Passed BJCP Exam

[Pappers_]

Today, I passed the 200 question online BJCP exam. That means I'm now a 'Provisional' judge. Within the next year, I must take the second part of the exam, a tasting exam. Depending on your score, you become either an 'Apprentice', 'Recognized' or 'Certified' judge.

 

[passedpawn]

Great Job! I'm truly jealous. I need to work towards that myself.

 

[Copbrew133]

Congrats

 

[osagedr]

Way to go!

 

[Zuljin]

oh hell for that accomplishment :rockin:

 

[JonW]

Care to comment on the types of questions on the test and what type of prep you had to do for it?

 

[Pappers_]

Care to comment on the types of questions on the test and what type of prep you had to do for it?

If you go to the BJCP site, you may tdownload a 74 page study guide, which I read through. They have a suggested reading list, too, but I did not look at that.

The questions were focused on: the style guidelines, brewing processes, diagnosing flavor flaws, and a few questions on the BJCP judging system.

There is a free, 20 question sample exam which must be completed in 6 minutes. The main exam is $10, contains 200 questions, and must be completed in 60 minutes.

After completing the 200 question online exam successfully, you are a 'provisional' judge and have a year to take the second part of the process, which is a tasting exam. Depending on your score on the tasting exam, you may be designated a 'recognized' or 'certified' judge. To be a certified judge also requires some experience points, which you accrue at competitions.

 

[DubBrew]

I just passed the other day as well. I have my tasting exam I two Weeks. I would say the questions were extremely style oriented. There were some but not many technique and Brewing process questions. But you better know your guidelines. There are a lot of questions and not a lot of time.

 

[boo boo]

Congrats.
I thought about it myself, but considered it a waste of time when I probably would be the only one in the Province and with no competitions to attend, wouldn't be able to complete the process to become a full fledged judge.

 

[stubbornman]

With it being an online exam, what is to stop people from looking up the answers? I guess you can't fake it on the tasting exam...

 

[boo boo]

With it being an online exam, what is to stop people from looking up the answers? .

Other than time restraints, nothing but your honesty. Would be a hollow victory to win, wouldn't it?

 

[brettwasbtd]

With it being an online exam, what is to stop people from looking up the answers? I guess you can't fake it on the tasting exam...

Ya, 200 questions in 60 minutes! Thats a little more than 1 question every 20 seconds. You have to have most of the info memorized so you can read the question and choose the answer. No time to think!

 

[Hugh_Jass]

Congratulations Pappers. Good luck w/the tasting portion.

 

[mors]

Actually in the exam instructions is specifically states it's "open book". Looking up stuff is fine. You can't look up everything or you're not going to finish in time. They specifically limited the time so you couldn't look up everything.

 

[osagedr]

Congrats.
I thought about it myself, but considered it a waste of time when I probably would be the only one in the Province and with no competitions to attend, wouldn't be able to complete the process to become a full fledged judge.

Welcome to the Rock!

 

[osagedr]

With it being an online exam, what is to stop people from looking up the answers? I guess you can't fake it on the tasting exam...

Integrity...pride...ethics...take your pick.

 

[weirdboy]

The online exam is designed as "open book" so it's got nothing to do with integrity or whatever. The main issue is that you have little hope of completing the exam if you have to look up more than one or two answers.

 

[osagedr]

The online exam is designed as "open book" so it's got nothing to do with integrity or whatever.

Well it kinda does; wouldn't be hard to have others there to help you out if you were so inclined.

 

[Yooper]

Jim, where you doing the "tasting" portion? Since I live in the middle of nowhere, I have to go to Minneapolis in September for that. I assume you have a tasting exam right in Chicago?

 

[JonW]

If you go to the BJCP site, you may tdownload a 74 page study guide, which I read through. They have a suggested reading list, too, but I did not look at that.

The questions were focused on: the style guidelines, brewing processes, diagnosing flavor flaws, and a few questions on the BJCP judging system.

There is a free, 20 question sample exam which must be completed in 6 minutes. The main exam is $10, contains 200 questions, and must be completed in 60 minutes.

After completing the 200 question online exam successfully, you are a 'provisional' judge and have a year to take the second part of the process, which is a tasting exam. Depending on your score on the tasting exam, you may be designated a 'recognized' or 'certified' judge. To be a certified judge also requires some experience points, which you accrue at competitions.

Thank you for the info and a well deserved congratulations to you!

 

[Pappers_]

Jim, where you doing the "tasting" portion? Since I live in the middle of nowhere, I have to go to Minneapolis in September for that. I assume you have a tasting exam right in Chicago?

I haven't looked it up yet. Another member of our club just passed the online exam and he said finding space in the tasting exams is tough.

We have three guys in our club who are qualified, if I read the regulations correctly, to organize and proctor these exams, so we might prevail on them to do so.

If they do, or I find another test, would you be interested in coming down here to take it? I suppose it's about the same distance.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Edited/Deleted, found what I was looking for.

