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Mirella Amato announced this earlier today on facebook.

http://cicerone.org/content/exam-schedule

I'm in. Anyone interested in studying? I see an off flavour kit in my near future.

Bugger! (an English word) I'm busy. I want to do it. Next year though. Go for it homebrewers
Mirella is awesome.

anewton wrote:Mirella Amato announced this earlier today on facebook.

http://cicerone.org/content/exam-schedule

I'm in. Anyone interested in studying? I see an off flavour kit in my near future.

What's with the new seniors life insurance link in your signature ???? what are you trying to say? I'm staying young Sounds like a bit of a dodgy prospect. Invest in craft beer maybe for better returns

GuingesRock wrote:

What's with the new seniors life insurance link in your signature ???? what are you trying to say? I'm staying young Sounds like a bit of a dodgy prospect. Invest in craft beer maybe for better returns

What?

anewton wrote:

GuingesRock wrote:

What's with the new seniors life insurance link in your signature ???? what are you trying to say? I'm staying young Sounds like a bit of a dodgy prospect. Invest in craft beer maybe for better returns

What?

I clicked on the link on your signature (deadulis labyrinth) and it tried to sell me seniors life insurance.

The Daedalus Labyrinth one? Personal blog, nothing special. Couple of ads, but mostly just me

Sorry I think I double clicked on it and got that ad.

I think getting these type of qualifications (Cicerone and BJCP) probably really helps your brewing. I'd love to be better at evaluating my beers, so I know where improvements are needed.

Shameless promotion, we had a Q&A with Mirella and Mike the last time the Cicerone Exam was going to come to town.
And, showing her dedication, Ange flew to Montreal to sit, and pass, the exam.

http://acbeerblog.ca/2013/12/17/details ... n-23-2014/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I *think* that the BJCP might better evaluate recipe creation and the brewing process (in theory), while the Cicerone is excellent for serving and pairing beers. I think both will test your tasting equally well. Though, that may be me coming from only one of these sides.

Good read Chris.

From my own studying for both, BJCP is more recipe, flaws and fixes, at least at the beginning. The written exam for National and above goes in depth about beer styles and history.

Cicerone ads the service side with proper pour, dispensing system maintenance, and a more detailed understanding on beer styles and their development than the beginning of the BJCP.

Not having written either I can't say for sure how they compare, but my study list for both seem to have some overlap.

guinges wrote:I clicked on the link on your signature (deadulis labyrinth) and it tried to sell me seniors life insurance.

Those are targeted ads by Google. I wonder what they are trying to tell you if they want to sell you life insurance....

I've just signed up for the Beer Savvy course, which is the first stage. I would like to push ahead and work towards the Cicerone exam this year. Has anyone had experience with the coursework or certifications? How difficult was the first stage? Would pushing for both Certifications in such a short time be an attainable goal, or would it be a safer bet completing stage one and working towards Cicerone over a year?

Ruby, I did the first stage "beer server" . I paid for the video course which was fantastic. I took my time and watched it over and over until I knew it off by heart. I was more interested in learning everything than having a bit of paper. My advice is take your time and enjoy learning.

Thanks Mark!

I looked at the syllabus, and it definitely looks like I'd need more time with, and I agree that its more about what you can learn, rather than what you get at the end.

Brewing, serving and styles I know a little about, but larger delivery systems, food pairing etc. I know nothing about. The tasting part is what I'm most interested in. I need to spend some time learning how to objectively taste beer, correctly identifying off flavours and marrying my idea of what I'm looking to create with the ingredients . I'm more inclined to go this direction instead of BJCP is that I'm interested in the beer industry from grain to glass.

I suppose with any art, you have to know the rules before you can break them!

Is there anyone apart from anewton thinking about going for the exam this year?

Neither certification includes training for the exam. BJCP is $40 to write. Cicerone is $400

Cicerone is a for profit group looking to make money from their hobby. BJCP is volunteer not for profit.

Master Cicerone is about equal to BJCP sit down exam knowledge. That's $1200 by then for them to mark exam and licence "cicerone" word to you. A limited license.

I have started calling myself a "Beer Sommelier". That's what the Cicerones say they are like..


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As Jeff said, neither the BJCP nor Cicerone are a training course, they are just a certification or licensing body. You are on your own to ensure you have the knowledge to pass their exams.

Having said that, as there will be a few folks sitting the Cicerone exam in Halifax in July, now is the time to get a study group going, and learn together. It worked out extremely well for the wave of BJCP judges who got together on a regular basis to practice filling out scoresheets, and thinking about what they're drinking. I'd argue that drinking in isolation will only get you so far on a tasting exam.

