The first step was taken: I passed the BJCP entrance exam! 🍻
My dear friends! Today, please raise your beer glasses in my honor 🍻. This is just the beginning of the journey to becoming a Certified BJCP judge, but today I took the online entrance exam and passed! 👏🤩 I must admit, it was harder than I expected! Since I had already studied all the necessary material, I was feeling somewhat confident that it would be easy. In fact, over the past few weeks, I even slowed down my posting rhythm and focused more on studying. In the end, it was worth it, as this stage was successfully completed. So, I’ll take this opportunity to share with you how the process works and what the next steps are in this Brewventure to becoming a beer judge.
The process to become a judge starts with this online exam. It consists of 180 questions to be answered in one hour, meaning you have 20 seconds per question. The exam is taken at home, so you’re free to consult any material you need. However, with just 20 seconds per question, it’s very difficult to look anything up—at most, you might be able to quickly clarify a doubt if you already have the material open. The questions are a mix of true or false (112), single-answer multiple choice (44), and multiple-choice with multiple correct answer (24). For the multiple answer questions, there’s no partial credit—you must select all the correct options to get the point for that question. And let me tell you, 30 minutes after start the exam—half the time—I realized I was only on question 70! A bit far from question 90, which would have been halfway through the exam. That’s when panic set in, and I started thinking I wouldn’t make it. I stopped double-checking things in the materials I had and just started answering everything from memory. In the end, at least five questions were left unanswered because the time ran out. And the process is straightforward: you need to achieve 60% to pass. A pop-up appeared saying the time was up, and I had to confirm to see my results. My heart froze. But thankfully, I passed! This certificate (photo below) makes me a Provisional judge, which doesn’t mean much yet. I’m not officially part of the BJCP judge panel, but the certificate qualifies me to sit for the practical exam, which I’ve scheduled for March 8 at Brewventure #1. 🤞
This practical exam is called the Beer Judging Exam and consists of evaluating six beers. They present the beer, tell you its style, and you must evaluate it based on how well it aligns with the BJCP Beer Style Guidelines. For each beer, you have 15 minutes to complete the evaluation. This process is very similar to how beer evaluations are conducted in BJCP-sanctioned competitions. The key difference is that during competitions, you can consult the BJCP Style Guidelines to confirm details, while on exam day, you can only rely on your own knowledge. Additionally, there are already certified judges evaluating the same beers as you, and their scores serve as a benchmark. Your score must align as closely as possible with the judge’s score. However, that alone is not enough—you also need to demonstrate the ability to describe the beer’s characteristics and suggest improvements for the samples you evaluate.
From this exam, you can begin your journey as a judge. If your score is below 60%, you are considered an Apprentice Judge. Essentially, it’s like not passing the exam. Apprentice Judges are part of the BJCP roster and are members, but they do not have all the rights of other members. If you fail, you have two years to retake the exam without needing to redo the online test. Passing the exam requires a score above 60%. The score also determines your ranking and status within the BJCP. Scores between 60% and 69% classify you as a Recognized Judge. A score of 70% or higher makes you a BJCP Certified Judge. To achieve this Certified Judge status, you also need five experience points, which can be earned by participating in and assisting at BJCP competitions, among other activities. In this practical exam, you cannot advance beyond the Certified Judge level. However, if your score is above 80%, you become eligible to work toward the National Judge rank.
To achieve the National Judge level, you need 10 experience points and must pass a third evaluation, which is almost entirely essay-based. The Written Exam consists of 20 true-or-false questions and five questions. The National Judge status is intended for experienced judges, and the true-or-false questions reflect knowledge that should be second nature to them. Incorrect answers are penalized, but correct ones do not add points. You have 90 minutes to complete this exam. The five questions cover various topics, with each contributing 20% to the final score. Two questions are about BJCP beer styles, one is about beer recipes, and the remaining two address technical issues related to ingredients and/or the brewing process. Below, I’ve included an example question and a complete answer, as per the BJCP Beer Exam Study Guide (note: this question is not used in the actual exams). If you score 80% on this exam and have accumulated 20 experience points, you earn the National Judge title. Scoring 90% and earning 40 experience points will elevate you to the Master Judge level. Finally, achieving 90% and 100 experience points qualifies you as a Grand Master Judge.
As I’ve expressed since day one, my goal is to become a Certified Judge. With that in mind, I aim to achieve at least 70% on the Beer Judging Exam. I understand it might not happen on the first try, and that’s just part of the process. Advancing to the National Judge level might happen eventually, but for now, my focus is on becoming a Certified Judge, participating in some competitions, and engaging with the community. I believe that growth from there will come more naturally. In the meantime, I’ll keep an eye on available competitions, and when I take part in one, I’ll be sure to share the experience with you all! See you next time!
