BJCPExamForDummies2018 Rev2
BJCPExamForDummies2018 Rev2
BJCPExamForDummies2018 Rev2
FOR DUMMIES
2018
by Al Boyce
BJCP Grand Master VII
THE BJCP EXAM FOR DUMMIES 2018
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THE BJCP EXAM FOR DUMMIES 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 4
HOW YOUR BJCP SCORE IS DERIVED .................................................................................................... 5
Score Guidelines: ......................................................................................................................................... 5
BJCP BEER JUDGE ONLINE ENTRANCE EXAM .................................................................................... 7
BJCP BEER TASTING EXAM ...................................................................................................................... 9
PREPARING TO TAKE THE BJCP BEER TASTING EXAM ................................................................ 9
THE SCORESHEET – THE SECTIONS YOU WRITE FOR EACH BEER ............................................ 9
HOW THE GRADERS GRADE THE TASTE SECTION ...................................................................... 10
ADVANCED TOPIC: WRITING FOR YOUR AUDIENCE – THE GRADER ..................................... 14
BJCP WRITTEN PROFICIENCY EXAM ................................................................................................... 16
SECTION 1 - BJCP/ETHICS/JUDGING PROCESS ............................................................................... 18
SECTION 2 – ESSAY PORTION ............................................................................................................ 20
1. & 3. DESCRIBE AND DIFFERENTIATE BEER STYLES ............................................................ 20
S.0. For each of the three styles, provide a statement describing the styles .......................................... 20
2. RECIPE QUESTION............................................................................................................................. 23
T.14. Provide a complete ALL-GRAIN recipe for brewing a(n) ___________, .................................. 23
4. TROUBLESHOOTING ........................................................................................................................ 32
T.1. Describe and discuss the following beer characteristics ................................................................ 32
T.3. What are body and mouthfeel?....................................................................................................... 35
5. INGREDIENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 37
T.4. Discuss hops, and their role in determining beer flavor and aroma. .............................................. 37
T.8. Discuss the importance of water characteristics in the brewing process ....................................... 38
T.15. Discuss the role of malt and yeast in determining beer characteristics. ....................................... 40
5. THE BREWING PROCESS.................................................................................................................. 42
T.9. Define these brewing techniques and discuss the effect they have on the finished beer. .............. 42
T.11. Define diastatic and proteolytic enzymes, discuss their roles ...................................................... 43
T.13. Discuss the mashing process. ....................................................................................................... 44
APPENDIX – Sample Text Questions .......................................................................................................... 46
SECTION 1 - BJCP/ETHICS/JUDGING PROCESS ............................................................................... 47
SECTION 2 - STYLES/BREWING TECHNIQUES................................................................................ 53
S.0. Describe, compare, and contrast these three styles: A, B, and C ................................................... 53
T.1.Describe and discuss the following beer characteristics. ................................................................ 54
T.3. What are body and mouthfeel?....................................................................................................... 55
T.4. Discuss hops, and their role in determining beer flavor and aroma. .............................................. 56
T.8. Discuss the importance of water characteristics in the brewing process ....................................... 57
T.9. Define these brewing techniques, and discuss their effects on the finished beer. .......................... 58
T.11. Define diastatic and proteolytic enzymes, discuss their role in the brewing process,
and describe how they affect the characteristics of the finished beer. ................................................... 59
T.13. Discuss the mashing process. ....................................................................................................... 60
T.14. Provide a complete ALL-GRAIN recipe for a ________________________________, ........... 61
T.15. Discuss the role of malt and yeast in determining beer characteristics. ....................................... 62
COMBINED Possible (named) Section II Beers....................................................................................... 63
(Named) Beers/Meads/Ciders that WON'T be on the (ESSAY) test (33): ................................................ 66
Sample Lined page for exam ..................................................................................................................... 67
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THE BJCP EXAM FOR DUMMIES 2018
INTRODUCTION
Updated: 11/13/2018
The BJCP EXAM FOR DUMMIES has one purpose – to help you get a passing score on the BJCP Beer
Online, Tasting and Written Proficiency examinations. There are better texts available if you want to learn
to brew better beer, learn world beer styles, or learn how to taste and evaluate beer. The best use of this
guide is to help you cram in the last weeks before the exam. It will reinforce what you’ve already studied.
Here are several texts recommended to help you study for the BJCP exam:
• BJCP Style Guidelines https://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Beer.pdf
• BJCP Study Guide https://www.bjcp.org/docs/BJCP_Study_Guide.pdf
• BJCP Online Exam Study Guide http://dev.bjcp.org/exam-certification/program/studying/online-beer-
exam-study-guide/
• BJCP Judge Procedures Manual http://dev.bjcp.org/exam-certification/judge-procedures-manual/
• BJCP Judge Instructions https://www.bjcp.org/docs/SCP_JudgeInstructions.pdf
• BJCP Beer Score Sheet https://www.bjcp.org/docs/SCP_BeerScoreSheet.pdf
• How to Judge Beer https://www.bjcp.org/docs/How_to_Judge_Beer.pdf
• BJCP Beer Faults Trouble-shooter https://www.bjcp.org/docs/Beer_faults.pdf
• BJCP Exam Instructions https://www.bjcp.org/forms2/beer-examinee-scoresheet.pdf
• BJCP Exam Score Sheet http://www.bjcp.org/forms/Examinee_Scoresheets.pdf
• BJCP FAQ http://www.bjcp.org/bjcpfaq.php
• BJCP Members Guide http://www.bjcp.org/membergd.php
• BJCP Classic Styles Spreadsheet http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2018_ClassicStyles.xls
• Exemplary BJCP Score Sheets
- http://www.bjcp.org/docs/examscore1.pdf
- http://www.bjcp.org/docs/examscore2.pdf
- http://www.bjcp.org/docs/examscore3.pdf
- http://www.bjcp.org/docs/examscore4.pdf
- http://www.bjcp.org/docs/examscore5.pdf
- http://www.bjcp.org/docs/examscore6.pdf
• Horrible Scoresheet Examples: https://www.bjcp.org/horrible.php
• Homebrewing Vol. 1, by Al Korzonas
• Dave Miller’s Homebrewing Guide or The Complete Handbook of Home Brewing, by Dave Miller
• How to Brew, by John Palmer ( http://howtobrew.com )
• Beer Companion, by Michael Jackson
• Classic Beer Style Series, by Brewers Publications
• New Brewing Lager Beer, by Greg Noonan
• Principles of Brewing Science, by George Fix
• Designing Great Beers, by Ray Daniels
• Troubleshooting Special Issue, 1987 Zymurgy (vol. 10, no. 4)
Finally, this is NOT an official BJCP document – it is based on my experience and the experience of many
other BJCP members. My thanks to you all for your dedication in helping the hundreds of Beer Judges
who have taken our exam prep classes to reach their goals in the BJCP.
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Score Guidelines:
<60: Little knowledge of brewing and/or styles, and/or insufficient communication skills to be a judge.
Generally has weak tasting skills.
60s: A basic grasp of fundamentals. May have some big knowledge gaps, but still knows most of the
basics. Has an acceptable minimum communication and judging skills.
70s: Knows basics well enough not to have to take the test again to be called “Certified.” Test can have
errors and small gaps in answers. Depth in answers is not necessary.
80s: Good knowledge of all subjects. Some errors allowable, but no significant gaps. Some depth
indicated. Taste and essay portions should show similar ability.
90s: Excellent knowledge level. No significant errors, and no gaps. Good depth to answers. Obviously
an experienced beer taster. Shows evidence of independent thought.
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IN GENERAL:
Bring mechanical pencils, not a pen. Wood pencils have an aroma that will mess up your senses.
Bring an extra mechanical pencil or two in case you run out of lead. Erase cleanly if you make a
mistake. If you used a pen, it makes it ugly to clean up mistakes. Cross-outs are very difficult to
read when grading, and you’re bound to lose points for legibility. Speaking of which….
