The BJCP Beer Exams

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Overview

The BJCP Beer Judge Entrance Examination

The BJCP Beer Judge Entrance Examination consists of 180 questions to be answered in a 60 minute time period. There is mixture of multiple choice, true-false and multiple answer questions which are designed to test a prospective judge’s knowledge of beer styles, beer characteristics and the brewing process. This entrance exam must be passed to enable a prospective judge to take the BJCP Expanded Judging Examination. The key reference for the style-related questions is the BJCP Style Guidelines, and prospective judges are encouraged to become very familiar with this document before attempting the entrance exam. The 180 questions are drawn from a large pool of questions so each examination will potentially be different. The BJCP does not intend to publish the list of questions in the pool as that will invalidate the quality of the examination – a published pool would be too easy to query for answers without the examinee actually learning the material. The BJCP will monitor for questions that are made public and will work to remove said questions from the examination pool.

The BJCP Beer Judging Examination

The BJCP Beer Judging Examination is closed book and requires the judging of six beers as if one were at a competition, with the scoresheets evaluated on the basis of scoring accuracy, perception, descriptive ability, feedback and completeness. Grading is done by volunteer National and Master judges, with their scores and feedback reviewed by both a BJCP Associate Exam Director and a BJCP Exam Director. These reviews ensure that the scores from different exams and graders are consistent between different exams and with the criteria expected for the different judging levels.

The BJCP Beer Judge Written Proficiency Examination

The BJCP Beer Judge Written Proficiency Examination is closed book and consists of two sections. The first section tests familiarity with the BJCP and the judging process, consists of 20 true/false questions about judging and the organization. Correct answers earn no points, but each incorrect answer results in a 0.5 point deduction from the overall exam score. On the second section there are five essay questions; there are two questions covering beer styles, one is a recipe question, and two questions covering brewing techniques, with the latter focusing on the relationship of ingredients and the brewing process to flavors in the finished beer. The style questions ask for descriptions and comparisons of related beer styles, including information on the historical development, ingredients, style parameters, commercial examples and the brewing process. These questions are drawn from the same set of questions that was used for the essay portion of the BJCP Legacy Beer Examination. The questions in section two are each worth 20 percent of the total exam score. See the following two sections of this document for a list of the BJCP exam questions and an example of an answer with enough content and depth to receive a very high mark.

The exam is criteria-based, so if the essay questions are not answered correctly or do not contain enough information (a good rule of thumb is two pages per answer), then it will be difficult to get a passing score on the written portion. Similarly, if the descriptions and feedback on the beer scoresheets are weak, it will be difficult to pass the tasting portion. The recommended materials should therefore be read before the study sessions and reviewed along with the BJCP Study Guide before the exam. The style categories in the questions below are based on the BJCP Guidelines, which are also used by the AHA for its national homebrew competition.

The following is from the instructions to the BJCP exam. It clearly states what a complete answer to the typical exam question should contain.

For a passing score, beer style descriptions must include the aroma, appearance, flavor, and mouthfeel descriptions as in the BJCP Style Guidelines. If time permits, for maximum credit, a more complete answer should consider the history of the style, geography, commercial examples, style parameters, unique ingredients, and fermentation techniques and conditions. When a question asks for a classic commercial example of a style the correct answer is one of the styles listed in the BJCP Style Guidelines.

Although we have never had a real problem in this regard, it is BJCP policy to protect the integrity of the BJCP exam. Modern electronic devices make it too difficult for an exam administrator to be certain people aren’t cheating, so exam instructions now include the following:

Use of the following electronic devices are not allowed during the exam:

• Calculators, except for basic four-function models
• Pagers
• PDAs
• Laptop or desktop computers
• Cell phones (In case of an emergency, phones may be left with the Administrator with instructions for answering.)
• Walkman/iPod or other listening devices
• Headphones of any type

Examinees with any special needs are required to contact the Exam Director to work out specific procedures a minimum of 6 weeks in advance of the exam date

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BJCP Exam Questions

Beer Judge Entrance Examination

BJCP Program and Ethics

Twenty questions on each online exam are randomly selected from the 124 True/False questions and accompanying answers that are listed in the BJCP Study Guide. Given that these questions pertain to the program that aspiring judges want to join, there is little excuse for missing any of these questions. The examinee should also be able to answer these questions fairly quickly, which leaves more time to answer the questions on beer styles and the impact of the brewing process on beer characteristics.

