Holy smokes. So I thought I’d try to start studying for the BJCP written in hopes that sometime next year I might retest the tasting portion, and if I do well maybe take the written. I think I got some sticker shock when I realized that to score at the master level, among a multitude of other knowledge you must have, you also have to know OG, FG, IBU, SRM, hop aroma, malt aroma, fermentation aroma, appearance, hop malt and fermentation flavor, mouthfeel, historical significance, a classic example, and differences and similarities of 80 different beer styles.
I… aye yai yai… I’m going to try. But I’m not sure I’ve got the brain pan for this.
You only need to know the stats for the recipe questions, for the other styles it is not required.
Master is typically the top percent and a half. It’s a difficult level to achieve. National isn’t super easy, to get there is essentially top 10 percent.
And then if/when you actually do achieve the Master level score, you’re the lowly Master judge amongst a plethora of Grand Master xxx’s. :o And you basically start all over again (if you want to rank up again, that is).
I hear that getting your first GM is the hardest/longest. Kinda like when you start out investing/saving. The first big milestone is the hardest/longest to get to! ;D
The Masters don’t all necessarily know any of the 2015 crap. The ones who became Master level back like 15 years ago only had to learn like 50 styles. No big whoop compared to the plethora of 2015. There’s no requirement to re-certify every X years, not that I’m aware of… at least not yet. Might come later.
A few comments from someone studying for the written (took it once to just get an idea despite knowing I was woefully underprepped):
As far as the styles go, practice writing them out in the format expected on the test. That will help you learn them for both exams and should improve your general knowledge of the styles. You really only need to know the numerical stats for the recipe question currently. The style comparisons, you just need to know AAFMO, 1 commercial example, and how they’re similar/different.
If you don’t write by hand much, start practicing. You’re going to need to be able to get all the information onto the page in an organized manner. If you can’t get it out fast enough, it doesn’t matter how much you know. Write up your own answers to the questions, and refine them in advance. All the writing will help you drill it into your own head so you can relay it onto the page with much less pressure. My answers got progressively worse as my exam went on because I really wasn’t prepared for the writing part. By the time I got to the last ingredient question (water), I was completely glossing over lots of details because I suck at writing (never do it in daily course of activities) and time was running short.
According to many advanced judges I’ve talked to, the path to National is to teach the Tasting Exam class, and the path to Master is to grade exams. Seems legit.
Can confirm on the grading exams bit. For those who are exceptional test tasters (and that’s admittedly a huge caveat), a National score should only require study and diligence.
I’m “trying” if you use that word in the most vague sense. Sure, I’ll admin and proctor exams, but grading is one of my least favorite things to do. So it’ll probably be mid-2018 before I’ve graded enough exams to hit GM.
I think their point was that prepping to teach the class gives you a good enough grasp of the styles and scoresheets to get there (IOW, that’s the study and diligence they recommend).
To be honest I don’t even have interest in becoming a judge at all. It just doesn’t appeal to me for some reason. That being said I have a pretty busy life these days and the idea of studying for anything during my down time does not sound fun.
It ain’t that hard to get a GM ranking, just grade exams and when opportunities come to step up to the plate, step up to the plate.
More worthless info:
I have enough GMSR points, have graded enough exams, and have enough non-judging points for GMIII
I have enough judging points for GMI and will probably have enough for GMII before I get my written exam up
Neither of those get me off that 89 average taste/written
I did a practice run last night for kicks using APA. It took me 15 minutes to write, in narrative style, everything I knew about APA. Then I looked it over and realized I forgot stats and comparison.
So stats only on the recipe question? Just those 12 styles? Is that because you are describing the stats in narrative form in the style questions?
Does anyone know the percentage (odds) of getting a 95%? At my age I have to rely on smarts… I’m figuring I’ll be lucky to get an 80% on the tasting retake. That means I need a 95 on the written.
I totally agree that the way to make National is to teach the exam class, and the way to make Master is to grade exams (and keep trying). That was exactly how I did it.
I made my 90/90 at the end of 2010. We still had the legacy exam, but it was brutal, and it took me a several tries to get there. I am very thankful I don’t have to take it any more.
It’s not impossible, though, so hang in there. You can do it if you go in with a plan.
And Mike, I am in awe at your commitment. Thank you for all you have done for the BJCP over the years. I know you’ll get that point.
All possible questions/styles are listed in the exam study guide. Keep in mind that you’ll have to write out AAFM for 3 styles (not just one) and compare them for the two style-related questions you’ll get. All in about 17-18 minutes per question. You can list stats for the style questions if you want, but form grading, I’ve found that people often get them wrong. The style question doesn’t specifically ask you to list stats, it asks you to describe aroma, appearance, flavor and mouthfeel. The recipe question on the other hand, specifically asks you to provide stats. The study guide tells you exactly how the questions are graded and what % each part of the question is worth. Pay attention to that. People often short change or miss parts of the question that are worth significant points.
The odds of a 95+ are very, very low. The majority of master exams that reach the 90s, barely reach the 90s. From what I’ve seen, most of the exam scores in the mid or higher 90s were legacy exams from much earlier points in time.
Feel free to PM or email me if you want to talk more about the exam.
The highest written exam score ever was a 99 several years ago. Most who make it with their written are 93 or less with the majority being closer to 90.
At one time it was pretty rare to crest above 90 for the taste exam, but I know at least 5 National judges in NC who have a taste score of 90 or above.
Check out these links for some tips which might come in handy:
On my last attempt with the 2008 Guidelines I am confident my recipe got full marks. It took me 20 minutes of solid writing to get that on the page.
Well I’m certain my scoring ability has improved since my tasting test. And having the styles locked down will help that test as well. So maybe 91/91 will be my target. Honesty, if I came in at 81/81 I’d be happy. The biggest reason I’m doing this is so I can be more useful.