 

[bob1852]

Edited/Deleted, found what I was looking for.

How'd you do? I got 13/20 right and passed.

 

[RiverCityBrewer]

I took the written test and tasting portion (the multi-hour exam) in December.... I'm still waiting for my grade.... I'm actually expecting it any week now.

And congratulations BTW!

 

[ArcaneXor]

How'd you do? I got 13/20 right and passed.

I missed 4. Kinda skeptical about a couple of those, too.

 

[Yooper]

I haven't looked it up yet. Another member of our club just passed the online exam and he said finding space in the tasting exams is tough.

We have three guys in our club who are qualified, if I read the regulations correctly, to organize and proctor these exams, so we might prevail on them to do so.

If they do, or I find another test, would you be interested in coming down here to take it? I suppose it's about the same distance.

I would- it's probably about the same distance. But you have to get a spot in a tasting exam. Maybe YOU could come to Minneapolis with me!

 

[Pappers_]

How'd you do? I got 13/20 right and passed.

If you read the fine print on the practice or sample exam, everyone passes, regardless of score.

 

[osagedr]

If you read the fine print on the practice or sample exam, everyone passes, regardless of score.

A natural extension of our modern education system.

"No brewer left behind."

 

[bob1852]

If you read the fine print on the practice or sample exam, everyone passes, regardless of score.

They're tricky! They just want my $10 to attempt the real test without studying!

 

[g-love]

A natural extension of our modern education system.

"No brewer left behind."

I'm a teacher... Love it!

 

[Homercidal]

I missed 4. Kinda skeptical about a couple of those, too.

I thought the same thing. I was like "WHAT??" on a couple.

I think they do that to make you want to go back and study.

Speaking of which, I have stuff to read at work today. Oh shoot. I got actual work to do today darn it!

 

[Pappers_]

I thought the same thing. I was like "WHAT??" on a couple.

I think they do that to make you want to go back and study.

Speaking of which, I have stuff to read at work today. Oh shoot. I got actual work to do today darn it!

Well, I think part of the challenge of the test is recognizing the nuances in the questions. And doing it at a pace of more than three questions per minute.

 

[Homercidal]

I figured I'd hit the sample test pretty good, but there were some questions that threw me off. I am now aware of the depth of questions possible. You won't do well with the real test unless you do some serious studying.

 

[bob1852]

You won't do well with the real test unless you do some serious studying.

I'm tempted to do so, though. It's only $10.

 

[mors]

I didn't need to study for the test, I took it on a whim at lunch time while at work. It was mostly alot of basic process questions I felt... There were some rather specific style guidelines questions...but with it being open book...no problems....and remember you only need a 60% to pass...

 

[Homercidal]

I didn't need to study for the test, I took it on a whim at lunch time while at work. It was mostly alot of basic process questions I felt... There were some rather specific style guidelines questions...but with it being open book...no problems....and remember you only need a 60% to pass...

I wouldn't consider a 60% as doing well.

Maybe well enough.

 

[clex25]

and remember you only need a 60% to pass...

That is not actually quite accurate. The score needed to pass is not published, and therefore could be higher or lower than 60%. I emailed the test director himself, and he said that the lack of a published passing score was done intentionally. Perhaps they plan on changing it over time, or perhaps it is so you won't quit as soon as you have a passing score.

The 200 questions are chosen at random from a bank of 1000 or more, so you also couldn't just waste $10 and record the questions, then retake it immediately with all the answers researched.

 

[mors]

That is not actually quite accurate. The score needed to pass is not published, and therefore could be higher or lower than 60%. I emailed the test director himself, and he said that the lack of a published passing score was done intentionally. Perhaps they plan on changing it over time, or perhaps it is so you won't quit as soon as you have a passing score.

The 200 questions are chosen at random from a bank of 1000 or more, so you also couldn't just waste $10 and record the questions, then retake it immediately with all the answers researched.

You're right it doesn't say that in the instructions... I thought I had read that somewhere... I had a brain fart around question 50 and started thinking it was only 100 questions long. I slowed down... finished question 100 with 10 mins left to go... Saw question 101 and nearly **** myself. Managed to answer about 61 more questions before time ran out. Whatever the passing score is it must be fairly low because I left almost 40 questions just totally blank at the end of the test.

 

[ResumeMan]

You're right it doesn't say that in the instructions... I thought I had read that somewhere...

Possibly that's sort of a "legacy memory" from the old way of the written test. IIRC, a score of 60 was minimally passing, but your ultimate rank (subsequently gained by judging experience) was limited by your score. So it was something like you could be certified with a 60, but needed 70 to become National, 80 for Master, and 90 for GM.

Something like that, I don't recall the details. My score was like 85, so if I wanted to reach the highest levels I'd need to re-take the test under the old scheme. Again, I don't know if that's how it works now.

 

[weirdboy]

I believe it's way more than 1000 questions in the test bank.