take it a couple times if you need to (or five if you're like a friend of mine....).

Writing for three hours was the worst part. Physically. The most I've handwritten anything in the past 18 years is pretty much addressing envelopes and signing things. And I now have the 'beer blister' to prove it. Get your hand in shape if you're not used to writing. But don't do what I did and try to write as many answers as you can in the week leading up, leaving you with a blister you have to wrap so it doesn't aggravate DURING the exam. Heh.

Know as much of the technical information as you can, and those pesky 73 styles. Because they COULD come up in any order... Compare this and that and this. And beware the actual tastings / judging sheets. They come around and definitely mess with your 'thought / flow' on what you were just answering.

I've heard guys say to give 10-12 minutes per question. I did not and paid the price. Having to hurt my hand again at the next opportunity. But I definitely want to write when it is still fresh, again, so I don't have to go through this again for a long time if I ever get the gumption to get something higher-marked.

That said, see you all at the National level.


A guy I wrote with does not have a local brewing club or anyone he could really work with, he just read the materials and took his knowledge as best he could---without the weekly samplings we were doing (which helps a lot---using sense memory for certain styles is great, especially if you're an IPA lover and happen to get one on your exam to judge---of course they're all random so that's just an example).

Read the 'instruction sheet' before you begin. When it says "don't be verbose"--they mean it. Give the answers you need to get the marks and move on. GET THROUGH THE EXAM. If you really feel you need to go back and make additions, fine. But get through the exam. When the beers come out to judge--it messes with your plans, that's for sure. Take a watch and use it.

And I made it through without peeing---I was proud of myself. Others did not. But they also made a stretch break out of it. I did not.

And remember, it's only homebrew. So relax.

after you write, of course.

It's a hobby--take it as seriously as you take the hobby in general and that will get you through. I was definitely stressing because I've never failed an exam before, personally, and didn't want this to be my first but it very very likely is and I'm cool with that. I took the class for the experience and knowledge--I had no ideals of even writing to begin with--and am way farther ahead than when I started and it is a great stepping stone for further knowledge to add on to it.

Now off to bed to dream about things like preoteolytic enzymes, Calcium, and Rauchbiers.

(again, all randomly-mentioned examples and not in any way saying what was on my exam)

Good luck, folks!
J

 

[z987k]

you can say what is on your exam, it doesn't matter.

 

[rhoadsrage]

Thanks all. That helps a lot. I started to time my self and realized I was taking 25-30 minutes to write one sample comparison. Wow I will have to tighten things up. And start timing my prewritten answers.

 

[Hopheader]

you can say what is on your exam, it doesn't matter.

Just trying to be 'fair' and 'anonymous' because it hasn't been graded yet.

 

[rhoadsrage]

Ok I'm stuck on a few more questions if you have time to give me some clues

1) In the first section there is a grid of the 7 principal BJCP levels. The last column says GM service Requirements. I can't find out what GM stands for or where that information is located?

I figured out my other questions last night so I guess that is it.

Thanks

 

[olllllo]

GM = Grand Master

 

[rhoadsrage]

Ha. That makes way more sense that General Manager. Thanks

 

[kivakid]

Sorry if this was covered, but can you gain points after you are awarded, and be bumped up? Like if I get "Recognized" with a score of 70 (above the needed 60), then get 5 experience points, do I just notify the BJCP and get bumped up to "Certified", or do I have to retake the exam?

Thanks!

 

[remilard]

Sorry if this was covered, but can you gain points after you are awarded, and be bumped up? Like if I get "Recognized" with a score of 70 (above the needed 60), then get 5 experience points, do I just notify the BJCP and get bumped up to "Certified", or do I have to retake the exam?

Thanks!

To be certified, for example, you need 5 experience points (2.5 judging) and a 70 or higher on the exam. What order those events happen in does not matter, once all conditions are satisfied and recorded in the database you are Certified.

All of this should happen automatically, assuming the competition organizers file the competition report and accurately record your participation.

You can always look up your detailed record (which may be a month or so out of date) on the BJCP site.

 

[TexLaw]

Yep, it happens automatically, once your points are recorded. The competition organizer sends in a report of the points for each judge that participated in the competition. You do not need to do anything.


TL

 

[caphector]

I just enrolled in a BJCP class and I wanted to say thanks for this class. My teacher is a GM 2, so talking to him can be a bit intimidating, what with my tiny amount of homebrew knowledge.

Still, looking forward to the test in October.

 

[Edcculus]

I just enrolled in a BJCP class and I wanted to say thanks for this class. My teacher is a GM 2, so talking to him can be a bit intimidating, what with my tiny amount of homebrew knowledge.

Still, looking forward to the test in October.

I'd encourage you to talk to him as MUCH as you can! Glean every ounce of info he has. As a GM II, he probably has a LOT of great tips on the exam itself as he is probably, or was involved in grading at some point. Make sure you listen well when you taste beers too. Its like having your own Beer tasting sensi!