Once the test has begun, youll notice a countdown timer indicating how much time you have remaining. BrewingTechniques magazine (New Wine Press, Eugene, Oregon), especially the regular column on Brewing in Styles.. This BJCP Exam is an open book, online test with a mix of True/False, Multiple Choice, and Multiple Choice/Multiple Answer. To quote our groups resident Certified Judge and study guide, use words. There are two steps in the process to become a certified judge. It should be used as a supplemental resource to the recommended reading (see box, Recommended Reading). I think I have a decent shot of scoring in the 70s, which would qualify me as a certified judge. Premium Home Brewing Kit With Kegging System, Irish Red - One Gallon Homebrew Starter kit, Summer Wheat - One Gallon Homebrew Starter Kit, Premium Electric All Grain Home Brewing Kit, Speidel Braumeister Electric Brew Systems, Mash Tuns, Hot Liquor Tanks & Accessories, Beer Yeast Starters, Culturing & Nutrients, Oak Chips, Cubes and Barrels for Homebrew. podcast with Mike Byrne of Lineage Brewing, A.J. If like me you feel that differentiating stouts and porters is a fools errand, imagine how it feels to be tasked with differentiating English Porters (Category 13c), American Porters (Category 20c), Baltic Porters (Category 9c), and Schwartzbiers (Category 8b). Study Resources for the BJCP Exams - Colorado Brew Talk BJCP Beer Tasting Exam Prep Class - Minnesota Home Brewers Association The ester levels are often more assertive in this style, while the increased alcohol content should be masked. Tales of ales from the heart of Ohio to the ends of the Earth. The advantages of using a keg for homebrewing pretty much come down to quality and cost. The essay portion includes 10 questions covering beer styles and brewing techniques. For this month we interviewed long time organizational contributor and newly elected regional representative, Grand Master II Judge Gail Milburn. The proctors were not in love with this beer, noting that it was a little too bitter for the style, and mentioning some subtle but hard to identify off flavors, but they were considerably more generous than me arriving at a consensus score of 31 points. The BJCP refers to this exam as the Entrance Exam. German ales, wheat beers, and Rauchbiers: Dsseldorf and North German Alt (Bolten Alt, Fordham Alt); Klsch (none currently available); American wheat (Pyramid Wheathook, Anchor Wheat); Bavarian Weizen (DeGroens, Paulaner, Victory Sunrise, Schneider Weisse); Dunkelweizen (Hacker-Pschorr); Weizenbock (DeGroens, Schneider Aventinus); Berliner Weiss (Kindl); and Bamberger Rauchbier (Kaiserdom, Schlenkerla). If youre only on question 70 after 30 minutes have passed, stop spending so much time on each question, get into focus-mode, crank up the adrenaline, and pick up the pace. Best Tips for Passing Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Tasting Exam! He scores a few of the same beers that I did, giving 46 and 43 points to Pilsner Urquell and Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold, respectively. All but one of the beers are then served blindly and discussed, with positive and negative attributes identified. (LogOut/ For that you really need to rate beers in the company of seasoned judges. The BJCP is certainly right about one thing: you will not have time to look up the correct answer for every question on the exam (unless youre some sort of beer-obsessed supercomputer). Even though its an online exam, when you only have 20 seconds per question its impossible to look up the answers to more than a handful of questions. Drinking beer on a regular basis is not the same thing as possessing an intimate knowledge of the different styles of beer, so to start my exam preparations I downloaded the BJCP style guidelines and made a list of the different styles and substyles in a notebook. Mashing types used for various beer styles, mash schedules, and enzymes. I surprised myself when I passed on the first try despite the complete lack of studying. Start preparing for the exam 2-3 months in advance. There were also 3 proctors, experienced judges who evaluate the same beers as we do. Whats the Online 2015 BJCP Entrance Exam Like? Beer 3 British Brown Ale (Category 13B). They also described a sulfury note that I didnt pick up on. I knew he was from Dayton, so it wasnt a total surprise when I found out he was proctoring. You must answer 116 correctly to pass the exam with a 64%. For the modest fee of $10 you can take the exam at your convenience. Well if there is any doubt about the error of my thinking just listen to this audio reviewwhere Gordon gushes (in his restrained deadpan way) about a PBR, awarding 45 points. Devote at least a few hours each week to studying exam prep material. Well wait. This system gives organizers of homebrew competitions a reliable method of objectively rating the abilities of those who volunteer to judge in their events. If you find yourself in this situation, reach out to the BJCP to make the appropriate arrangements. Here is what the BCJP has to say about your status once you pass the online exam: Those that pass this exam areProvisionaljudges this is not a BJCP rank, no BJCP ID is assigned, and those who pass are not yet BJCP members! [Screen shot below.]