CBI Apprentice case studies
CBI Apprentice · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The CBI Apprentice credential is an entry-level qualification for people starting out in brewing and brewery operations, whether you are aiming for a cellar, packaging or brewhouse role or simply want a structured grounding before applying. It is designed to test practical, everyday knowledge rather than advanced brewing science, so it suits new hires, career changers and enthusiastic homebrewers moving toward professional work. The CBI Apprentice case studies are 5 cases and about 4,770 words.
1Pale Ale Drift: High-Alkalinity Water or a Bad Malt Lot?
A 15-barrel brewhouse has made the same 5.2% ABV American pale ale for two years, but the last six batches have drifted. The beer tastes coarse and astringent, bitterness lingers harshly, color has crept from 6 SRM to 8 SRM, and apparent attenuation has fallen from 78% to 73%.
945 words, about 5 min2Stalled Stout at 1.026 with a Festival in Nine Days
A 30-barrel unitank holds a stout brewed to 1.058 OG, pitched four days ago with 6 kg of dry ale yeast rehydrated per the supplier's instructions. Gravity has sat at 1.026 for 72 hours at 60 °F; the glycol solenoid was found stuck open two days ago and has been reset.
852 words, about 4 min3Canned Pale Ale Staling While Kegs Stay Fresh
A 20-barrel canning run of a 5.0% hazy pale ale finished filling 2,400 twelve-ounce cans. The QA sheet shows dissolved oxygen at 8 ppb in the bright tank, 45 ppb in the filler bowl, and 110–180 ppb in canned product across six samples; the target is under 50 ppb.
931 words, about 5 min4Two Foamy Taps After a Line Change
A taproom pours 12 lines from a walk-in cooler held at 38 °F. Taps sit about 4 feet above the keg couplers.
981 words, about 5 min5Keg Washer Fails Titration, ATP, and Safety Checks on the Same Day
A brewery washes 200 half-barrel kegs a week on a two-head keg washer. The SOP calls for 2.0–2.5% caustic at 60 °C, a potable rinse, then 150–200 ppm peracetic acid, then a final potable rinse.
1,061 words, about 5 min