Best BJCP prep course

I didn't take a prep course and I'm not sure I would have done better if I had. The main decision not to, however, was purely lack of money and time. But the BJCP study guide really gives you everything you need to know, although there is a ton to memorize. I would spend any free time you have reviewing the BJCP style guide, regardless of whether you take a prep course or not. Most of the difficult, super specific questions in the entry exam are related to styles. Plus, once you get to the tasting exam, knowledge of the styles is what's going to get you through. When I was studying for the tasting exam, a proctor generously emailed us materials from a course he taught. Message me, and I'll be happy to share.

 

One of our newly crowned BJCP Masters' held a weekly prep course last year. We met weekly for ten to twelve weeks if I recall. It was extremely informative and helpful. You should contact your local judges or reps to see if they can put a classroom session together.

I just pulled this from the webpage. I'm not sure how close this is to you but maybe e-mailing the POC would be a start..
11/09/2013
Beer for Boobs
Zanesville, OH
Contact: Bill Bopp
Phone: (614) 309-1588

11/23/2013

Son of Brewzilla Homebrew Competition
Middleburg Heights, OH
Contact: Greg Irving
Phone: (440) 263-8614

 

Also, if you don't have it already, I recommend downloading the BJCP style guide app. Great for studying on the go.

 

I really don't get the point of studying for any kind of beer exam. To me beers supposed to be about having a good time, not trying to become some stuck up beer judge. Instead of studying sit back and have a good beer, never mind what a book says a beer should taste like, if it tastes good who cares?

 

I took a course locally here in Baltimore. Don't know if they're all the same, but I loved the course I took. For $100 I drank healthy amounts of world-class beer each Sunday (for educational purposes of course) with a bunch of like-minded people. From that standpoint alone, it was worth it!

In addition, we covered history, technical brewing, identification of defects and troubleshooting. While I already knew a lot of the curriculum, I still learned something new in each class.

It has been about 3 or 4 years since I last took this class, but I am thinking of taking it again. Not because I want to be a beer judge, but because of my love for the art!

All that said, I don't know what you have available in your neck of the woods, but I would certainly endorse taking a class!

 

The BJCP website has a few study guides. Their main one has everything you need to know for the entrance exam. The BJCP Exam for Dummies is helpful too, it has an outline on how the tasting exam is set up with sample questions and answers.

 

Sometimes you need to pass a beer exam because your work requires it. I just took the Cert Cicerone test for my job. I wasn't supposed to study for that?

 

And who's is going to judge homebrew competitions?

 

Your friends and family let them vote along with the other homebrewers, it will be based on taste instead of some stupid arbitrary guidelines. Seriously when was the last time you picked a beer based on the guidelines? Me, I choose soley on taste and I try a beer before reading the reviews. I love wine but, one of the things I hate about wine is, that people blindly follow the critics and cost, I've switched bottles of both wine and beer and told people it was something else, it's amazing the effect of a label, and I see Cicerones as people who promote this kind of thing, that I hope never happens with beer. If I had my wish Cicerones wouldn't exist.

 

One of the most interesting things about beer, at least to some of us, is the history and differences between the many various styles, as well as the specific techniques and ingredients it takes to brew the ideal [fill in any beer style here]. As a beer judge, I can tell you we don't disregard how good a beer tastes to us when we judge it! And if you want to get a little creative with a style, there is some room for that. As long as you hit the main points. If your beer isn't fitting in any one box, enter it into a specialty category. There you go. Honestly, if the BJCP guidelines didn't exist, how would most breweries classify their beers? And if breweries didn't classify their beers, how would we learn to discover what we like and what we don't? Yes, sometimes beer judges have to think inside the box a little more than they'd like, but that doesn't mean they're tasting beers like robots. That's why there's an Overall Impression category and a scale for Intangibles. Beer judges are hardly sheep. We judge beer because we love it and appreciate it, and the BJCP puts a lot of emphasis on recognizing that different judges will have different, unique impressions that should be respected. IMO, you shouldn't knock the beer judge process until you've gone through it. Because....if you do it the other way around, you don't really know what you're talking about.

 

Oh, and by the way, since this is a thread started by someone who wants to become a beer judge, I gotta say it comes across as being pretty neurotic when someone goes out of their way to respond by bashing the BJCP altogether. If you don't have anything positive to contribute, why are you contributing? Clearly the person has made up their mind. Just agree to disagree and don't respond in the first place.

 

If you were a homebrewer, you'd know that friends and family are completely worthless when it comes to judging your homebrew. Also, the bjcp has nothing to do with 'picking up a beer.'

 

I buy beer based on guidelines so I can know how a true example of thst particular styls is supposed to taste. That being said, I'm also constantly trying new and intriguing 'out of the box's style. I don't discriminate when it comes to beer styles, I drink all styles (except maybe light American lager ie Coors light) and have my favorites but, like I said before, I like to judge homebrew competitions so I can become a better home brewer and so I can help others be better home brewers.

 

To some people beer isn't just a good time but a occupation and knowledge in this are is required. Being BJCP certified dosent make you a snob, thats all based on on how you interact with people and carry yourself not on how knowledgeable you are on a subject.

 

The study materials suggested above are all helpful, but nothing prepares you for judging like judging. Find a competition in your area (see http://www.bjcp.org/apps/comp_schedule/competition_schedule.php). Volunteer to steward if you have no judging experience, or offer to judge. Novice judges will be paired with experienced judges and you will learn a lot by this experience. While you may feel intimidated at first, there is a huge need for new judges, and the active judging community is eager to bring in new people. Any reasonable competition will welcome your help. Your interest in the process is your greatest asset.

 

The OP isn't a cicerone yet and as I said, I wish they didn't exist and tried to point out why hoping he'll change his mind. That's the point of replying even if the chance is small, maybe there will end up being one less cicerone. Also I find less value in your opinion since you're a beer judge, no matter how hard you try, I have a hard time believing you can be unbiased on this subject. Also I will never go through that process, I don't want to notice every so called flaw, I want to enjoy my beer not critique it.

 

Geez relax man, no one said you have to become a cicerone.

You are really on a roll killing every thread on here the last few days. I probably haven't said this since I was five but take a chill pill bro.