. The most notable are the study guides written by Chuck Cox (2) and Greg Walz (3). To achieve the rank of National Judge you need to have 10 judging experience points and pass a 90 minute written exam, consisting of 20 true-false questions and five essay question. 20 of the questions will be specific to the BJCP Program and Ethics. Whatever the outcome Ill be sure to let everyone know the results once they come back. Given these issues I gave the beer a score of 19 points. The style questions typically ask for descriptions and comparisons of related beer styles, including information on the styles historical development, ingredients used, style parameters, commercial examples, and the brewing process. The new BJCP website has been operational since the second half of 2021. The next beer was a sour, funky, nearly uncarbonated Lambic. Similarly, if the descriptions and comments on the beer score sheets are weak, it will be difficult to pass the tasting portion. Calls Columbus, Ohio home, but is prone to wandering and sending back reports from the road. B) Medium-low to medium body. Tripels, on the other hand, are much paler in color at 35 SRM, but have higher original gravities (1.0701.090) and alcohol levels (710% v/v). They also prepare and distribute handouts that outline the background and flavor and aroma characteristics of each style, as well as a technical topic relevant to the exam. There is a lot of useful information beyond just the Guidelines, for example, exam preparation, continuing education resources, how the BJCP program works, competition planning, among other things. 50-70% of the exam] 2. $0.00. All exams are beer judging (tasting) exams unless otherwise noted. I ended up convincing myself it was mildly skunked from being light struck. 6. The comments should be constructive and consistent with the characteristics perceived by the examinee as well as with the score assigned to the beer. Well, you've come to the right place. Writing score sheets is essential practice! Develop evocative language to describe the aroma, appearance, flavor, and mouthfeel of beer. Hands-on brewing experience, while helpful and recommended for beer judges, is not essential for passing the exam. *To achieve the rank of certified judge you also need to gain five experience points from judging sanctioned events. The BJCP Mead Judging Examination - a proctored mead judging exam, in which the prospective judge must evaluate six meads rather than the three beers that were judged in the legacy BJCP mead exam. He will work with the contact person to schedule the date, location, and administrator (typically a national or master judge) of the exam. Master the Essentials of Beer Evaluation-, How to Prepare for and Pass the Beer Judge Certification Exam. I gave it a score of 28 points, but given the fact that the beer in front of me was within the style parameters with only minor flaws I should have scored at least in the low 30s. For example, you should have completed about 45 questions when you have 45 minutes remaining, 90 questions answered when you reach the 30 minute mark, and 135 questions completed with 15 minutes remaining. For giving constructive feedback theres really no substitute for drinking a variety of homebrewed examples, ideally with a knowledgeable judge. Which brings us to the next strategy. If I counted correctly there were 6 of us taking the exam (despite what I said last time about the challenges of getting a spot on an exam there were empty seats at this one). Passed the BJCP Entrance Exam : r/Homebrewing - Reddit After the tasting session, the group reviews a technical topic concerning ingredients, the brewing process, or beer flavors. I cant stress enough how knowing the jargon can help you when you finally sit down to the tasting exam. In other words, if you dont pass the exam on your first attempt, it wont necessarily help to focus only on studying for the questions you remember from the