That's Right, I'm in the Club Now - Best Start Showing Me Some Respect

[Pappers_]

For those taking the test or thinking about taking the test, here's some advice on how to prepare:

1) know the guidelines well enough and then practice tastings from beers that are near to each other in the guidelines; for example, we did a tasting of ordinary bitter, special bitter, and extra special bitter (ESB) and filled out judging sheets on each of them;

2) know the off-flavor compounds and work on being able to perceive and identify them

3) practice describing what you are tasting, regardless of the style guidelines; become comfortable with descriptive words and apply them to what you are tasting

 

[Pappers_]

I hope my comments have always showed the respect I have for you, if not, I apologize, oh judge!!!! I mean "Your Honor!"

No, you've always been great, its all these other SOBs

 

[Pappers_]

I've got my exam on Saturday. Any pointers for me or just a general what to expect? Thanks.

Good luck, but I'm sure you won't need it, you'll do fine!

 

[Pappers_]

I meant how long from the time you started pursuing being bjcp certified till you got certified.

I took the online test in March 2012, the tasting exam in July and received my packet last week.

 

[nukebrewer]

Good luck, but I'm sure you won't need it, you'll do fine!

Thanks! I think I'm going to do a last minute off flavor panel later in the week with as many off flavors as I can easily get a hold of, just so they're all fresh in my mind.

 

[Pappers_]

Thanks! I think I'm going to do a last minute off flavor panel later in the week with as many off flavors as I can easily get a hold of, just so they're all fresh in my mind.

Speaking of off-flavors, one of the beers at our test was a Bohemian Pilsner and it turned out to be Pilsner Urquell (the commerical beer, not a handmade clone) - badly skunked!

 

[weirdboy]

For what it's worth, I took the test a year ago (one of the last full essay/tasting combined exams) end of January, and got my results back in I want to say end of July or early August.

 

[Pappers_]

For what it's worth, I took the test a year ago (one of the last full essay/tasting combined exams) end of January, and got my results back in I want to say end of July or early August.

Its interesting, we had no essays, but we did have to taste and evaluate twice as many beers as the combined exam. I like this system - to get more judges into the system with an entrance exam and a tasting exam. Then, if you want to progress further, you need to gain experience and take a written exam with essays.

I'm not even going to think about the essay exam for a couple of years. Get some experience judging and see what happens, what feels right. I very well might get quite comfortable judging a couple of times a year and leave it at that.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I think the real story here is that a disproportionate number of homebrewers have the first name "James".

With the acquisition of Pappers_ and Homercidal, "James" dominates the mod category as well.

 

[Pappers_]

I think the real story here is that a disproportionate number of homebrewers have the first name "James".

With the acquisition of Pappers_ and Homercidal, "James" dominates the mod category as well.

And don't forget handsome - named James and handsome.

 

[Yooper]

And don't forget handsome - named James and handsome.

That's funny- MY name is James, too! And I'm handsome as well.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

teehee

 

[Hop_Hero]

Im kind of torn between becoming a Certified Cicerone or BJCP judge. I work in the beverage industry so Cicerone is more in line with that but BJCP is cheaper.

 

[Homercidal]

Im kind of torn between becoming a Certified Cicerone or BJCP judge. I work in the beverage industry so Cicerone is more in line with that but BJCP is cheaper.

And you can only choose one because...??

 

[weirdboy]

I got a Cicerone Beer Server certification thing when they were doing a special deal last year and it was $10 I think. I just remember that test being way easier than the BJCP exam.

 

[Pappers_]

Im kind of torn between becoming a Certified Cicerone or BJCP judge. I work in the beverage industry so Cicerone is more in line with that but BJCP is cheaper.

Do you want to judge in competitions?

 

[Homercidal]

Cicerone is WAYYYY cooler than just being a BJCP judge.

 

[Pappers_]

Cicerone is WAYYYY cooler than just being a BJCP judge.

No doubt. BJCP is definitely deep into geek territory, not at all cool.

 

[Hop_Hero]

And you can only choose one because...??