Bring an Eraser. See above. Fully erase all mistakes and the graders won’t get confused.
Bring a simple calculator. Cell phones, iPods, iPhones, and other gizmos with “memory” will not
be allowed. Just bring one that can add, subtract, multiply and divide.
Bring a ruler – draw quarter to half-inch borders on all of your pages and DON’T write outside of
them. Use it to neatly draw your grids also. This can be done prior to the start of the exam.
Bring a watch. Again, no devices with “memory”. You have 90 minutes in which to answer 20
multiple choice questions and five essay questions. 90 divided by 6 equals about 15 minutes per
item. Do not allow yourself to go over fifteen minutes per item or you will run out of time.
Write Neatly! Print, instead of using cursive if you can. If the graders can’t read it, you’re not
going to get any points no matter HOW GOOD your answer is!
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To sign up for the BJCP Beer Entrance Online Exam, go to https://beer.coursewebs.com . The cost of the
test is $10, and you may take the test as often as you need to in order to pass. There is an option to
purchase 3 attempts at the exam for $20, if you’d like to take the pressure off of passing the test on the first
attempt.
PLEASE READ THE TEST INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU PURCHASE, AND
BEFORE YOU TAKE YOUR EXAM.
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More information about the Beer Judge Online Entrance Exam can be found at:
http://dev.bjcp.org/exam-certification/exam-program-overview/online-exam/
The answers to all of the questions in the question pool may be found in the texts listed in the
INTRODUCTION page of this guide. You don’t need to study ALL of them to be prepared for the Online
Exam, but you should study at least one or two of them.
You will also benefit from participating in a BJCP Exam Prep Course prior to taking this exam. These are
usually sponsored by local homebrew clubs, and generally are held 2-3 months in advance of a scheduled
BJCP Beer Tasting Exam. A listing of upcoming BJCP Beer Tasting Exams can be found on the BJCP
website at: https://www.bjcp.org/exams.php . Find an exam close to you, and get in touch with the Contact
listed for that exam and ask them if they are offering a Prep Course in advance of their exam in that you
may join.
Remember, like beer brewing, beer judging is supposed to be FUN! Like Charlie Papazian says, Relax,
Don’t Worry. Have A Home Brew!
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The first four sections on the score sheet (Aroma, Appearance, Flavor and Mouthfeel) are objective!
What do you sense? Don’t write about how to improve these sensations in the first four sections. Save
those for “Overall”. Comment on each “key word” beneath each section of the score sheet. (Some
people even make a little check mark on the key word after they’ve commented on it. This also
telegraphs to the grader: “Look, see? I talked about this aspect of the beer!”)
The fifth section is subjective. How did you enjoy the beer? How could the brewer improve the beer,
the recipe and/or the process?
5. OVERALL - Overall drinking pleasure associated with entry, give suggestions for
Improvement.
The graders score the TASTE section on 5 segments - each beer gets 20 points for each segment, for each
beer, totaling 100 points per beer.
1. SCORE: How close did your score for the beers get to the consensus proctor scores?
2. PERCEPTION: How closely did your descriptions of the beers match those of the proctors? Did
you identify the primary characteristics?
3. DESCRIPTION: Were your comments colorful and evocative?
4. FEEDBACK: Did you describe how you enjoyed the beer? Did you give 2-3 specific
suggestions for improvement?
5. COMPLETENESS: Did you avoid leaving white space? Did you comment on all sub-key words
under all sensory components? Did you fill out the style grid? Did you total your
score accurately?
The first two segments, SCORE and PERCEPTION, are dependent on how the proctors scored and
perceived the beer.
The last 3 segments, DESCRIPTION, FEEDBACK, and COMPLETENESS are all dependent on you - as
long as they're all consistent to each other and all thorough, you should be able to get the maximum points
independent of the proctors score sheets.
A. SCORE
(20 points total – based on absolute difference in scores for all six beers)
For SCORE, graders take the absolute difference between your score and the proctors score on each
beer, total them, and then compare them to the Score matrix: i.e.
NOTE: you CAN'T get any fewer than 9 points on the SCORE section, no matter HOW far off you were
from the proctors’ scores.
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There are 20 Score points maximum per beer, for six beers, 120 points total. To figure out how many points
you get for the SCORE section of your Taste Exam, add the points for all six of your beers, divide by 120,
then multiply by 20. ( (B1+B2+B3+B4+B5+B6) / 120) x 20 = Points for SCORE section.
(15 + 18 + 18 + 18 + 16 + 20) = 105. (105 / 120) = 0.875. 0.875 x 20 = 17.5 SCORE points awarded to
this Exam.
Even more risky business… exam administrators are instructed to offer the following beer examples:
As near as possible to a flawless, “Classic Example” (mid to high 40’s score)
A badly flawed beer (13-20 score)
A middle-range beer (27-34 score)
A beer that has a perceptible flavor or aroma component (depends on whether the characteristic
is appropriate for the style or not)
If you think you recognize which beer fits which category, and if you think your exam administrator has
properly followed directions, then you can set your score based on these hunches. (I told you it was risky!)
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B. PERCEPTION
(120 points total - 20 points per beer)
Did you get the same characteristics in the beer as the proctors and the rest of the
examinees?
Write what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.
Write every little thing – however slight it was.
Write what wasn’t perceived as well as what was perceived, especially for the “key words.”
(i.e., “No hop aroma”, “No astringency”, etc.)
Use as many colorful, descriptive words as you can muster. The more you write, the more
likely you'll match some of the perceptions of the proctors
Use real descriptors - i.e. "Dark Brown to Ruby" instead of "Dark", "Head pours full,
gradually dissipates" instead of "Good head"
There's an element of luck here, as you're trying to match what the proctors perceive.
Risky Tip: If you know the proctors, recall other judging experiences you've had with them.
For example, if you know that a specific judge picks up diacetyl at 0.005 parts per million,
be sure to mention Diacetyl in your descriptions....
C. DESCRIPTIVE ABILITY
(120 points total – 20 points per beer)
Talk about EACH element of the beer: Malt, Water, Yeast, and Hops (bittering, flavor and
aroma) in each section where it's appropriate, as well as the balance between them.
Don’t forget: hops have three purposes: Bitterness, Flavor and Aroma - talk about each!
It’s useful to talk about the lack of a descriptor also (i.e., “No floral hop aroma” for a
Bohemian pilsner would be an objective, and telling statement)
Throw in a couple of factoids that show you understand what that world-beer style is
supposed to taste like (i.e., in the Overall section, write "Try adding some Lyle's Golden
Syrup to create the toffee-like character normally found in an English Bitter....), etc.
Avoid words like "Nice", "Good", "Appropriate to Style"
Use instead colorful, evocative language, i.e. "Tan to Brown head, thick and moussy, tiny
bubbles, very slowly dissipates to a fine film on the surface"
Don't forget to comment on sweet-bitter balance
Use DESCRIPTIVE, colorful words for sensations: color, viscosity, smell, taste, feel.
NOT: “Nice”, “Good” or “Appropriate to Style”
Quantify the intensity of the flavor component, i.e. “low”, “medium”, or “high.”
IE:
APPEARANCE: instead of “Nice Head”…
Huge, creamy tan to brown head, tiny bubbles, dissipates gradually. Lace clings to the side of
glass. Garnet to Black color, almost opaque. Brilliantly clear.
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D. FEEDBACK
(120 points total – 20 points per beer)
Did you tell the brewer how you enjoyed their beer? (HINT: Use the score guidelines, and
make sure your enjoyment word matches your score - i.e., Outstanding=45-50, Excellent=38-44,
Very Good-30-37, Good=21-29, Fair=14-20, or Problematic-0-13)
Did you give the brewer at least one specific suggestion to improve the beer? (HINT: You’d
BETTER, unless you scored the beer a perfect 50!)