Question Types and Categories

The remaining 160 questions on each exam focus on beer styles (57.5%), beer characteristics (22.5%), and processes and ingredients (20%). The content of these questions is based on the questions that appeared on the essay portion of the legacy BJCP exam and now form the base for the BJCP Written Proficiency Exam. The breakdown of the question types is:

• True/False (TF): 92
• Multiple Choice (MC): 54
• Multiple Answer (MA): 24

The table below presents a more detailed breakdown of the question types and categories that are used to select the questions that appear on each randomly-generated online exam.

	Subcategory	TF	MC	MA
BJCP	BJCP Program and Ethics	20
Beer Styles	Belgian and Sour Ales	4	4
	Brown and Dark Ales	8	4
	English and American Ales	4	4
	Lagers	8	4
	Wheat Beers	4
	IPAs and Strong Ales	4
	Pale Ale Comparison	6
	Dark Ale Comparison	6
	Lager Comparison	6
	Mixed Style Comparison	6	8	12
Technical	Beer Characteristics	24	12
	Process and Ingredients	12	8	12

It’s helpful to analyze these question counts to indicate what level of preparation is needed to pass the exam. If all of the BJCP Program questions are answered correctly, then completely random guesses on the TF (50% probability) and MC (20% probability with five possible answers) will yield an overall score of (20+46+11)/180 = 43%. While we do occasionally see scores at this level or lower, random guessing is not a viable strategy for passing an open-book exam. However, it does illustrate that random guessing can propel an examinee to 2/3 of the score required for passing.

With a reasonable amount of study, prospective judges should be able to narrow down the answers to most of the MC questions to two possibilities (50% probability if guessing) and improve the success rate on the TF questions to 75%. These adjustments correspond to an overall score of just over 64%, which is exactly what is needed to pass the entrance exam. Also remember that the entrance exam is open-book, which means that the BJCP Style Guidelines and the BJCP Study Guide can be accessed during the exam to narrow down the number of possible answers. However, attempting to take the entrance exam without a reasonable amount of preparation will force the examinees to spend too much time thumbing through the references to find the correct answers. This approach will likely not provide them with enough time to attempt to answer all 180 questions on the exam.

Each exam also includes Multiple-Choice-Multiple-Answer questions, which all begin with the phrase “Check all that apply.” There are only 24 questions of this type on each online exam, so it is quite easy to pass without even reading or answering them (which is one possible strategy). But many prospective judges enjoy the challenge of trying to answer questions which require more thought, and we include them on the entrance exam because one purpose of an exam is to test what is not known or understood. Closing these gaps will help prospective judges be better prepared for the BJCP Beer Judging Exam. In terms of exam-taking strategy, the wording to the correct answer to the MA questions relating to beer styles is closely matched to the BJCP Style Guidelines, and the incorrect answers include one or more characteristics which are regarded as stylistic flaws.

Questions on Beer Styles

The questions on beer styles are based on the first 26 styles in the 2021 BJCP Beer Style Guidelines, so the Historical, Smoked, and other beers in styles 27-34 do not need to be part of the study materials. The exam questions also focus on the styles that are more common in homebrew competitions as well as those that frequently served during the BJCP Beer Judging Exam. Three examples of the questions on beer styles are given below and should be straight-forward to answer for those who have some familiarity with the descriptions presented in the BJCP Beer Style Guidelines.

• (TF) Light malt sweetness is part of the flavor profile of a Belgian Blond Ale
• (TF) Diacetyl in a British Brown Ale is acceptable due to the yeast strain
• (TF) Decoction mash is the preferred brewing method for Dunkles Bock

The MC questions on beer styles, like the one given below, usually have one answer that is fairly obvious given the information in the BJCP Style Guidelines. The phrase “most appropriate” is also a key piece of information for this particular question.

• (MC) The hops most appropriate for Strong Bitter are: (a) Kent Goldings and Fuggles, (b) Styrian Goldings and Saaz, (c) Cascade, (d) Hallertauer and Tettnanger, or (e) Any low alpha acid varieties

Questions on Beer Characteristics

Most of these questions should be quickly answered by prospective judges who have a basic knowledge of the origin and control of the flavor descriptors that are listed on the left side of the BJCP Beer Scoresheet. It’s also helpful to know which styles are permitted to exhibit some of the common flavor characteristics such as diacetyl, DMS, and astringency. Examples of TF and MC questions are given below to illustrate that one does NOT need to be a microbiologist to correctly answer the technical questions on the Entrance Exam.