exam. Category 26A Trappist Single (Spencer Trappist Ale): 43 points, Category 23A Berliner Weiss (Jackie Os Berliner Weiss): 43 points, Category 4A Munich Helles (Paulaner Original Munich Lager): 41 points, Category 3B Czech Premium Pale Lager (Pilsner Urquell): 41 points, Category 7A Vienna Lager (Devils Backbone Vienna Lager): 41 points, Category 24A Witbier (La Trappe Witte Trappist): 41 points, Category 9A Doppelbock (Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock): 40 points, Category 21B Specialty IPA (Commonhouse Summer Sesh): 40 points, Category 20C Imperial Stout (Founders Imperial Stout): 40 points, Category 5D German Pils (Sierra Nevada German Pilsner): 38 points, Category 25B Saison (Yellow Raven, my homebrew): 38 points, Category 5C German Helles Exportbier (Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold): 37 points, Category 19C American Brown Ale (Telluride Face Down Brown): 37 points, Category 17B Old Ale (Bells Third Coast Old Ale): 36 points, Category 6B Rauchbier (Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier): 35 points, Category 20A American Porter (Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald): 35 points, Category 5B Klsch (Gaffel Klsch): 34 points, Category 4C Helles Bock (Rogue Dead Guy Ale): 34 points, Category 27 Gose (Fate Brewing Gose): 33 points, Category 7B Altbier (Fort Collins Brewing Red Banshe): 33 points, Category 19B California Common (Anchor Steam): 33 points, Category 1A American Light Lager (Actual Photon): 30 points, Category 23B Flanders Red (Destihl Flanders Red): 29 points, Category 5B Klsch (Drifting Sun, my homebrew): 28 points, Category 21A American IPA (Fly to the Rainbow, my homebrew): 27 points. To that end, weve developed a free 30 question, so that can you can get a feel for what the actual BJCP Entrance Exam is like and also get a chance to apply some of the things we cover in this tutorial especially playing around with the, , so naturally it makes sense to have that document up for a quick reference. Abbey beers on the other hand, are either brewed at monasteries in Belgium or by commercial breweries to which abbeys have licensed their names. The better strategy is to just answer every question the best you can as you go along, and only mark those questions that you have answered but are unsure about. Many homebrew clubs have run classes with similar formats, but the example syllabus can be refined or adapted to meet members needs, especially those of members who are new to the process. The material in these classes can be comfortably covered in a time frame of 1020 weeks, depending on the needs and experience of the study group. That brings us to a philosophical point, can you have a world class example of a beer style that is boring, even personally off putting? All volumes. What's your beer IQ? She went onto point out that when I finished the Columbus Ale Trail last year at least they gave me a deck of cards. The two styles that I whiffed on, American Lager and American IPA, are possibly the two styles that Ive consumed the most of over my lifetime, but obviously there is a difference between throwing back a few Buds at a tailgate party and critically evaluating the same beer. When tasting a beer, don't go straight for the mouth. so that you can get a sense of what the actual BJCP Entrance Exam is like. 6 Critical Tips for Passing the Online Entrance Exam. Take the free BJCP Online Practice Exam. was holding an exam on July 22, I contacted the organizer immediately. 70-79: At least three of the six exam beers are accurately evaluated. After all what how many people really know the answers to questions like True or false, an English Best Bitter typically has a higher starting gravity than a Munich Helles? I do recall an inordinate number of questions on German Lagers and British Ales, styles that tend to be overlooked by American craft brewers and drinkers alike. The BJCP Style Guidelines serve as somewhat of an answer key for this aspect of the scoresheet. This was my second stumble of the exam. BJCP Exam Schedule - Beer Judge Certification Program Convert that old keg into a brewing kettle. Their scoresheets basically serve as the key for grading the exams. Their response was predominantly quizzical indifference, accented with a touch of please dont tell that story when my friends are around. These changes condensed the Walz study guide to a more manageable size of 60 pages. Although the current exams are formed from a large pool of essay questions, the BJCP exam committee is currently investigating the feasibility of replacing some of these essay questions with multiple