The lower the score you gave, the more suggestions you should offer!
Did you give at least 2-3 specific suggestions for improvement on each beer?
Did you score the beer 13 or higher? (For the purposes of the test, DON'T give a beer below 13, no
matter how bad it is!)
Did you say something positive and encouraging?
E. COMPLETENESS
(120 points total – 20 points per beer)
Did you fill out all the sections?
Was each section jam-packed with stuff?
Did you fill out the Style Grid?
Did you total your score correctly?
Did you PRINT LEGIBLY??
Did you PRINT? (Don't use cursive!)
Did you leave any whitespace?
Did you comment on all key-words beneath main sections?
Did you total your scores accurately? (Simple calculators are ok to use on the test!)
It is important that you FINISH each of the six score sheets! Since this is a timed test, it means you
must complete each score sheet in about 15 minutes – roughly the amount of time you’ll have to judge a
beer and fill out a score sheet in a competition scenario. USE A WATCH, and when 15 minutes goes
by, move on to the next beer – or the next question on your test. If you have extra time at the end of the
test, you may come back to the score sheets and add more to them.
PRACTICE THIS before undertaking the test! Time yourself as you fill out ten or twelve score sheets
in your preparation for the test. Keep them, and compare your first one to your last one to check your
improvement.
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BJCP Exam Graders are National or higher ranked judges in the BJCP, and they are all
volunteers.
They will typically be grading between 6-12 exams per set.
There are six score sheets per exam.
That means they will be grading 36 – 72 score sheets in one exam set.
When I grade, I will spend on average 15-20 minutes per score sheet.
That’s about 12-24 hours to grade one set of exams!
There are two graders who will initially grade your exam, a Lead Grader, and a Second Grader.
After they finish, their results will be re-graded by an Associate Exam Director.
After the AD finishes, their results will be re-graded by an Exam Director.
So with four people grading your exam, at 12-24 hours each, that’s 48-96 hours that will be
spent on grading ONE exam set!
It’s time consuming, mostly thankless work! So – let’s make it EASY for the graders, and WRITE the
exam the way they want to READ it!
The BJCP has published a BJCP Scoresheet guide. It’s available for everyone to read, it’s no secret. So if
you want to write the exam the way that Graders want to READ it, it’s worth studying!
http://dev.bjcp.org/exam-certification/exam-grading/bjcp-scoresheet-guide/
This Scoresheet Guide informs graders how they should go about grading a BJCP Beer Tasting Exam.
More importantly for YOU, it spells out numerically how many POINTS should be assigned for each
element of the Exam. If you know, in advance, how many POINTS you’re going to receive for each
element of your exam, then it’s a simple matter of you setting out to earn all those points!
For example, here is an excerpt from the Scoresheet Guide, which details exactly how to get the maximum
20 points for COMPLETENESS for each beer. Read the Scoresheet Guide for the points awarded for
Perception, Description, and Feedback.
1. (2 points) All applicable components of the aroma listed on the scoresheet are addressed. Partial credit
may be awarded.
2. (2 points) All applicable components of the appearance listed on the scoresheet are addressed. Partial
credit may be awarded.
3. (2 points) All applicable components of the flavor listed on the scoresheet are addressed. Partial credit
may be awarded.
4. (2 points) All applicable components of the mouthfeel listed on the scoresheet are addressed. Partial
credit may be awarded.
5. (2 points) The Overall Impression section includes a comment on overall drinking pleasure associated
with entry (1 point) and if the total score is less than 45, offers at least one suggestion for improvement
(1 point).
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6. (4 points) Efficient use of vertical space: For perfect score, fewer than two blank lines remain on the
completed scoresheet (these are typically only in the Appearance or Mouthfeel sections on a Master
level scoresheet). Deduct 0.5 point for every blank line beyond 2, up to a maximum of 4 points
deducted. For example, 5 blank lines would be a (5-2)/2 = 1.5 point deduction.
7. (2 points) Numerical values are assigned for all component scores (1 point) and also for the total score
(1 point).
8. (1 point) The stylistic accuracy, technical merit, and intangibles boxes are checked. There is no partial
credit here.
9. (1 point) Descriptor definitions are checked when applicable (characteristics are either perceived at
moderate or higher levels or are flaws in the style being judged). Partial credit may be awarded.
11. (1 point) There is efficient use of horizontal space. A complete scoresheet typically has six to seven
words per line with a font size and spacing that balances content and legibility. The objective here is to
discourage judges from writing in an extremely large font to fill up the space on the scoresheet without
conveying much information.
Based on the Scoresheet Guide, I have created a grid that I use when I am grading to track all of the points
earned for each scoresheet. (See Appendix Don’t get too bogged down with this. Just understand that there is
a pre-selected set of criteria that Graders look for on a score sheet, and you can earn ALL of them if you pay
attention to what the Grader is looking for!
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Just before the exam: if you have time, cram on names of Commercial Examples. It’s only one
point, but it’s one point on two different questions. Memorize only ONE for each style. There are
no bonus points for two!
Don’t sweat the statistics. They’re NOT required on the classic examples questions, and on the
recipe question, they are only ONE point.
Pre-label your blank pages - write the question numbers at the top left hand corner of each
page for Section 2, questions 1 – 5 (Write “Q.1. Page 1 of ___”. This allows you to start easily at
any question you like. This page incrementor is for the PAGE only, so if you only use one page, it
will read “Q.1. Page 1 of 1”. You can do this, and the next two hints, before the Exam
Administrator tells you to start to help you get organized. (See “Sample Lined Page for Exam” in
the Appendix.)
Pre-label the bottom-right corner of each page, inside your margins, with “PAGE ___ of ___”.
Do NOT fill in either blank at this time! Do that last, after you’ve organized all of your questions in
the proper order. (See “Sample Lined Page for Exam” in the Appendix.)
At the top right corner of each page write your participant number. It will be the last two
digits of the year, the two-digit month code, the two-character State Code abbreviation, a two letter
city code and an incremental participant number. For example, an exam given in New York, NY on
6/17/2015 for examinee #3 would be 1506NYNY-03. Your exam admin will assign you this
number.
Start a new page for each question. The Exam Admin will gladly give you more paper if you
need it.
Spend a few seconds to underline each of the elements of each question on the test pages
themselves. This will aid you in constructing your grids, and will help you not to skip any details
required by the question.
Try to answer each question on a single page, but if you need more pages, don’t forget to pre-
label them with the characteristics listed above.
Don’t write on the back sides of the paper. This information may not be photocopied on the
pages that are sent to the graders, and hence may not be graded.
Create Grids for your answers. If there are three of a thing (styles, malt types, etc), put them
across the top as column heads. Put the characteristics for those things down the side as row heads
(i.e., Style Name, Aroma, Appearance, Flavor, Mouthfeel, Distinguishing Characteristics, Classic
Example, Similarities, Differences)
Bullet answers to questions inside the grids are not only allowed, but encouraged!
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READ THE EXAM COVER SHEET CAREFULLY! Some instructions for the test are stated in
the Cover Sheet of the exam, and are equally valid as if they were asked in the question itself.
(Cover sheet below is from the BJCP website as of 11/13/2018).
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COVER SHEET
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The Process/Ethics part of Section I is not worth any points, but rather there are deductions of 0.5
points for each incorrect selection, for a maximum penalty of 10 points if all selections were wrong.
For the following 20 questions circle the “T” if the statement is true or circle the “F” if the statement
is false.
There are a pool of 124 T/F questions in the on pages 23-29 of the December 2017 revision of the BJCP
Beer Exam Study Guide from which these questions will be drawn. Some of them may be rephrased to call
for a FALSE answer instead of a TRUE answer, or vice versa – so read carefully! For example, the
following question would have a TRUE answer:
T A competition organizer may serve as the judge director and may also serve as a judge, provided
this person has no knowledge of entries and entrants.