• (TF) Beer that is light in body is thick and chewy
• (TF) Smoky is a flavor or aroma associated with phenols
• (TF) All IPA styles should have a harsh, hop-derived astringency
• (MC) A beer with a notable green apple aroma most likely has which flaw? (a) DMS, (b) Phenolics, (c) Acetaldehyde, (d) Tannins, or (e) Fusel alcohols

Questions on Ingredients and the Brewing Process

As with the questions on Beer Characteristics, the information needed to answer these questions can be found in the BJCP Study Guide or the references listed above. These questions are directed at aspects of the brewing process that impact beer characteristics, and knowing this linkage is sometimes useful when providing feedback to the brewer when judging. A few examples of TF and MC questions are provided below:

• (TF) All-grain brewers can decrease the body of their beer by increasing the mash saccharification temperature
• (TF) Weissbier yeast are typically lager strains
• (TF) Chloramines used to inhibit bacterial growth can produce off-flavors if not removed
• (MC) The typical duration of lagering is: (a) Two to six weeks, (b) Two to six hours, (c) Two to six days, (d) Two to six months, or (e) Two to six years

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Beer Judge Written Proficiency Examination

The written proficiency examination consists of two sections: the BJCP ethics, levels and judging process section, and the essay portion. The questions below can be found in the BJCP Beer Exam Study Guide. 

Questions on BJCP Ethics, Levels and the Judging Process

The questions in this section are remedial for a BJCP judge eligible to take the BJCP Beer Judge Written Proficiency Examination. Any judge National or higher judge should know this material. It should take almost no time to answer these questions. You get no additional credit for getting the answers correct but you can lose up to 10% of your essay score if you get them all wrong. These questions based on the BJCP Judging Procedures Manual and the details on the requirements for the BJCP Judging Ranks. Each individual question answered incorrectly subtracts the equivalent of 0.5% from your total score, yielding a 10% deduction for a completely failing all 20 questions. We expect senior BJCP judges of the type eligible to take the BJCP Beer Judge Written Proficiency Examination to know this material, thus the penalty scoring. The 20 questions are drawn from the following pool of true/false questions:

Number	Answer	Question
1	T	A competition organizer may serve as the judge director and may also serve as a judge, provided this person has no knowledge of the association between entries and entrants [1].
2	T	A competition’s judge director may serve as a judge, provided this person has no knowledge of the association between entries and entrants.
3	T	A competition organizer may serve as the judge director, provided this person has no knowledge of the association between entries and entrants.
4	F	A competition’s judge director may not serve as a judge, even if this person has no knowledge of the association between entries and entrants.
5	F	A competition organizer may not serve as a judge, even if this person has no knowledge of the association between entries and entrants.
6	T	A competition’s judge director may serve as the competition organizer and may also serve as a judge, provided this person has no knowledge of the association between entries and entrants.
7	T	An individual with knowledge of the association between entries and entrants may not serve as a judge.
8	F	A member of the competition staff with access to information that associates entries with entrants may serve as a judge, provided this person does not divulge information about entries and entrants to other judges.
9	T	The “head” judge at a table should try to tutor apprentice or lower-rank judges if time permits.
10	F	The steward at the table has sole responsibility for completing the Cover Sheets for beers in each flight.
11	T	The “head” judge at the table has sole responsibility for completing the Cover Sheets for beers in each flight.
12	T	The “head” judge at a table should fill out Cover Sheets for beers in his or her flight as directed by the competition management.
13	F	The “head” judge at a table has no responsibility for filling out Cover Sheets for beers in his or her flight unless directed to do so by the competition management.
14	T	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 Sheets to the steward.
15	T	The “head” judge, with the agreement of the steward, may delegate filling in of the Cover Sheets for beers in his or her flight to the steward.
16	F	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.
17	T	If possible, there should be at least one BJCP-ranked judge in every flight.
18	T	When Non-BJCP judges evaluate entries in a competition, each Non-BJCP judge should be paired with a BJCP judge.
19	T	Non-BJCP judges may only evaluate entries if authorized by the judge director, and Non-BJCP judges should be paired with BJCP judges when possible.
20	T	To reduce stray odors and flavors present, beverages and foods other than water, bread or crackers should not be brought to the judging table.
21	F	It is acceptable to bring food items other than bread, crackers, and water to the judging table.
22	F	You must filter out strong scents from fellow judges or the environment from your mind rather than discussing the problem with the competition organizer.
23	T	Strong scents from the environment or other judges or stewards should be brought to the attention of the competition organizer.
24	F	Because entries cannot have any identifying marks, it is OK for a judge to judge beers in a category he or she has entered.
25	T	If a judge is assigned to judge a category that he/she has entered, that judge should ask the competition organizer to reassign him/her to another category.
26	F	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 organizer.
27	F	Judges should not review the style being judged from the BJCP Style Guidelines while at the judging table prior to judging that style.
28	T	Judges may invite stewards to taste the beers in a flight, if there’s enough sample to share.
29	T	It is acceptable to change the order in which you judge the beers on your flight sheet from how it was printed.
30	F	Beers must be evaluated in the sequence specified on the flight sheet.
31	F	If you have eaten spicy or greasy food within a few hours prior to judging, you should use mouthwash or antiseptic rinse before judging.
32	T	You should avoid eating spicy or greasy food within a few hours prior to judging.
33	T	Spicy or greasy foods should be avoided prior to a judging event because they can reduce a judge’s sensitivity to the aromas and flavors of beer.
34	T	Perfumed shampoos and colognes should be avoided prior to a judging event because they can reduce a judge’s sensitivity to the aromas of beer.
35	F	It is a good idea to take a decongestant prior to a judging event to increase your sensitivity to the aromas of beer.
36	F	Calibrations beers are selected to be the standard against which entries should be judged.
37	T	It is the responsibility of the “head” judge, in consultation with the other judges in a flight, to assign a consensus score to each entry.
38	F	It is not necessary for scores produced by the judges on a panel to be within seven points (or less if directed by the competition director) of each other.
39	T	After discussing the initial scores, judges should adjust their final scores to be within seven points (or less if directed by the competition director).
