Cicerone Beer Server study plan
Cicerone Beer Server · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Beer handling and flavor protection after the beer leaves the brewery
Name the four primary flavor-damaging agents (light, oxygen, heat, time) and state one concrete control for each
Explain in plain language how ultraviolet light produces lightstruck character and which package types block it
Distinguish packaged-on dates from best-by dates and apply FIFO rotation to a sample shelf
Record actual storage temperatures for at least five packaged beers and flag any outside the acceptable range
Your checkpoint
A one-page storage SOP listing five checked locations with measured temperatures and pass/fail notes, plus a written cause-and-fix line for each of the four flavor-damaging agents.
Beer handling and flavor protection after the beer leaves the brewery & Beer service: glass preparation and proper pouring of draft and bottled beer
Demonstrate correct keg tapping and coupler handling, then state the standard draft line cleaning interval
Diagnose three draft faults (flat pour, all-foam pour, off-aroma) and write the corrective action for each
Compare CO2 and nitrogen dispense and explain which styles each suits
Pour ten draft beers and record head height and temperature for each against its style target
Your checkpoint
A draft line cleaning log template with the interval stated, plus a pour sheet recording head height and serving temperature for ten pours with a pass/fail mark on each.
Beer service: glass preparation and proper pouring of draft and bottled beer
Walk through the full glass cleaning cycle step by step and identify the failure point at each stage
Test at least ten glasses for residue film and lacing, then reject and re-wash any that fail
Match eight beer style families to their correct glassware and justify each match in one sentence
Demonstrate a bottled beer pour that leaves sediment and yeast in the bottle
Your checkpoint
A ten-glass inspection audit sheet with pass/fail results, observed residue notes, and the corrective action taken on every failed glass.
Beer service: glass preparation and proper pouring of draft and bottled beer & Beer handling and flavor protection after the beer leaves the brewery
Run a complete serve sequence end to end: inspect glass, pour to style-appropriate head, verify carbonation and temperature, present
Explain proper growler and crowler filling, seal, and realistic shelf life after fill
Distinguish flavor problems that start in the package from those introduced at the tap
Score your own performance against a written serve checklist without prompting
Your checkpoint
A score of at least 80% on a 30-question self-written quiz covering service and post-brewery handling, with every miss rewritten as a correct statement.
Beer language, flavor words, and core beer styles
Define 20 core aroma and flavor terms and use each in an original descriptive sentence
Identify the four main ingredients and state the sensory contribution of each
Compare eight major beer styles from memory on approximate alcohol, bitterness, and color ranges
Explain bitterness units and color scales in plain customer-friendly language
Your checkpoint
A 25-term flavor lexicon with your own example sentence for each term, self-tested to at least 90% recall.
Beer language, flavor words, and core beer styles & Beer service: glass preparation and proper pouring of draft and bottled beer
Recognize six common off-flavors by descriptor and name the typical cause of each
Pair style families to glassware and serving temperature and defend each pairing
Describe malt-versus-hop balance using flavor words rather than numbers
Explain how glass shape and temperature change perceived aroma and carbonation
Your checkpoint
A one-page off-flavor reference card covering six compounds with descriptor, likely cause, and prevention step for each.
Beer language, flavor words, and core beer styles & Beer handling and flavor protection after the beer leaves the brewery
Build a serving temperature chart for eight style families and justify each entry
Trace one package from brewery to glass and list every point where flavor can degrade
Deliver a 30-second spoken beer description using style, ingredients, and flavor vocabulary
Match three off-flavors to the stage in the supply chain where they most often arise
Your checkpoint
A one-page brewery-to-glass flavor-risk map naming at least three control measures at each stage of the chain.
Beer language, flavor words, and core beer styles & Beer service: glass preparation and proper pouring of draft and bottled beer & Beer handling and flavor protection after the beer leaves the brewery
Complete two timed 60-question practice tests and log every incorrect item
Re-explain each missed item in writing until the error log is closed
Rehearse the full pour and glass inspection sequence once more at speed
Recite style, service, and storage facts aloud without notes for a five-minute stretch
Your checkpoint
Two timed practice scores of at least 85% each, plus a closed error log in which every missed item has been rewritten as a correct statement.
Milestones
Week 2: Can state the draft line cleaning interval, tap a keg correctly, and name a cause and fix for flat, foamy, and off-aroma pours without notes.
Week 4: Scores at least 80% on a 30-question service and handling quiz and completes a full serve sequence from glass inspection to presentation unassisted.
Week 6: Names all six target off-flavors with cause and prevention, and correctly pairs eight style families to glassware and serving temperature.
Week 8: Scores at least 85% on two timed 60-question practice tests with a fully closed error log across all three domains.