…but by negating the intent of the question, it would require a FALSE answer:
F A competition organizer may not serve as the judge director or as a judge, even if this person has
no knowledge of entries and entrants.
These are not “trick” questions – you just have to read them carefully. If you LEARN them (not just
MEMORIZE them), you will get them all correct and not get any penalties from this section.
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25 points Compare and contrast the three styles based on their ingredients, characteristics or
background information (history, fermentation or serving methods).
10 points For each of the styles name one classic commercial example as listed in the 2015 BJCP
Style Guidelines.
15 points Parameters: Provide typical values or ranges for the original gravity (OG), IBU, ABV and
color (SRM or textual description) of the three styles
50 points Describe the aroma, appearance, flavor and mouthfeel of each style according to the BJCP
Style Guidelines.
Three beers will be given, usually from very similar categories of beer. The potential list of beers to be
compared is in the appendix of this study guide, under “COMBINED Possible (named) Section II
Beers.” Note: The “Classic Commercial Example” MUST BE one that is listed in the BJCP Style
Guidelines to get credit (also listed in the December 2017 revision of the BJCP Exam Study Guide.)
The easiest way to make sure you address all of the elements asked for in the question is to create a grid,
with the characteristics down the left side, and the three styles listed across the top. The elements of the
question are underlined in the question grid above. (Again, underlines are MINE – they will not be
underlined on the actual exam unless YOU do it – hint, hint.) Once you create your grid (a ruler helps…),
then all you have to do is “bullet” the appropriate information in each cell. DO NOT LEAVE ANY CELL
BLANK! It’s better for the aroma cell to guess either “malty” or “low malt” and “hoppy” or “no hop
aroma” than to skip it. The grader can’t give you partial credit – if you didn’t try to answer the question.
Under each major section of a score sheet (Aroma, Appearance, Flavor, Mouthfeel, and Overall) will be
several “key words” (i.e. under Aroma - malt, hops, esters, and other aromatics.) Try to address EACH of
those key words in your bullets for maximum points. On the next page is a sample answer to this question:
DIFFERENCES * Irish Style, not English * Lighter than Stout or * Darker than Bitter
* Darker than Bitter Porter * More Chocolate than
* Least alcohol * Most Hop Flavor/ Stout
Aroma * Less Roast than Stout
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2. RECIPE QUESTION
T.14. Provide a complete ALL-GRAIN recipe for brewing a(n) ___________,
List ingredients and their quantities, procedure, and carbonation. Give volume, as well as original and final gravities. Explain
how the recipe fits the style's characteristics for aroma, flavor, appearance, mouthfeel, and other significant aspects of the style.
This is NOT the best demo for how to create a recipe. The purpose of this demo is how to get the best
score on the Recipe Creation question on the BJCP Exam. First, let’s look at the question:
15 pts Style Description: Provide a brief description of the of the target style according to the 2015
BJCP Style Guidelines
15 pts Provide the target parameters for your recipe, including starting batch size, specific gravity
(OG), final specific gravity (FG), and bitterness in IBUs or HBUs, and color (SRM or a textual
description).
40 pts List the ingredients, explain why they are appropriate for target style, provide their quantities,
and explain how the quantities were calculated.
30 pts Discuss the complete brewing procedure from mashing through packaging, and give style-
based reasoning to support each aspect of the process.
The recipe creation question is worth 25% of the total written part of the exam and is divided into four
sections. Let’s call them:
Note: You can get up to 70 points on this question if you don’t list any statistics or ingredients! (I’m not
saying you shouldn’t know statistics or ingredients – it’s just an interesting point.)
When you read the question, take a minute to underline all of the items the question is asking for. Before
answering the question, if you take a moment to organize the task by making a form (like the form on
Section 2 – Number 2 in the appendix), then your work is cut out for you. Just fill in the blanks. Just
WHAT to put in the blanks is another story…. In this discussion I will number each item by the number it
is given in the form in the appendix.
One more thing which will prove useful - here’s a table of the beers that may be used in this question. I
have “dumbed it down” by looking for average common statistics amongst the styles. The exceptions have
been shaded.
1. OG – Original Gravity. 1.050 is OK for most beers that are commonly used for this question (not
the IPAs, Tripel or Doppelbock – they are 1075.) These are defined by the style; they just have to
be memorized. Just write down 1050 or 1075!
2. FG – Final Gravity. 1.010 is OK for most beers, except for Bohemian Pilsner, Doppelbock, Robust
Porter and Oktoberfest – use 1.016 for them. (Think: “sweeter beers”)
Final gravity is determined by several things, but key amongst them is yeast attenuation. This means
how much of the sugar in the beer will the yeast consume, and they differ a bit from one variety of
yeast to another. The average attenuation rate of most yeast, however, is 75%. If you have a starting
gravity of 1.050 (really, 1.050 – just think “50”) and take 75% of that
50 x .75 = 37.5
50 – 37.5 = 12.5 is the gravity of what remains. 1.0125 is your final gravity
1.010 is the low end of the scale by the guidelines, and it happens to be the number that is common to
most of these styles, and is easier to remember.
3. IBUs – “International Bittering Units” - shorthand for “How bitter do you want your beer?” 40
IBUs will work for most of the commonly tested beers. The Tripel, Doppelbock, and Oktoberfest
need 25 IBUs, the Weissbier only needs 10. IBUs, like Original Gravity, is a characteristic of the
style, and must just be memorized.
5. BATCH SIZE – 5 Gallons. You could pick any number you want for this, as long as you list
something. But 5 gallons makes the rest of this demo work – so USE FIVE GALLONS!
6. GRIST – first. Start with EFFICIENCY – an easy one – always 75%. Why?
Because you’re going to use 10 pounds of grain (except for the IPA, the Double IPA, the Tripel, and
the Doppelbock – those use 15 lbs.) Why 10 lbs? Because….
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There is a fancy formula for figuring out your potential original gravity. It relies on your knowing the
extraction rates for different types of grain. Sugar itself yields 46 gravity points. Base malt yields 33.
There are others, but that’s going to be close enough for our purposes.
Here are the grain bills for the most commonly tested styles.
STYLE GRIST
Double IPA 2-Row 90%, Cara-Pils 3%, Crystal 40L 3%, Sugar 4%
American IPA 2-Row 80%, Crystal 20L 15%, Crystal 60L 5%
Belgian Tripel Pilsner Malt 80%, White Sugar 20%
Doppelbock Munich 75%, Vienna 25%
Festbier Pils 65%, Vienna 35%
Czech Premium Pale Lager 100% Moravian Pilsner
Marzen Vienna 50%, Pils 40%, Munich 5%, Crystal 15L 5%
American Porter English Pale Ale Malt 80%, Crystal 80L 10%, Choc 5%, Black Patent 5%
Irish Stout Maris Otter 65%, Roast Unmalted Barley 8%, Flaked Unmalted Barley
20%, Black 7%
German Pils Pilsner 100%
Weissbier Wheat 70%, Pilsner 30%
Strong Bitter English Pale Ale Malt 90%, Crystal 20L 5%, Crystal 40L 5%
Now, just multiply the percentage listed by 10 lbs (we always use ten pounds, remember, except for 15 lbs
for IPAs, Tripels and Doppelbocks) and you have your quantity!