40	T	Judges must adjust their scores to be within seven points (or less if directed by the competition director) of each other as part of developing a consensus score for the beer.
41	T	The consensus score assigned to the beer is not necessarily an average score.
42	T	When judging, It is important to evaluate entries quickly and also complete the score sheets thoroughly and completely..
43	T	On average, experienced judges should be able to completely evaluate a beer, including arriving at a consensus, in 10 minutes.
44	F	When there is a discrepancy in the scores for a given beer, the lower-ranked judges should yield to the opinion of the highest ranked BJCP judge at the table.
45	T	It is acceptable to remove offensive smelling entries from the judging table after they have been evaluated.
46	F	A judge must disqualify an entry if the bottle has raised lettering or the cap has identifying marks.
47	F	A judge may disqualify an entry if it has an improper bottle or cap.
48	T	Only the judge director or competition organizer can disqualify an entry.
49	T	The results of the bottle inspection does not affect the scoring.
50	T	Snide or rude comments are unacceptable on scoresheets.
51	T	Pour each entry in a manner that gives it its optimum appearance, keeping in mind that some entries may be over- or under-carbonated.
52	F	When you suspect an entry has been placed in the wrong flight based on the style being judged, you should request that it be judged in a different flight instead.
53	T	When you suspect an entry has been placed in the wrong flight based on the style being judged, you should consult with the judge director or competition organizer.
54	T	Sniff the entry immediately after pouring to ensure proper evaluation of volatile aromatics.
55	F	There is no need to sniff the aroma immediately after pouring the entry into the glass.
56	T	Judges should complete the evaluation of each entry before moving on to the next.
57	F	It is not necessary to offer any feedback for improvement if you score a beer above 40.
58	T	It is common practice to refrain from sharing your thoughts while judging a beer until the other judges have completed their scoresheet.
59	F	If you are very familiar with a beer style, it is preferable to disregard the BJCP Style Guidelines and rely on your personal expertise instead.
60	F	If rushed, it’s acceptable to write only comments and an overall score on a scoresheet, leaving the scores for the subsections blank.
61	F	If rushed, it’s acceptable to write only 1-2 comments on a scoresheet as long as the numeric score is filled out.
62	F	If a beer is a “gusher” or has an unpleasant aroma upon opening, a judge may assign a courtesy score of 13 without tasting and commenting on the characteristics of the beer.
63	T	All beers should be tasted and scored, even if they are “gushers” or have an unpleasant aroma upon opening.
64	F	It is appropriate to penalize the entrant if the beer is not served at the proper temperature.
65	T	If the beers are not served at the proper temperature, judges should work with the competition staff to resolve the problem.
66	F	In each section of a scoresheet, you should only comment upon the most prominent features of each entry, not subtle characteristics.
67	F	Judges’ comments must not include phrases like “if you used ..”
68	F	Judges’ comments must not include phrases like “did you ..”
69	T	Judges’ comments must include a complete evaluation of the sensory aspects of the entry and how those aspects relate to the style guidelines.
70	T	Judges’ comments should be constructive and reflect knowledge of the brewing, fermentation, bottling, and handling process.
71	T	Judges’ comments need to provide information on how to improve the entry as warranted.
72	T	Scores should not be assigned to the aroma section immediately because the entry’s aroma profile may change over time.
73	F	Each section must be scored with a number prior to writing any comments, to best capture your first impressions.
74	F	To assure objectivity, you should never write your full name or put contact information on the scoresheet.
75	T	You should write your full name and judging rank on each scoresheet.
76	T	You should always fill out the “Style Scales” on the scoresheet, as a good check against your scores.
77	F	You should use the “Overall Impression” section of the scoresheet to refer to how the entry compares to other entries in the flight.
78	T	You should use the “Overall Impression” section of the scoresheet to comment on how much you enjoyed the entry or provide suggestions for how to improve the beer.
79	T	A score in the “Outstanding” range is reserved for entries that not only lack flaws but also have the hard-to-define “extraordinary” character that great beers have.
80	F	The courteous lower limit for scores assigned to “Problematic” beers is 6 points, with one point for each section of the scoresheet.
81	T	The courteous lower limit for scores assigned to “Problematic” beers is 13 points.
82	F	If judges require more pours than one bottle to judge an entry, the “head” judge should ask the steward to request a second bottle from the cellar master [2].
