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The purpose of the Beer Judge Certification Program is to promote beer literacy and the appreciation of real beer, and to recognize beer tasting and evaluation skills. We certify and rank beer judges through an examination and monitoring process.
The BJCP was founded in 1985 and has administered the Beer Judge Examination to 6,137 individuals worldwide. 3,648 are currently active judges in the program, with 563 holding the rank of National or higher. Since we started keeping detailed records, our members have judged over 636,321 beers and we have sanctioned over 4,512 competitions. For the current year, 83 exams have been registered. Exams have been given to 248 examinees. Organizers have registered 358 competitions. More detailed statistics can be found in the Database Reports section of the website. |
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Help Wanted: Education Director
Kristen England, our Education Director, has resigned to focus more time on a professional brewing endeavor. The BJCP is seeking a qualified replacement to lead education and training activities. The prospective candidate should be a National or higher ranked judge, and have available time and interest to do the job. We are asking that candidates develop a three-year plan for the program and send the information to the Education Director for review. The BJCP board will make the final selection.
You will be able to create staff positions and have control of a budget for eductional development. There are some ongoing administrative tasks that must be done, but most of the work is focused on new projects and programs. Don't feel constrained by what has been attempted before. We are willing to have an arbitrarily large educational staff if they have work to do and someone to manage the effort.
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Want to Judge in the UK?
If any judges are in the UK on September 3rd, please help out the UK National Homebrew Competition. For the first time, the UK National will run under BJCP rules and this is the first open BJCP competition to be held in the UK. The number of BJCP judges in the UK is still relatively small (but all passed the first exam held earlier this year – congrats, mates!) but many are interested in learning. If you can help out, contact organizer Ali Kocho-Williams.
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New Embroidered Merchandise Now Available
Through a competitive process, the BJCP has selected Budd Bay Promotions & Apparel as our new supplier of BJCP-logo embroidered goods. Please check out the new online store.
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BJCP Elections
Elections are complete and the results have been certified. Incumbents won in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. The South and West regions were uncontested. Please see our Election Center page for the full details.
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New Exam Program Announced
The BJCP Board, with full support of the Exam Directors, unaminously approved a new structure for the BJCP Exam Program. The key feature of the new program is a new introductory exam, which will allow new members to quickly become qualified as judges. Changes to existing exams will also be made. Full details are in the approved proposal.
The current program remains in effect until the new exam question pool is complete, and the new format field tested. We expect this project to take at least until the end of 2011 to finish, but it has advanced far enough to be formally announced. More information will be released as the project completes internal milestones.
This is an informational announcement only. Current and prospective judges should continue interacting with the exam program under existing rules and procedures until the new program is formally launched.
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New Mobile App
Blackberry users: you now have a set of the style guidelines available on your device. Check out the Style Center for more details.
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Discounted Off Flavor Kits Available
Last January, the BJCP board approved making discounted off-flavor kits available to members. We are now ready to launch that program. Any active BJCP member holding the rank of Recognized or higher may purchase one off-flavor kit a year for the price of US$50 (shipping included). This is the same kit provided to organizers of exam preparation classes. Each kit can easily provide samples for 20-30 people, so they are best used in large groups. See the CEP Kits Page for more details on the contents.
To order a kit, use the our Kit Ordering web application. You must authenticate using the BJCP portal, and pay for the kit using PayPal. The ordering process is similar to that used for BJCP Name Badges. Orders will be consolidated monthly and submitted to Siebel for fulfillment. Please order at least two months in advance of when you need the kit. Kits have a finite shelf-life, so don't keep them around indefinitely.
This initiative is funded through our Continuing Education Program. Details may be changed in the future depending on available funds and demand. Please provide feedback to the BJCP Education Director or your Regional Representative.
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New Exam Policies Announced
The Exam Directors, with the concurrence of the BJCP Board of Directors, have changed the policy regarding examinations being returned to examinees. The new policy authorizes Exam Administrators to make copies of the exams to return to the examinees once it is confirmed that the originals have been received by the BJCP. This policy applies to new exams only (after August 15, 2010); older exams will not be returned. The BJCP will not make copies or return exams directly; it is the responsibility of the individual Exam Administrators. Expenses are covered by the increased funding alloted to administrators earlier this year.