7. HOPS
• Always 5% Alpha Acid (AA), regardless of what hops you choose (see box below)
• Stick to Bittering, Flavor, and Aroma additions for the purposes of the test
• Ignore Mash hop, First Wort Hop and Dry hop techniques for the purposes of the test
• Mention “Assumed Utilization Rates” - 25% Bittering, 5% Flavor, 0% Aroma
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IN GENERAL
TYPE:
Use hops from the country of origin for the beer:
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN HOP VARIETIES
England UK hops (East Kent Goldings, Fuggles)
Germany Noble Hops (Hallertauer, Spalt, Tettnanger)
Czechoslovakia Saaz
USA Pacific Northwest “C” Hops (Centennial, Chinook,
Cascade)
Belgium Styrian Goldings
HOW MUCH:
Use 2 oz BITTERING hops for 40 IBUs
Use 1 oz BITTERING hops for 25 IBUs
Use 0.5 oz BITTERING hops for 10 IBUs
Use one-half to one ounce of flavor and/or aroma hops – if a beer is supposed to have hop flavor
or aroma. They’re FREE (Utilization-wise)!
There is a fancy formula for figuring out the weight of your hops. It relies on your knowing your target
IBUs:
• For beers commonly tested, usually 40, sometimes 25, rarely 10)
• The volume of your beer (always 5)
• Your alpha acid (always 5%)
• Your utilization (bittering always 25% - since flavor is only 5% and aroma is 0%, we’re not going to
bother with them.)
Why 7490? Because this formula was originally figured out in all METRIC units, and 7490 covers the
conversion. Skip that unless you’re going for the MASTER score!
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Based on these GENERALITIES, here are some potential hop bills for the commonly tested styles:
8. WATER – Always:
9 total gallons of water
3.5 gallons of strike water at 163F for a mash temperature of 150F
5.5 gallons of sparge water at 168F, acidified with 1 tsp phosphoric acid.
…UNLESS, you’re doing an IPA, Tripel or Doppelbock. Then use 1.5 times these amounts
Why?....
VOLUMES OF WATER:
There is a fancy formula for figuring out how much water you need for mashing and sparging. It relies
on your knowing:
• The amount of grain you’ll be mashing (always 10 lbs)
• The target volume of your batch (always 5 gallons)
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TEMPERATURES OF WATER:
There are two temperature ranges where a single infusion mash can convert starches in the grain to
sugars: the Beta Amylase range (130-150F), and the Alpha Amylase range (149-158F). Mashing in the
Beta Amylase range will convert more of the starches to sugar, and will produce thinner beers with
more alcohol (use the mnemonic M.A.L.T. – More Alcohol, Lower Temperature.) Mashing in the
higher, Alpha Amylase range will convert less of the starches to sugar, yielding sweeter beers with a
thicker body. We chose 150F for our mash temperature because it’s at the point where the beta and
alpha amylase temperature ranges overlap.
The formula for determining the “strike temperature” of water for a specified target temperature is as
follows:
Tw = the actual temperature of the infusion water (what we’re solving for…)
R = the ratio of water to grain in quarts per pound (1.25)
T1 = the initial temperature of the mash (or dry grain) (70F – room temperature)
T2 = the target temperature of the mash (153F)
There is another formula for figuring out what temperature of water to ADD to a mash to get to the next
temperature rest, but fortunately we’re only doing a SINGLE INFUSION mash, so we don’t need to
know that….
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Wa = the amount of boiling water added in quarts (what we’re solving for)
Wm = the total amount of water in the mash in quarts (1.25 qts/lb x 10 lbs grain)
G = the amount of grain in the mash in pounds (10)
Let’s say we want to have a MASH-OUT for our single-infusion mash at 168F (mash-outs are not
necessary, and you won’t lose points for not describing them.). 168F is the highest temperature you can
use without the risk of extracting tannins. We need to figure out how much boiling water to add to get
the mash temperature to 168F. Our formula is:
9. YEAST
Remember three things:
• Ale or Lager,
• Country of origin
• “Create a 1 quart starter”
If you can’t think of a specific yeast name, just say [Country] [Type]… i.e. “German Lager”.
This question should be a gimme - every yeast will get the job done! :-D
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10. MASH
Techniques: Single Infusion
(Choose one) Multi-Step
Decoction
Double Mash (also called a Cereal Mash)
BIG HINT: ALL of these styles can be made with a Single-Infusion mash! But to get all the
points, you need to say:
“The CLASSIC mash style used for this beer would be the ____ mash technique, but due to the
highly modified malts available today, I’ll use the Single Infusion mash.” (NOTE: There are some
styles such as Doppelbock where a decoction mash can significantly enhance the flavor and aroma
profile, and some graders may not award all possible points without a description of the decoction.)
If you DO decide to use one of the other mash types, be SURE to detail all the steps!
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11. BOIL/CHILL
Boil: ALWAYS: “75 minutes, full rolling boil to facilitate hot break, adding hops according to
schedule above.
Finings: Irish Moss, added at 5 minutes before the end of the boil.
Chill: Counter-flow method, to facilitate cold break, to 70F prior to pitching yeast (cooler
temperatures for lagers.)”
EXCEPT FOR: Weizen – state “NO FININGS due to desired cloudiness in finished beer.”
Lagers:
Primary: 55F for 14 days
Diacetyl Rest: 65F for 2 days
Secondary: 32F for 60 days
13. PACKAGING
Always: Bottle condition: ¾ cup of corn sugar at bottling.
(Using kegging requires knowing the pressures of the various beers – you already have enough to
remember!)
For the next four points, read and use the “helper words” from the beer score sheet. (They are on the
“Classic Example” score sheet for Question #9.) Say something on each of these attributes. If it DOESN’T
have that characteristic – SAY SO! (i.e. – “No alcohol warmth.”)
14. AROMA
Comment on malt aroma, hop aroma, esters, and other aromatics
15. APPEARANCE
Comment on color, clarity, and head retention, head color, and head texture
16. FLAVOR
Comment on malt flavor, malt sweetness or dryness, hop flavor, hop bitterness, fermentation
Characteristics (esters/phenols), balance between sweetness and hop bitterness, finish/aftertaste,
and other flavor characteristics
17. MOUTHFEEL
Comment on body, carbonation, alcohol warmth, creaminess, astringency, and other palate
sensations
See the appendix for a sample “grid” with which to answer this question.
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4. TROUBLESHOOTING
T.1. Describe and discuss the following beer characteristics
a) characteristic-1, b) characteristic-2, and c) characteristic-3. What causes them and how are they avoided
and controlled? Are they ever appropriate, and if so, in what beer styles? Address the following topics:
30 points Describe each characteristic and how it is perceived.
40 points Identify the causes and controls for each characteristic.
30 points Identify styles in which each characteristic is appropriate and inappropriate
Start by building a grid like this that takes up the entire page. Fill in the characteristics you’re describing in
place of #1, #2, and #3:
The grid below has been turned the other way, in order to more easily cover all the troubleshooting
categories:
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* Oxidation
* Spices
Bitterness * Mouth- Yes, * High AAU hops * Use hops with lower
puckering * IPAs * Lengthy hop boil alpha acids
* Bitter * Pale Ales times * Reduce hop boil times
* Aroma * English
* Flavor Bitters
* Mouthfeel
Buttery * Butterscotch Yes, Diacetyl: * Reduced by yeast -
* Diacetyl * Scotch Ales * Premature racking allow complete
* Aroma * Bitters * Low ferment temps fermentation
* Flavor * Czech Pils * Mutant yeast * Properly aerate wort
* Mouthfeel * Northern * Lactic acid bacteria prior to pitching
English * Do a diacetyl rest (2
Brown days at the end of primary
@ 65 F)
* Use healthy pure yeast,
* Practice good sanitation
Cardboard * Papery No, * Aeration of hot * Avoid splashing hot
* Stale N/A wort wort
* Flavor * Exposure of higher * Carefully package beer
* Aroma alcohols in finished to avoid oxygen contact
beer to oxygen * Serve beer in an
* Old beer appropriate amount of
time
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5. INGREDIENTS
T.4. Discuss hops, and their role in determining beer flavor and aroma.
Your answer should address Discuss how the hop characteristics are extractedthe following topics:
30 points Describe hop characteristics and their impact on beer flavor and aroma.
