Cicerone Beer Server study guide
Cicerone Beer Server · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Beer Server is the first of the four Cicerone certification levels and is aimed at people who sell or serve beer - bartenders, servers, retail staff, brewery and distributor personnel - rather than at brewers. According to the Cicerone Certification Program, more than 150,000 hospitality professionals worldwide have earned it. The credential certifies that a candidate has mastered the fundamentals of beer service rather than deep brewing science: the language of beer including key flavor words and core beer styles, glass preparation and proper pouring of both draft and bottled beer, and the three most common ways beer flavor is ruined after it leaves the brewery, plus how to prevent that. The exam is 60 multiple-choice questions, closed book, with a 30-minute limit and a 75% passing bar; it is offered online in several languages and costs $79 (USD). Topics on this exam: Beer language, flavor words, and core beer styles, Beer service: glass preparation and proper pouring of draft and bottled beer, and Beer handling and flavor protection after the beer leaves the brewery. The Cicerone Beer Server study guide has 3 sections and about 909 words.
01Beer Language, Flavor Words, and Core Beer Styles
Beer is water, malt, hops, and yeast. From those four you get the working vocabulary of the Cicerone Beer Server exam. Malt contributes sweetness, color, and words like biscuit, caramel, toast, and roast. Hops contribute bitterness, aroma, and words like citrus, pine, floral, and herbal.
320 words, about 2 min02Beer Service: Glass Preparation and Proper Pouring
A beer-clean glass has no grease, soap residue, lipstick, or dust. Residue kills foam and carries aroma faults. Wash glassware with proper detergent, rinse thoroughly, and store it so it is not picking up odors. Avoid frosted or freezer-chilled glasses: cold glass creates condensation, encourages foaming, and mutes aroma.
294 words, about 1 min03Beer Handling and Flavor Protection After the Brewery
Beer leaves the brewery fresh and then begins to change. Light breaks down hop compounds into a skunky, mercaptan-like aroma, which is why brown bottles protect better than green or clear ones. Oxygen stales beer, producing cardboard or sherry notes. Heat accelerates every staling reaction, so a warm storeroom ages beer far faster than a cold one.
295 words, about 1 min