choice questions. The former is a tawny beer with an original gravity in the 1.0601.070 range, 68% alcohol, and enough bitterness to balance approximately 2025 IBUs. I would also get the BJCP app on my phone. Some of you might think Im already qualified to judge beer, but regular readers of the column will know better. View all posts by Pat Woodward. The color is generally deep ruby to brown and derived from both Belgian specialty malts and caramelized candi sugar. Even though Ive reviewed hundreds of beers as a blogger, and consumed orders of magnitude more beers than Ive reviewed, there were still a few substyles that were new to me. There also seemed to be a hint of an off flavor in the beer, but it was hard for me to pin down what it was. For example: Choose all that apply: Which of the following characteristics are appropriate for Scottish Export ale? Change). I liked it so much I gave it a score of 40 points. that was understandably hard to get past. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. C) Caramel overtones. They settled on a consensus score of 36 points, which was thankfully not too far from my score. I agree with you about the timing, its easy to take longer than 15 minutes, so for the last couple of weeks Ive started using a timer when I fill out a score sheet. More often than not I couldnt finish in 12 minutes, but I usually was able to finish by the 15 minute mark. Paid for the 3 for 2 just in case, but passed tonight on the first attempt. I hope to write a blog post breaking down my performance soon. Properly filling out a scoresheet also sounds easy but there is a lot involved. Given that you have 60 minutes to answer 180 questions on the BJCP online Entrance Exam, that gives you about 20 seconds per question. In a word, no; especially considering that the BJCP allows for the use of the Style Guidelines and other resources while taking the online exam. On the bright side the discrepancy was just barely within the seven point window. The malts used are almost entirely Pilsener, with light candi sugar used to increase the alcohol content and prevent the body from being too cloying. The online exam must be passed before you can take the tasting exam. 1. Thanks for the well wishes. The Exam The BJCP exam itself is closed book and comprises an essay portion worth 70% and a tasting portion worth 30% of the total score. It is also recommended that a flat fee be charged for the class, payable in advance or at the first study session. You know what they say, life is a journey not a destination. zymurgy magazine special issues (American Homebrewers Association, Boulder, Colorado). BJCP exams and rank updates - Mural Brewing Amber and dark lagers: Vienna (Dos Equis, Negra Modelo); Oktoberfest/Mrzen (Spaten, Paulaner); Munich Dunkel (Spaten); Schwarzbier (Kstritzer); Bock (Paulaner); Helles/Maibock (Ayinger, Fordham); Doppelbock (Paulaner Salvator, Ayinger Celebrator); and Eisbock (Kulmbacher Reichelbru). I didnt quite catch the details of the saison that we were drinking, other than it was made with the same yeast that Firestone Walker used on their now discontinued saison, Opal. Enlighten yourself, but please don't correct others. The Beer Judging Exam Grader Training is a joint effort aimed at exposing new graders to a trial exercise ahead of grading their first set of exams, as well as provide existing graders with an opportunity to re-calibrate. For example, if you were to give a score of 31 and the proctors consensus score was 27, a difference of 4 points, you would receive 80% of the scoring accuracy points on that beer. I thought beer #2 was a solid example of the style with expressive yeast derived esters and black peppery phenolics. Because judges need to translate their knowledge into practical evaluations of beer quality, communication skills are also important. The proctors also felt it was too bitter for the style and under attenuated, both of which make sense for a DIPA masquerading as an IPA. Keep in mind that about 50-60% (or more) of the questions on the online exam deal with information found on the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines, often times requiring you to accurately identify very specific details about two different beer styles. You must know what questions to expect, how you should answer them, and how much time you should devote to each. There are three types of questions on the exam: (1) true-false, (2) multiple-choice, and (3) multiple-choice/multiple-answer. Then there are styles that are vaguely familiar, like Tropical Stout, Australian Sparkling Ale, Kentucky Common, and Piwo Grodziske.