30 points Discuss how the hop characteristics are extracted.
40 points Discuss how the hop characteristics are extracted
Discuss hops:
1. Active ingredient: Lupulin, gland of the female plant of Humulus Lupus
2. Oils and Resins: Resins contain Alpha and Beta acids, Oils contain aromatics
3. Humulone and Cohumulone
4. Alpha and Beta acids – Alpha cause the bittering to occur in beer, Beta do not isomerize, but contribute
to aroma
5. Isomerization – Through boiling, changing the structure of the molecules in hop alpha and beta acids so
as to make them water soluble.
6. IBUs/Formula: IBU = 7490 x Weight(oz) x AA% x U
V(gallons)
Hop Characteristics How these characteristics are extracted
Antibacterial/Preservative Boiling hops in wort.
Bitterness Boiled for 60 minutes or longer from the end of the boil. Hop utilization is
about 25% in this phase.
Flavor Boiled for 40-25 minutes from the end of the boil. Hop utilization is about
10% in this phase.
Aroma Boiled for 15 minutes or less from the end of the boil. May also be steeped
by throwing them in after flame-out. Hop utilization is 5% or less in this
phase.
Aroma Dry Hopping. Added to the secondary fermenter for aroma only.
Identify at least four distinct beer styles with which different varieties of hops are associated:
Hop Variety Country Characteristics Associated Style
Hallertauer, Tettnanger, Germany Noble hops. Low in German Pilsner, Bocks,
Spalt bitterness, high on Alts
aroma, spicy, floral
East Kent Goldings, England English hops: Good for English Pale Ale, Porter
Fuggles bittering, flavor and
aroma, earthy, tobacco
Saaz Czech Republic Floral, mild, sweet Bohemian Pilsner
Styrian Goldings Austria and Slovenia Spicy Witbier, Belg. Pale Ale
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In my opinion, this is one of the more difficult questions that can be on the BJCP exam. Water is obviously
a VERY important part of brewing, and books have been written about it. The example below is one way
of answering this question that SHOULD get you a fairly decent score.
pH (Power of Hydrogen):
WATER TYPE pH
Pure Water 7.0
Acidic 0 – 6 pH
Alkaline 8-14 pH
Proper mashing level 5.2 – 5.7 pH
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T.15. Discuss the role of malt and yeast in determining beer characteristics.
Your answer should address the following topics:
Identify and describe different types of malts by their colors and the flavors they impart
45 points
to the beer
20 points List four distinct beer styles with which specific malts are associated
List five distinct yeast strain selection considerations and describe their impact on the
35 points
finished beer
A. Identify and describe the different types of malts by their color and the flavor they impart to the
beer. Give at least four distinct styles with which specific malts are associated.
Identify Describe Color Flavor Styles
Base Malts 2 and 6 row barley Straw Bread crumbs Pale Ales
Fully modified Gold Crackers Pilsner
Kilned at 130-180F Yellow Tripel
Toasted Victory, Vienna, Munich Amber Biscuit California
Malts Copper Toasted Common
Red Breadcrumb N.German Alt
Baking Bread
Crystal Various Lovibond-rated Amber Caramel Dark American
Malts Crystal and Caramel Copper Toffee Lager
Fully modified Red Cookies American
Heated at 50% moisture Amber
content to 150-170F
Mashes starches inside
husk
Kilned to desired color
Roast Chocolate, Black, Roast Brown Chocolate Stouts
Malts Under modified Black Coffee Porters
Kilned at 5% moisture
Kilned at 420-450F for up
to 2 hours
No diastatic ability
Non- Wheat, Rye, Corn, Rice May cause Bready, wheat, Weizen
Barley May require more intensive cloudiness corn Roggenbier
mash process Minty American
Peppery Lagers
Cl. American
Pilsner
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T.9. Define these brewing techniques and discuss the effect they have on the finished beer.
30 points Kräusening
30 points Adding Gypsum
40 points Fining
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T.11. Define diastatic and proteolytic enzymes, discuss their roles in the brewing process, and
describe how they affect the characteristics of the finished beer. Address the following topics:
20 points Define each enzyme.
40 points Discuss their role in the brewing process.
40 points Discuss how they impact the characteristics of the finished beer.
Proteolytic Diastatic
Works on Proteins Starches
Subset Proteolytic Beta Amylase Alpha Amlyase
Temperature 113-127F 130-150F 149-158F
(aka “Protein” rest) (aka “Saccharification”) (aka “Saccharification”)
Describe/Explain * Proteinase breaks * Starches are gelatinized * Alpha amylase enzymes
down proteins into breaks 1-4 links from
smaller fractions such as * Beta amylase enzymes starches at random
polypeptides – necessary breaks off maltose units
for good head retention. from reducing ends of * Unable to break down
starches into smallest units of
* Peptidase breaks down starches
polypeptides into * Unable to break down
peptides and amino largest units of starches
acids, essential for
proper yeast growth and
development
Effect on Beer * Reduces cloudiness * Creates more fermentable * Creates more dextrinous
* Too long a protein rest wort wort
can reduce head * Thinner bodied beer * Thicker bodied beer
NOTE: If you get this question, the big hint is the word “Proteolytic” – remember “Proteo” means
“proteins.” You’ll just have to remember that the OTHER type of enzyme – Diastatic – works on starches,
but the root of the word “Diastatic” (“Dia-“) should remind you that it has two components, Beta and
Alpha. Beta-Amylase enzymes are activated first in the temperature scale – in the lower range, and Alpha-
Amylase is activated second – at the higher range. You could remember “Alpha” as in “Alpha-male” – the
TOP of the temperature range. Note that the two ranges overlap at 149-150F, so to take advantage of
BOTH the Beta and Alpha Amylase enzymes, choose that temperature for your Saccharification rest.
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A. Explain what happens during the mashing process, including times and temperatures as
appropriate.
Mashing Step Temperature Time Active Description
Enzymes
Milling Grain n/a n/a n/a * Crushing grain kernels to expose
starches
Dough-in 10-15F higher n/a n/a * Mixing grist with water
than first rest * 1.3 qts per pound of grist
to raise grain * Break all clumps so no dry grist
temperature remains
Acid Rest 95-120F 60- * Phytase * For under-modified malt only
120 * Beta * Lowers mash PH when using low
min Glucanase calcium brewing liquor
* Breaks down phytin into calcium-
and magnesium-phosphate and phytic
acid
* Breaks down hemicellulose and
gums in the cell walls
Protein Rest 113-127F 15-60 * Proteinase * Proteolytic enzymes
min * Peptidase * Breaks down proteins into smaller
fractions such as polypeptides
* Breaks down polypeptides into
peptides and amino acids, essential for
proper yeast growth and development
Saccharification See descriptions for Beta and Alpha * Breaks down starches into dextrins
Amylase enzymes and fermentable sugars
Produces:
* Monosaccharides: Glucose, Fructose,
Mannose, Galactose
* Disaccharides: Maltose, Isomaltose,
Fructose, Melibiose, Lactose
* Trisaccharides: Maltriose
* Oligosaccharides: “dextrins” –
glucose chains
Saccharification – 130-150F 15-90 * Beta Amylase * Subset of Diastatic enzymes
Beta Amylase min * Yields wort very low in dextrins,
high in fermentables
* M.A.L.T. – More Alcohol, Lower
Temperature
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B. Describe three different mashing techniques and the advantages and disadvantages of
each.
Mash-Type Describe Advantages Disadvantages
Infusion Mash * Mixing grain with a * Requires minimum of * Prohibits the use of
single temperature of labor, equipment, under modified malt or
water and resting at that energy and time adjuncts
temp for the entire mash
Step Mash * Mashing in with a low * Allows flexibility in * Requires more
temp of water use of different temp resources (labor, time,
* Raising mash temps to steps equipment)
achieve conversion * Under modified malts
goals may be used.