83	F	It is preferable to use ink on scoresheets so that your scores and comments cannot be altered by contest personnel.
84	T	It is preferable to use mechanical pencils, rather than wooden pencils, on scoresheets so that wood odors do not interfere with beer aromas.
85	T	It is acceptable to request a second bottle to give the entry a fair chance at an accurate judging if a beer is a “gusher” or tastes infected.
86	T	Entrants may contact the judge, the competition director, or their BJCP Regional Representative if they are dissatisfied with any aspect of their scoresheets.
87	T	When your flight has finished, you should avoid having conversations that might distract other judges who have not yet finished their flights.
88	F	When your flight has finished, it is acceptable to visit other flights still in progress to see how beers you have entered are faring.
89	T	Because it may have been entered by a person in the room, it is polite to refrain from publicly deriding a “problem” beer that you have scored during a competition.
90	T	Judges from outside the table should not be consulted on a beer unless the judges at the table cannot reach a consensus score, and then only if they all agree to the consultation.
91	F	BJCP Apprentice judges have not yet taken the BJCP Beer Judging Exam.
92	T	Novice is not an official BJCP judge rank.
93	T	One can obtain the BJCP Recognized rank without acquiring judging experience points.
94	T	One can obtain the BJCP Recognized rank without acquiring non-judging experience points.
95	T	To become a BJCP Certified judge, it is sufficient to pass the Entrance Exam, score at least 70% on the Beer Judging Exam and earn 5 judging points.
96	F	To become a BJCP Certified judge, it is sufficient to pass the Entrance Exam, score at least 70% on the Beer Judging Exam and earn 5 experience points.
97	F	The maximum score on the Beer Judging Exam for the BJCP Certified rank is 79%.
98	F	To become a BJCP National judge, it is sufficient to score 80% on the Beer Judging Exam and accumulate 20 experience points.
99	F	To become a BJCP National judge, it is sufficient to score 80% on the Beer Judging Exam and accumulate 20 experience points, with at least half of them from judging.
100	F	One can obtain the BJCP National rank without acquiring judging experience points.
101	T	One can obtain the BJCP National rank without acquiring non-judging experience points.
102	F	BJCP Master judges must have a minimum score of 90% on the combined written and tasting exams and at least 40 judging points.
103	F	BJCP Master judges must score at least 90% on the combined written and tasting exams and earn at least 50 experience points, with at least half of them from judging.
104	F	The maximum score on the combined written and tasting exams for the BJCP National rank is 89%.
105	F	BJCP Master judges must score at least 90% on the combined written and tasting exams and fulfill a Grand Master Service Requirement.
106	F	BJCP Grand Master judges must score at least 95% on the combined written and tasting exams.
107	T	BJCP Grand Master judges must score at least 90% on the combined written and tasting exams.
108	T	Each additional BJCP Grand Master level requires an additional 100 experience points.
109	T	BJCP Honorary Grand Master judges do not have to take the BJCP exam.
110	F	The BJCP Honorary Grand Master rank is bestowed upon professional brewers when they judge at homebrew competitions.
111	T	Honorary Master is a temporary rank bestowed on operatives of the BJCP.
112	T	The BJCP Grand Master rank requires the same minimum score on the combined written and tasting exams as the Master rank.
113	F	The BJCP Grand Master rank requires the same minimum experience points as the Master rank.
114	F	The only difference in requirements between the BJCP Master and Grand Master ranks is that the Grand Master rank requires a GMSR.
115	T	Each BJCP Grand Master level has additional requirements for exam grading.
116	T	A BJCP Grand Master Service Requirement can be fulfilled by grading exams.
117	F	A BJCP Grand Master Service Requirement can be fulfilled by organizing competitions.
118	F	A BJCP Grand Master Service Requirement can be fulfilled just by serving on the BJCP Board.
119	T	At least one-half of the experience points required for any BJCP judge rank must be from judging.
120	F	Judging at homebrew competitions is the only way to earn BJCP judging points.
121	T	BJCP judges can earn non-judging experience points for participating in BJCP Continuing Education Program activities.
122	T	Judging experience points can only be earned by judging in a competition or proctoring a BJCP exam.
123	F	Stewards at homebrew competitions earn BJCP judging points if they taste the beers with the judges.
124	T	Stewards at homebrew competitions earn BJCP experience points.
[1] But the competition organizer can NOT receive judging experience points if they serve as a judge.
[2] The emphasis here is on learning to judge a beer with just a few ounces in your glass. Obviously, for a gusher you would request a second bottle if it was available but you should not ask for an additional bottle just because you are pouring too much.