I was speaking with someone in Fredericton last weekend who intends to write the CC exam in July. While he won't be in NS to sit and drink with y'all, it would be good to coordinate. I'll put him onto this thread. For those on FB, there's also a group that may help people connect for tastings. https://www.facebook.com/groups/456662347766392" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brewnoser wrote:Neither certification includes training for the exam. BJCP is $40 to write. Cicerone is $400

Cicerone is a for profit group looking to make money from their hobby. BJCP is volunteer not for profit.

Master Cicerone is about equal to BJCP sit down exam knowledge. That's $1200 by then for them to mark exam and licence "cicerone" word to you. A limited license.

I have started calling myself a "Beer Sommelier". That's what the Cicerones say they are like..


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That's all very interesting. What's the situation with Wine Sommeliers ...for profit, or not for profit?

CAPS Charges for many hours of TRAINING plus wine and space to teach in. It's a non-profit. If you get through you're good. No separate exam fee other than for retakes.


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IS there a course you can take for these or is it just your own studying? Would like to learn more but prefer a course where I can learn from others as new to this.

Jeff

I would like to be part of a group or have a mentor, finding self learning very slow

Mac_Brew wrote:IS there a course you can take for these or is it just your own studying? Would like to learn more but prefer a course where I can learn from others as new to this.

Jeff

There are a couple of courses available through Cicerone. They have a "UK and Ireland Beer Styles" and a "German Beer Styles" course both available for $99 USD each. This includes a course manual, access to their forum and some online learning and a progress exam.

They have more to be added this year and next. Belgian and American styles, beer dispensing, tasting and pairing and I think one on beer brewing processes. It says they still expect a level of self study. There is an extensive reading list. The Brewing Elements Series, Randy Mosher's book on tasting. John Palmer's how to brew, and the Oxford Companion to Beer are just a couple of examples. There's also a US book on draft systems and servicing.

They also have an off-flavour kit, which I'm sure would be very handy too.

http://www.thebeerscholar.com/cicerone-study-guide-faq/

This guy here has a Kickstarter project for study materials pertinent to the Certified Cicerone Final Exam. ***Edit*** looks like they are available now.

Also, here's another good insight into the exam.

http://artfulpint.com/2014/01/17/the-ce ... l-account/

http://beersavvy.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; seems to be the (un)official training course for the Cicerone testing. If not run by the same folks, it seems to be endorsed by them.

Thanks for the info. Will check it out.

Jeff

The Beersavvy course only gets you to the first level, which is Certified Beer Server. The exam is included in the cost. You need to do a little extra reading about alcohol and its detrimental effects. They give some links for various resources on that part. As far as I know, you will have to have the Certified Beer Server exam passed before you can sit the Certified Cicerone exam.

Ruby wrote:...
As far as I know, you will have to have the Certified Beer Server exam passed before you can sit the Certified Cicerone exam.

That is 100% correct.

Brewnoser wrote:Neither certification includes training for the exam. BJCP is $40 to write. Cicerone is $400

Cicerone is a for profit group looking to make money from their hobby. BJCP is volunteer not for profit.

Master Cicerone is about equal to BJCP sit down exam knowledge. That's $1200 by then for them to mark exam and licence "cicerone" word to you. A limited license.

I have started calling myself a "Beer Sommelier". That's what the Cicerones say they are like..

Ha! My first thought was "I'm not ready to be a 'Cicerone'", but maybe I am...

otoh, I am a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (Atlantic Chapter), and I didn't have to do anything for that except pay them some money (and not a lot of it)—you don't actually need to take their course to join, though you DO if you want to call yourself a sommelier—and that gets me to all sorts of nice wine tastings.

Anyway, I don't see what being a cicerone will get you that flashing a BJCP ID won't...

I'm going to go for this. I think i can do it. There is a past exam on their site and it really helped me identify my weak areas. I dont think its going to be easy, and with working as many hours as i do, its going to be non stop between now and July. I will need to focus on some weak spots like tasting, German styles, food pairing and beer draught systems. I worked in a couple of pubs in the UK, but we used drastically different components.

So who else want to go for this? I'd be up for joining a study group. Getting together to do some studying, tasting, off flavour ident, and that kind of stuff? I'm out near Windsor, but i work in Bedford, so there's no hassle getting into the city.

Let me know if anyone is interested?

Ruby