The first exam will be held on Saturday, December 9th, 2023 and the second Saturday January 13, 2024 at Cairn Brewing https://www.cairnbrewing.com/ at 9:30 AM. So far there are 3 slots remaining for December and 12 for January.
The exam fee is $40 for those taking it for the first time and $15 for those that are retaking the exam.
For the December 9th exam, examinees must have passed the online exam by November 21st or will be wait listed. Payment is due by October 14th. The exam fee will be refundable up to November 30th.
For the January 13th exam, examinees must have passed the online exam by December 21st or will be wait listed. Payment is due by November 21th – The exam fee will be refundable up to December 30th. email jdpils@comcast.net to reserve a spot.
The exam consists of 6 beers, homebrew and commercial examples. You will have 15 minutes to evaluate and judge each beer per 2021 guidelines. There will be a 30 minute after exam discussion with the proctors.
Cairn opens at noon so stay for a beer and lunch. There are food options nearby and possibly a food truck. Your results will be compared to 2 or 3 proctors for grading. This process can take 6 months or more to grade and receive results. In the meantime, you will have a provisional ranking.
The tasting exam will not cover categories 27 thru 34. That leaves categories 1 through 26, about 85 beer styles. I suggest paying close attention to the difference between similar styles. For example, do you know the difference between a Czech Premium Pale Lager and a German Pils? Then there are eight different styles of stout. Can you tell them apart? What about porters? All the information about the exam can be found at bjcp.org. Send an email to jdpils@comcast.net to reserve a spot.