 

The Essay Portion of the Written Proficiency Examination

The remainder of the written portion of the exam consists of five essay questions, each worth 20% of the total essay score. They will be two Style questions, one question relating to Recipe formulation and execution, a question on Beer Characteristics and one question on Ingredients and the Brewing Process.

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Beer Style Questions

For the style-related questions, the grading rubric for each answer is explicit in the exam question. The questions have the form:

S0. Describe, compare and contrast these three styles: style-1, style-2, and style-3. Your answer should address the following topics:

50%	Describe the aroma, appearance, flavor and mouthfeel of each style according to the current BJCP Beer Style Guidelines.
40%	Compare and contrast the three styles based on aspects such as ingredients, characteristics (e.g., aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, vital statistics, etc.), and background information (e.g., history, brewing processes, fermentation techniques, serving methods, etc.) that distinguish each style.
10%	For each of the styles, name one classic commercial example as listed in the current BJCP Style Guidelines.

The style groupings for question S0 are drawn from the following list. The ID column is for internal use and does not appear on the exam. When the exam is updated and a pairing is deleted, the ID is not reused, and new pairings are assigned new IDs.

ID	Style-1	Style-2	Style-3
1	American Amber Ale	American Brown Ale	American Pale Ale
2	American Amber Ale	American Pale Ale	California Common
3	American Barleywine	Double IPA	English Barleywine
4	American Barleywine	English Barleywine	Wee Heavy
5	American Barleywine	Old Ale	Wee Heavy
6	American Brown Ale	American Pale Ale	California Common
7	American Brown Ale	British Brown Ale	Dark Mild
8	Pairing removed
9	American IPA	Double IPA	English IPA
10	American Pale Ale	Belgian Pale Ale	Strong Bitter
11	American Pale Ale	English Barleywine	Wee Heavy
12	American Stout	Foreign Extra Stout	Irish Stout
13	American Stout	Irish Stout	Oatmeal Stout
14	American Stout	American Porter	Irish Stout
15	American Stout	Irish Stout	Sweet Stout
16	American Stout	Foreign Extra Stout	Oatmeal Stout
17	American Porter	American Stout	Foreign Extra Stout
18	American Stout	Foreign Extra Stout	Sweet Stout
19	Pairing removed
20	Pairing removed
21	American Wheat Beer	Lambic	Weissbier
22	American Wheat Beer	Weissbier	Witbier
23	Baltic Porter	Belgian Dark Strong Ale	Imperial Stout
24	Belgian Blond Ale	Belgian Dubbel	Belgian Tripel
25	Belgian Blond Ale	Belgian Golden Strong Ale	Belgian Tripel
26	Belgian Blond Ale	Belgian Pale Ale	Saison
27	Belgian Dark Strong Ale	Double IPA	Wee Heavy
28	Belgian Dark Strong Ale	Belgian Dubbel	Weizenbock
29	Belgian Pale Ale	Bière de Garde	Saison
30	Berliner Weisse	Flanders Red Ale	Lambic
31	Berliner Weisse	Gueuze	Lambic
32	Berliner Weisse	Weissbier	Witbier
33	Pairing removed
34	Bière de Garde	California Common	International Amber Lager
35	Blonde Ale	Cream Ale	Kölsch
36	Pairing removed
37	Czech Premium Pale Lager	German Pils	International Pale Lager
38	American Lager	Czech Premium Pale Lager	German Pils
39	American Porter	English Porter	Irish Stout
40	Pairing removed
41	British Brown Ale	English Porter	Munich Dunkel
42	English Porter	Munich Dunkel	Schwarzbier
43	Pairing removed
44	California Common	Irish Red Ale	Märzen
45	Pairing removed
46	Cream Ale	Kölsch	Munich Helles
47	International Dark Lager	Munich Dunkel	Schwarzbier
48	Doppelbock	Eisbock	Helles Bock
49	Doppelbock	Dunkles Bock	Eisbock
50	Doppelbock	Dunkles Bock	Helles Bock
51	Doppelbock	Dunkles Bock	Weizenbock
52	German Pils	German Helles Exportbier	Munich Helles
53	Foreign Extra Stout	Irish Stout	Sweet Stout
54	American Porter	Irish Stout	Schwarzbier
55	Pairing removed
56	Dunkles Weissbier	Weissbier	Weizenbock
57	Altbier	International Amber Lager	Irish Red Ale
58	Altbier	International Amber Lager	Märzen
59	Altbier	Best Bitter	Märzen
60	Altbier	Märzen	Vienna Lager
61	Dunkles Bock	Eisbock	Helles Bock
62	English Barleywine	Imperial Stout	Wee Heavy
63	English Barleywine	Old Ale	Wee Heavy
64	Flanders Red Ale	Lambic	Oud Bruin
65	American Porter	Baltic Porter	Foreign Extra Stout
66	American Porter	Foreign Extra Stout	Sweet Stout
67	Fruit Lambic	Gueuze	Lambic
68	German Pils	Munich Helles	Schwarzbier
69	International Amber Lager	Irish Red Ale	Märzen
70	American Lager	American Light Lager	International Pale Lager
71	Dark Mild	Ordinary Bitter	Scottish Light
72	Pairing removed
73	Munich Helles	Munich Dunkel	Märzen
74	Munich Helles	Märzen	Vienna Lager
75	Best Bitter	International Amber Lager	Märzen
76	Dunkles Bock	Märzen	Rauchbier
77	Scottish Export	Scottish Heavy	Wee Heavy
78	Dark Mild	Scottish Heavy	Scottish Light
79	Scottish Export	Scottish Heavy	Scottish Light
80	Ordinary Bitter	Scottish Heavy	Scottish Light
81	Scottish Heavy	Scottish Light	Wee Heavy
82	Scottish Export	Scottish Light	Wee Heavy
83	Pairing removed
84	Best Bitter	Ordinary Bitter	Strong Bitter
85	Lambic	Weissbier	Witbier
86	Dunkles Bock	Märzen	Munich Dunkel
87	American Lager	American Wheat Beer	Cream Ale
88	American Light Lager	Czech Pale Lager	German Leichtbier
89	Festbier	Helles Bock	Munich Helles
90	Czech Amber Lager	Dunkles Bock	Märzen
91	American Pale Ale	Best Bitter	British Golden Ale
92	Australian Sparkling Ale	Best Bitter	British Golden Ale
93	Foreign Extra Stout	Irish Extra Stout	Irish Stout
94	Foreign Extra Stout	Sweet Stout	Tropical Stout
95	British Strong Ale	English Barleywine	Old Ale
96	American IPA	Belgian Golden Strong Ale	Belgian IPA
97	Pairing removed
98	Pairing removed
99	Pairing removed
100	Pairing removed
101	Pairing removed
102	Pairing removed
103	Pairing removed
104	Pairing removed
105	American Barleywine	American Strong Ale	Double IPA
106	Belgian Tripel	German Pils	Belgian Single
107	Czech Amber Lager	International Amber Lager	Vienna
108	Czech Pale Lager	Czech Premium Pale Lager	German Pils
109	American Barleywine	American Wheat Beer	Wheatwine
110	American Porter	American Stout	Imperial Stout

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Recipe and Procedure Question

T14. Provide a complete ALL-GRAIN recipe and procedure for brewing a(n) <STYLE*>. Please use the table below to help organize your response.

15%	Style Description: Provide a brief description of the of the target style according to the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines.
15%	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%	List the ingredients, explain why they are appropriate for target style, provide their quantities, and explain how the quantities were calculated.
30%	Discuss the complete brewing procedure from mashing through packaging, and give style-based reasoning to support each aspect of the process.

*Styles may include:

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Beer Characteristic Questions

T1. Describe and discuss the following beer characteristics: a) characteristic-1, b) characteristic-2, and c) characteristic-3. Your answer should address the following topics:

30%	Describe each characteristic and how it is perceived.
40%	Identify the causes and controls for each characteristic.
30%	Identify styles in which each characteristic is appropriate and inappropriate.