* Temp raised by
adding boiling water or
direct heat
Decoction Mash * Removal of a thick * Explode starch * Most resource
third of mash granules intensive (time, labor,
* Raise to brief * Breaks down the equipment)
saccharification rest protein matrix in under * May extract higher
* Boil for 15-30 minutes modified malt levels of tannins and
* Mixing it back into * Improves extraction DMS precursors from
the main mash efficiency grain husks
* Repeat up to 3 times * Promotes the
to reach beta amylase, formation of
alpha amylase, and melanoidins.
mash-out temps
Cereal Mash * Two separate mashes: * Allows use of * Needs to be boiled or
(Double Mash) main mash is crushed adjuncts as alternate hot-flaked before adding
malt, cereal mash is raw source of sugar to mash
adjuncts and a bit of * Time and resource
crushed malt intensive
* Boiled for 1+ hours to
gelatinize the starches
* Added to main mash,
which has undergone an
acid rest
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For the following 20 questions circle the “T” if the statement is true or circle the “F” if the statement
is false. There are no points for these, but there is a 0.5 point deduction for each question
unanswered or answered incorrectly, for a maximum of a 10 point deduction.
A competition’s judge director may serve as the competition organizer and may also serve as a
6 T/F judge provided this person has no knowledge of the association between entries and entrants.
An individual with knowledge of the association between entries and entrants may not serve as a
7 T/F judge.
A member of the competition staff with access to information that associates entries with
entrants may serve as a judge provided this person has no knowledge of the association between
8 T/F entries and entrants.
9 T/F The “head” judge at a table should try to tutor apprentice or lower-rank judges if time permits.
The steward at the table has sole responsibility for completing the Cover Sheets for beers in each
10 T/F flight.
The “head” judge at the table has sole responsibility for completing the Cover Sheets for beers in
11 T/F each flight.
The “head” judge at a table should fill out Cover Sheets for beers in his or her flight as directed by
12 T/F the competition management.
The “head” judge at a table has no responsibility for filling out Cover Sheets for beers in his or her
13 T/F flight unless directed to do so by the competition management.
The “head” judge at the table has sole responsibility for completing the Cover Sheets for beers in
each flight but with the agreement of the steward may delegate the completion of the Cover
14 T/F Sheets to the steward.
The “head” judge with the agreement of the steward may delegate filling in of the Cover Sheets
15 T/F for beers in his or her flight to the steward.
There is no need for the “head” judge to complete the Flight Summary Sheet - the competition
organizer can obtain all that information from the cover sheets. But the competition organizer
16 T/F can NOT receive judging experience points if they serve as a judge.
17 T/F If possible there should be at least one BJCP-ranked judge in every flight.
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When Non-BJCP judges evaluate entries in a competition each Non-BJCP judge should be paired
18 T/F with a BJCP judge.
Non-BJCP judges may only evaluate entries if authorized by the judge director and Non-BJCP
19 T/F judges should be paired with BJCP judges when possible.
To reduce stray odors and flavors present beverages and foods other than water, bread, or
20 T/F crackers should not be brought to the judging table.
21 T/F It is acceptable to bring food items other than bread, crackers, and water to the judging table.
You must filter out strong scents from fellow judges or the environment from your mind rather
22 T/F than discussing the problem with the competition organizer.
Strong scents from the environment or other judges or stewards should be brought to the
23 T/F attention of the competition organizer.
Because entries cannot have any identifying marks, it is OK for a judge to judge beers in a
24 T/F category he or she has entered.
If a judge is assigned to judge a category that he/she has entered, that judge should ask the
25 T/F competition organizer to reassign him/her to another category.
If a judge is assigned to a category that he or she has entered, the judge should go ahead and
evaluate the entries in that category without notifying the judge director or competition
26 T/F organizer.
Judges should not review the style being judged from the BJCP Style Guidelines while at the
27 T/F judging table prior to judging that style.
28 T/F Judges may invite stewards to taste the beers in a flight, if there's enough sample to share.
It is acceptable to change the order in which you judge the beers on your flight sheet from how it
29 T/F was printed.
30 T/F Beers must be evaluated in the sequence specified on the flight sheet.
If you have eaten spicy or greasy food within a few hours prior to judging you should use
31 T/F mouthwash or antiseptic rinse before judging.
32 T/F You should avoid eating spicy or greasy food within a few hours prior to judging.
Spicy or greasy foods should be avoided prior to a judging event because they can reduce a
33 T/F judge's sensitivity to the aromas and flavors of beer.
Perfumed shampoos and colognes should be avoided prior to a judging event because they can
34 T/F reduce a judge's sensitivity to the aromas of beer.
It is a good idea to take a decongestant prior to a judging event to increase your sensitivity to the
35 T/F aromas of beer.
36 T/F Calibrations beers are selected to be the standard against which entries should be judged.
It is the responsibility of the “head” judge, in consultation with the other judges in a flight, to
37 T/F assign a consensus score to each entry.
It is not necessary for scores produced by the judges on a panel to be within seven points (or less
38 T/F if directed by the competition director) of each other.
After discussing the initial scores, judges should adjust their final scores to be within seven
39 T/F points (or less if directed by the competition director).
Judges must adjust their scores to be within seven points (or less if directed by the competition
40 T/F director) of each other as part of developing a consensus score for the beer.
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41 T/F The consensus score assigned to the beer is not necessarily an average score.
When judging, It is important to evaluate entries quickly and also complete the score sheets
42 T/F thoroughly and completely.
On average, experienced judges should be able to completely evaluate a beer, including arriving
43 T/F at a consensus, in 10 minutes.
When there is a discrepancy in the scores for a given beer, the lower-ranked judges should yield
44 T/F to the opinion of the highest ranked BJCP judge at the table.
It is acceptable to remove offensive smelling entries from the judging table after they have been
45 T/F evaluated.
46 T/F A judge must disqualify an entry if the bottle has raised lettering or the cap has identifying marks.
A judge may disqualify an entry if it has an improper bottle or cap. 48 T Only the judge director or
47 T/F competition organizer can disqualify an entry.
49 T/F The results of the bottle inspection does not affect the scoring.
50 T/F Snide or rude comments are unacceptable on scoresheets.
Pour each entry in a manner that gives it its optimum appearance, keeping in mind that some
51 T/F entries may be over- or under-carbonated.
When you suspect an entry has been placed in the wrong flight based on the style being judged,
52 T/F you should request that it be judged in a different flight instead.
When you suspect an entry has been placed in the wrong flight based on the style being judged,
53 T/F you should consult with the judge director or competition organizer.
54 T/F Sniff the entry immediately after pouring to ensure proper evaluation of volatile aromatics.
55 T/F There is no need to sniff the aroma immediately after pouring the entry into the glass.
56 T/F Judges should complete the evaluation of each entry before moving on to the next.
57 T/F It is not necessary to offer any feedback for improvement if you score a beer above 40.
It is common practice to refrain from sharing your thoughts while judging a beer until the other
58 T/F judges have completed their score sheet.
If you are very familiar with a beer style, it is preferable to disregard the BJCP Style Guidelines
59 T/F and rely on your personal expertise instead.
If rushed, it’s acceptable to write only comments and an overall score on a score sheet, leaving
60 T/F the scores for the subsections blank.
If rushed, it’s acceptable to write only 1-2 comments on a score sheet as long as the numeric
61 T/F score is filled out.
If a beer is a “gusher” or has an unpleasant aroma upon opening, a judge may assign a courtesy
62 T/F score of 13 without tasting and commenting on the characteristics of the beer.
All beers should be tasted and scored, even if they are “gushers” or have an unpleasant aroma
63 T/F upon opening.
64 T/F It is appropriate to penalize the entrant if the beer is not served at the proper temperature.
If the beers are not served at the proper temperature, judges should work with the competition
65 T/F staff to resolve the problem.
In each section of a score sheet, you should only comment upon the most prominent features of
66 T/F each entry, not subtle characteristics.
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67 T/F Judges' comments must not include phrases like “if you used ...”