I wan to make sure whichever I do I ace. I don't I have time to study fir both. On the last competition i entered my beer there was a cicerone judging.

 

[weirdboy]

The BJCP entry-level computer-based exam (the one you MUST take if it is your first time) if pass/fail. I don't know about all of the Cicerone exams, but the beer server exam is definitely pass/fail.

I am not sure what your definition of "ace" is, but there's very little point in studying like crazy to get 100% on a pass/fail exam IMO. Also IMO, there are at least a few poorly-worded or ambiguous questions on each of those exams which makes getting 100% somewhat impractical.

The BJCP tasting exam, however, is worth spending plenty of time studying for and you ought to practice writing scoresheets until you can write them at a Master level in 8-10 minutes. The trick with the tasting exam is having your scores align with those of the proctors, though, in addition to providing similar feedback. So in my opinion the best way to prepare is to start volunteering to judge at competitions so you can learn from more experienced judges.

 

[nukebrewer]

Also, while we're on the topic of the BJCP tasting exam, quick question for anyone who might know. Are you treating the exam as if you were judging in a real competetion? For example, they hand me a beer and tell me to judge it as a pilsner but it pours dark and smells roasty. Now, the judging manual says to ask the organizer if the beer was accidentally placed in the wrong flight, so would you do that in the exam? For the same situation, would you still somehow find a way to give it the traditional minimum score of 13 or give it the score it deserves? Thanks.

 

[weirdboy]

Yes, although the beers won't be that obviously wrong so it shouldn't come up, HOWEVER what you should probably do is put appropriate comments in the "overall" section about how this might do better entered as a _____. You will likely get at least one beer of the low teens variety, though. I seem to recall that the lowest score you ought to give on the exam is a 13. In fact it might say something to that effect somewhere in the test instructions. Our "horrible" beer was actually kind of a tough one because one of the proctors gave it a relatively high score--something like low-mid 20's, while the other one gave it a low score, and then when they discussed the beer the consensus score ended up being fairly high (low to mid 20's) thus skewing everyone's score for that beer.


As I recall, that beer was horrible in many ways. It was a diacetyl bomb, it had pretty strong acetaldehyde, no carbonation, and the bitterness was way off style.

 

[nukebrewer]

Thanks. I've been meaning to ask someone that for a couple weeks now, but every time I get online I keep forgetting. Cheers!

 

[BierMuncher]

Congrats. (to all who have been certified)

I'd like to, but I am a terrible student.

For now I'll be content to stand on the other side of the judging table. :cross:

 

[nukebrewer]

Can I join the club now, or do I have to wait until I have certificate and pin in hand? I got an e-mail today saying I am a Recognized judge and that my materials should be here within a week.

 

[BrewerBear]

Congratulations,but until you have proof you're honorary!

 

[Pappers_]

Can I join the club now, or do I have to wait until I have certificate and pin in hand? I got an e-mail today saying I am a Recognized judge and that my materials should be here within a week.

Congratulations!!!

 

[Glynn]

For me personally I think Grocho Marx said it best "I would not join any club that would have someone like me for a member"

 

[unionrdr]

Well,since I took only 10 years to win best in class at Midwest Mazdafest in 2010 (94 Probe SE tuner),Maybe I should take a shot at this?!? I've been thinking about giving it my best shot. but what would they think about my warped way of arriving at the same styles?
Seriously though,how hard can it be beyond a good memory?...

 

[nukebrewer]

Well,since I took only 10 years to win best in class at Midwest Mazdafest in 2010 (94 Probe SE tuner),Maybe I should take a shot at this?!? I've been thinking about giving it my best shot. but what would they think about my warped way of arriving at the same styles?
Seriously though,how hard can it be beyond a good memory?...

It's less about memory and more about tuning your palate to detect the multitude of different types of flavor, aroma, mouthfeel and all the combinations thereof. True, for the exam you don't get the style guidelines in front of you so there's a bit of memory involved, but I would say your perceptive and descriptive abilities are far more important than memory.