The Exam Directors have also clarified the policy regarding exam proctors. Proctors must be active judges who are currently capable of producing National-level scoresheets. Exam administrators can find current lists of active national and master judges online. If the Exam Administrator is unable to find at least two proctors meeting these requirements, he must contact the Exam Directors to get advance approval to use alternative proctors. Certified-ranked judges who have scored at the National level on the tasting portion of the exam are usually acceptable, but must be pre-approved.
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Exam Scheduling Policy Updated Again
Effective immediately, the Exam Directors have changed the policy for scheduling BJCP exams. Up to 8 exam sites may now be registered per month (an increase from 5) but the total number of examinees per site is now limited to 12 (down from 20). This is an attempt to speed up the grading process by reducing the size of exam sets. Sites may request a larger quota (up to 20 examinees) but these must be pre-approved by the exam directors; more than one large site per month are unlikely to be approved.
Registration lead-time for a 12 seat site remains at 4 months. A 20 seat site must be registered 6 months in advance. Larger sites may be approved for remote or unusual locations that may have limited resources for offering an exam. Contact the exam directors for details.
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Mobile Style Guidelines Available
Have you been judging lately? At a recent AHA NHC first round competition, nearly half the judges present were observed using mobile phones or devices with the BJCP guidelines. Thanks to the BJCP judges who have developed these useful applications and made them freely available to the BJCP community. If you judge with one of these guys, be sure to thank them in person.
Users of Apple iPhone and iPod Touch mobile devices, take note. The BJCP Styles application has been updated. The new version (1.5.1) adds full-screen iPad support, as well as some other enhancements. Search for "BJCP" in the App Store. Thanks to BJCP judge Josh Baran.
Users of mobile devices running the Google Android OS also have a style guidelines app available. Again, search for "BJCP" in the Android Market and download the "BJCPdroid" app. Thanks to BJCP judge Jason Donmoyer.
Users of the Amazon Kindle have an option as well. Download the guidelines, do a USB transfer to the Kindle, and put in the documents directory. It uses the free MobiPocket reader e-book format. Thanks to BJCP judge John Alexander.
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Commercial Calibration Scoresheets Available Online
The AHA has added a special members-only feature to their website. Complete archives of the "Commercial Calibration" column from Zymurgy are now online. Featuring Grand Master judges David Houseman, Beth Zangari, Scott Bickham, and Gordon Strong, the archives are searchable by brewery, style, or name. Note that you must be an AHA member to access the sheets, and that you must register on the AHA website and link your AHA ID to your online account. Not a member? Join now.
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BJCP Lowers Fees
The BJCP board voted unanimously to lower competition fees from $35 to $30. Exam fees remain the same, but exam administrators may now retain 30% of the exam fees for expenses (up from the current 20%). These moves have been made because of improved efficiencies in the program and a more favorable financial position.
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Mead Judge Program Launched
The Exam Directors have approved the formal introduction of the Mead Judge program, after the successful pilot exam and the completion of the initial release of the Mead Exam Study Guide. Additional mead-related resources can be found on the Mead Resources page. Mead Exams are run as part of the existing Exam Directorate, and subject to the same general exam scheduling rules and procedures.
Mead exams may now be registered; the first open slot is February 2010. The number of Mead Exams will be limited as the program ramps up and additional graders get trained. One mead exam per month may be scheduled from February 2010 through June 2010. Two mead exams per month can be scheduled from July 2010 through November 2010, when restrictions on scheduling will be lifted. Note that mead exams count towards the existing five exams per month limit.
Finally, note that mead exams and beer exam types cannot be mixed at a single site. An exam registration can be for one or the other exam type, but not both. Multiple exam types per site are discouraged due to the five slot per month limit.
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New Beer Flavor Kits Available for Order
The BJCP is happy to announce a partnership with the Siebel Institute to provide their new Sensory Training Kit to BJCP exam prep classes. The Sensory Training Kit is a commercial product containing 24 different flavor samples, and replaces the prior kit which contained 10 samples.
The new Siebel kit will be offered under the same terms as the previous kit: any CEP-registered exam prep class leading to a BJCP-registered exam can request a kit by contacting the Education Director. The kits are free, but shipping, duties, etc. involved in shipping outside the continental US will be charged at cost.
The Education Director has contacted exam administrators and prep class organizers that have already been registered. Prep classes for exams already held in 2009 are eligible for receiving a kit, but must request one. Any organizer who did not receive a kit or who did not receive an email, please contact the Education Director to request one.
Please check the CEP Kits page for full details.