68 T/F Judges' comments must not include phrases like “did you ...”
Judges' comments must include a complete evaluation of the sensory aspects of the entry and
69 T/F how those aspects relate to the style guidelines.
Judges' comments should be constructive and reflect knowledge of the brewing, fermentation,
70 T/F bottling, and handling process
71 T/F Judges' comments need to provide information on how to improve the entry as warranted.
Scores should not be assigned to the aroma section immediately because the entry's aroma
72 T/F profile may change over time.
Each section must be scored with a number prior to writing any comments, to best capture your
73 T/F first impressions.
To assure objectivity, you should never write your full name or put contact information on the
74 T/F score sheet.
75 T/F You should write your full name and judging rank on each score sheet.
You should always fill out the “Style Scales” on the score sheet, as a good check against your
76 T/F scores.
You should use the “Overall Impression” section of the score sheet to refer to how the entry
77 T/F compares to other entries in the flight.
You should use the “Overall Impression” section of the score sheet to comment on how much
78 T/F you enjoyed the entry or provide suggestions for how to improve the beer.
A score in the "Outstanding" range is reserved for entries that not only lack flaws but also have
79 T/F the hard-to-define "extraordinary" character that great beers have.
The courteous lower limit for scores assigned to "Problematic" beers is 6 points, with one point
80 T/F for each section of the score sheet.
81 T/F The courteous lower limit for scores assigned to “Problematic” beers is 13 points.
If judges require more pours than one bottle to judge an entry, the “head” judge should ask the
82 T/F steward to request a second bottle from the cellar master.
It is preferable to use ink on scoresheets so that your scores and comments cannot be altered by
83 T/F contest personnel.
It is preferable to use mechanical pencils, rather than wooden pencils, on scoresheets so that
84 T/F wood odors do not interfere with beer aromas.
It is acceptable to request a second bottle to give the entry a fair chance at an accurate judging if
85 T/F a beer is a “gusher” or tastes infected.
Entrants may contact the judge, the competition director, or their BJCP Regional Representative
86 T/F if they are dissatisfied with any aspect of their scoresheets.
When your flight has finished, you should avoid having conversations that might distract other
87 T/F judges who have not yet finished their flights.
When your flight has finished, it is acceptable to visit other flights still in progress to see how
88 T/F beers you have entered are faring.
Because it may have been entered by a person in the room, it is polite to refrain from publicly
89 T/F deriding a “problem” beer that you have scored during a competition.
Judges from outside the table should not be consulted on a beer unless the judges at the table
90 T/F cannot reach a consensus score, and then only if they all agree to the consultation.
91 T/F BJCP Apprentice judges have not yet taken the BJCP Beer Judging Exam.
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94 T/F One can obtain the BJCP Recognized rank without acquiring non-judging experience points.
To become a BJCP Certified judge, it is sufficient to pass the Entrance Exam, score at least 70% on
95 T/F the Beer Judging Exam and earn 5 judging points.
To become a BJCP Certified judge, it is sufficient to pass the Entrance Exam, score at least 70% on
96 T/F the Beer Judging Exam and earn 5 experience points.
97 T/F The maximum score on the Beer Judging Exam for the BJCP Certified rank is 79%.
To become a BJCP National judge, it is sufficient to score 80% on the Beer Judging Exam and
98 T/F accumulate 20 experience points.
To become a BJCP National judge, it is sufficient to score 80% on the Beer Judging Exam and
99 T/F accumulate 20 experience points, with at least half of them from judging.
100 T/F One can obtain the BJCP National rank without acquiring judging experience points.
101 T/F One can obtain the BJCP National rank without acquiring non-judging experience points.
BJCP Master judges must have a minimum score of 90% on the combined written and tasting
102 T/F exams and at least 40 judging points.
BJCP Master judges must score at least 90% on the combined written and tasting exams and earn
103 T/F at least 50 experience points, with at least half of them from judging.
The maximum score on the combined written and tasting exams for the BJCP National rank is
104 T/F 89%.
BJCP Master judges must score at least 90% on the combined written and tasting exams and
105 T/F fulfill a Grand Master Service Requirement.
106 T/F BJCP Grand Master judges must score at least 95% on the combined written and tasting exams.
107 T/F BJCP Grand Master judges must score at least 90% on the combined written and tasting exams.
108 T/F Each additional BJCP Grand Master level requires an additional 100 experience points.
109 T/F BJCP Honorary Grand Master judges do not have to take the BJCP exam.
The BJCP Honorary Grand Master rank is bestowed upon professional brewers when they judge
110 T/F at homebrew competitions.
111 T/F Honorary Master is a temporary rank bestowed on operatives of the BJCP.
The BJCP Grand Master rank requires the same minimum score on the combined written and
112 T/F tasting exams as the Master rank.
113 T/F The BJCP Grand Master rank requires the same minimum experience points as the Master rank.
The only difference in requirements between the BJCP Master and Grand Master ranks is that the
114 T/F Grand Master rank requires a GMSR.
115 T/F Each BJCP Grand Master level has additional requirements for exam grading.
116 T/F A BJCP Grand Master Service Requirement can be fulfilled by grading exams.
117 T/F A BJCP Grand Master Service Requirement can be fulfilled by organizing competitions.
118 T/F A BJCP Grand Master Service Requirement can be fulfilled just by serving on the BJCP Board.
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119 T/F At least one-half of the experience points required for any BJCP judge rank must be from judging.
120 T/F Judging at homebrew competitions is the only way to earn BJCP judging points.
BJCP judges can earn non-judging experience points for participating in BJCP Continuing
121 T/F Education Program activities.
Judging experience points can only be earned by judging in a competition or proctoring a BJCP
122 T/F exam.
Stewards at homebrew competitions earn BJCP judging points if they taste the beers with the
123 T/F judges.
124 T/F Stewards at homebrew competitions earn BJCP experience points.
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STYLE
AROMA
APPEARANCE
FLAVOR
MOUTHFEEL
DISTINGUISH
OG
IBU
ABV
SRM
COMMERCIAL
SIMILARITIES
DIFFERENCES
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1. 2. 3.
Describe/Discuss
How caused?
How avoided/
controlled?
Ever Appropriate?
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BODY
MOUTHFEEL
1.
2.
3.
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T.4. Discuss hops, and their role in determining beer flavor and aroma.
Your answer should address the following topics:
30 points Describe hop characteristics and their impact on beer flavor and aroma
30 points Discuss how the hop characteristics are extracted.
40 points Identify five distinct beer styles with which specific or historical varieties are associated.
Discuss hops:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Hop Characteristics How these characteristics are extracted
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BEER STYLES
City Beer Style How Mineral Content Played A Role
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T.9. Define these brewing techniques, and discuss their effects on the finished beer.
30 points Kräusening
30 points Adding Gypsum
40 points Fining
Kräuesening
Adding Gypsum
Fining
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T.11. Define diastatic and proteolytic enzymes, discuss their role in the brewing process,
and describe how they affect the characteristics of the finished beer.
Proteolytic Diastatic
Works on
Subset
Temperature
Describe/Explain
Effect on Beer
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B. Describe three different mashing techniques and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Mash-Type Describe Advantages Disadvantages
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T.15. Discuss the role of malt and yeast in determining beer characteristics.
Your answer should address the following topics:
Identify and describe different types of malts by their colors and the flavors they impart
45 points
to the beer
20 points List four distinct beer styles with which specific malts are associated.
List five distinct yeast strain selection considerations and describe their impact on the
35 points
finished beer
A. Identify and describe the different types of malts by their color and the flavor they impart to
the beer. Give at least four distinct styles with which specific malts are associated.
Identify Describe Color Flavor Styles
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