Choices will be drawn from:

T3. What are body and mouthfeel? Explain how the brewer controls body and mouthfeel in the beer, addressing the following topics:

40%	Define body, describe how is it perceived, discuss how the brewer controls the body of the beer, and provide examples of styles in which is is desirable to have a light or full body.
45%	List three aspects of Mouthfeel (excluding Body), describe how they are perceived, and discuss how the brewer can control these characteristics.
15%	Provide examples of styles in which each of these three Mouthfeel characteristics is appropriate.

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Ingredients Questions

T4. Discuss hops and their role in determining beer flavor and aroma. Your answer should address the following topics:

30%	Describe hop characteristics and their impact on beer flavor and aroma.
30%	Discuss how the hop characteristics are extracted.
40%	Identify five distinct beer styles with which specific or historical varieties are associated.

T8. Discuss the importance of water in the brewing process. Your answer should address the following topics:

20%	Discuss two characteristics of water that are important for the brewing process.
20%	Summarize two methods brewers use to adjust and control the pH of their brewing water.
60%	Discuss how the mineral content of the water played a role in the development of four world beer styles.

T15. Discuss the role of malt and yeast in determining beer characteristics. Your answer should address the following topics:

45%	Identify and describe different types of malts by their colors and the flavors they impart to the beer.
20%	List four distinct beer styles with which specific malts are associated.
35%	List five distinct yeast strain selection considerations and describe their impact on the finished beer.

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Brewing Process Questions

T9. Define these brewing techniques and discuss their effects on the finished beer: a) kräusening, b) adding gypsum, and c) fining.

30%	Kräusening
30%	Adding gypsum
40%	Fining

T11. Define diastatic and proteolytic enzymes, discuss their roles in the brewing process and describe how they affect the characteristics of the finished beer.

20%	Define each enzyme.
40%	Discuss their roles in the brewing process.
40%	Discuss how they impact the characteristics of the finished beer.

T13. Discuss the mashing process. Your answer should address the following topics:

50%	Explain what happens in the mashing process, including times and temperatures as appropriate.
30%	Identify and describe three mashing techniques.
20%	Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each of the mashing techniques identified.

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Example of a Complete Answer

Question: Describe and differentiate Abbey and Trappist beers. Give commercial examples of each[1].

Answer: The primary difference between Abbey and Trappist beers is that the latter is an appellation which restricts its production to the seven Trappist monasteries in the Low Countries. They are Chimay, Orval, Achel, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren in Belgium and Schaapskooi in the Netherlands. Abbey beers on the other hand, are brewed either at non-Trappist monasteries or by commercial breweries to which Abbeys have licensed their names. Commercial examples of these include Affligem, Leffe and Grimbergen.

Both Abbey and Trappist breweries are best known for the Belgian Dubbel and Tripel styles. The former is a moderately strong, flavorful beer with an OG in the 1.062-75 range, 6-7.6% alcohol, and enough hop bitterness to balance – approximately 15-25 IBUs. The color is generally deep ruby to brown, with caramelized candi sugar syrup or other unrefined sugars providing much of the color. The flavor is dominated by a rich malty sweet character with notes of chocolate, toast and/or caramel. It typically has moderate fruity esters reminiscent of plums, raisins and black currents and sometimes notes of bubble-gum, banana or red apple. The alcohol provides a supporting role, and should be soft without any hot or solvent character.

Belgian Tripels are much paler in color at 4-7 SRM, but have higher OG (1.075-85) and alcohol levels (7.5-9 %). The malts used are almost entirely pilsner, with light candi sugar syrup or pale adjuncts used to increase the alcohol content and prevent the beer from being too cloying. Hop rates are higher at 20-40 IBUs to balance the higher OG, and this style often has a low to moderate spicy or floral noble hop flavor and aroma. The fermentation character is more assertive in this style than in Dubbels and includes low to moderate phenols that provide spicy, peppery notes. The esters typically provide citrus notes and sometimes a slight banana character. The alcohol level can be as high as 9%, but the flavor should be soft and subtle without any hot or solvent character. Westmalle Dubbel and Tripel are classic examples of these styles.

Some Trappist breweries also produce beers which would better fit into the Belgian Dark Strong category due to high ester levels or unusual brewing procedures. These include Chimay Grande Réserve, Rochefort 8 and 10, and Westvleteren 12 – all of which have very distinctive signatures from the yeast. One of the most unusual beers in Belgium is made by Orval and is the only (readily available) beer brewed by that monastery. It has a moderate gravity in the 1.055-60 range, is dry hopped with Styrian Goldings and undergoes a secondary fermentation with a mixture of five yeast strains that includes Brettanomyces. As the beer ages, the flavors become more complex, picking up leathery/oaky and even phenolic notes from the yeast.

[1] This question is NOT used on the exam.

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