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Former BJCP President and Treasurer Sentenced
Former BJCP President and Treasurer William R. Slack of Nashua, NH was sentenced on December 16, 2008 in U.S. District Court in Concord, NH. Mr. Slack admitted his guilt as part of a plea bargain. During his allocution, Mr. Slack admitted that he misappropriated BJCP funds steadily during this tenure as BJCP Treasurer. Mr. Slack was sentenced to (1) restitution of approximately $43K, (2) five years probation, and (3) incarceration of one week per month for twelve months.
For a quick update based on BJCP President Gordon Strong's notes, see this thread in the BJCP Forums. A full report will be forthcoming once all details are gathered. Expect it around the time the Annual Report is published.
Update: The court's formal sentencing order has been obtained (Dec 24, 2008). The trial was covered in detail in the local newspaper in Nashua, NH. (Dec 28, 2008).
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Color Guide Instructions Now Available Online
The Color Guide page describes our new BJCP Color Guide, a free resource for BJCP members. It serves as a resource for instruction on color guide use, as well as details on how to care for it, and how to acquire replacements. All active BJCP members were mailed a guide in late May (which also let us validate your mailing addresses). Anyone taking the BJCP Exam will get a Color Guide along with their results, as will anyone being promoted.
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New Style Guidelines Available
Well, not really new guidelines, but one of the problems experienced with such a comprehensive set of guidelines is the sheer length of them. When you need to download a copy for printing, the current guidelines comprise a hefty package.
So, in response to a number of requests, we have arranged for Cafepress to produce a printed and bound edition of the current style guidelines that you can order for delivery to your mailbox.
This is a nicely formatted (easier to read) book, wirebound to lay flat. It costs $8.30 plus shipping, and the BJCP makes exactly one penny per copy sold (just as an accounting device). Typical shipping cost in the US is $5.00 for one copy, but if a group goes together, the shipping cost per copy can go way down. For example, the typical shipping cost for 10 books is $10.60, or $1.06 per copy. Canadian and international shipping costs are higher, of course, but that information is all available on the ordering website.
To order the printed BJCP Style Guidelines, go to www.cafepress.com/bjcpstore.
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Frequently Asked Questions Updated
The list of Frequently Asked Questions has been expanded, to include questions specifically about our Style Guidelines.
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BJCP Style Guidelines Revised
The last (2004) revision of the style guidelines has been updated. This is not a major revision, and all the category and style names and numbers remain the same. Technically, this is the "2008 update to the 2004 guidelines" but will generally be known as the 2008 guidelines. The website navigation bar has been updated to point to the new version, and you can find a one-page PDF summary of the changes HERE.
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BJCP Annual Report for 2007 Published
The BJCP officers have put together the annual report covering most of our activities for the last year. We encourage all members to read it and become aware of what's going on in our program.
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New Limit on Exam Scheduling
Due to the significant growth in requests to schedule the BJCP Beer Judge Examination, we have had to impose a scheduling limit of no more than five exams per month. The reason is simply that we don't have enough volunteer exam graders to provide a reasonable turnaround time at present.
But you can help! If you are a National judge or higher (or a Certified judge with a score of 80 or better on the essay portion and some relevant experience), please contact the Exam Directors to volunteer as an exam grader. -
Former BJCP Treasurer Indicted For Fraud (May 2007)
As many members know, there has been an ongoing effort to deal with the failure of the former BJCP Treasurer, Mr. William R. Slack, of Nashua, New Hampshire, to turn over the funds in the treasury to the current Treasurer. Mr. Slack, also a former BJCP President, has not communicated with the current Board of Directors, and we have been pursuing a resolution of this matter since 2004.
For obvious reasons, the BJCP officers and legal committee are unable to comment publicly, but we feel the membership deserves to be kept informed as much as possible.Links in the following paragraphs will display the relevant documents.
We recently learned that a Federal Grand Jury has indicted Mr. Slack for fraud. This indictment was reported in the local newspaper in Nashua. Mr. Slack was served with a summons on April 30, 2007 for his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on May 17, 2007.
Mr. Slack appeared with his public defender at that hearing, and entered a plea of "not guilty" to the charge. He was released pending trial, subject to a number of conditions, and a trial date has been set for July 10, 2007.
The Department of Justice has issued a press release describing the case, including potential penalties. The case is also summarized in their Annual Report, page 66.
1st Update: Mr. Slack, through his public defender, requested a continuance (legalese for a delay in going to trial). On June 26, 2007, the court granted his request, and rescheduled his trial for October 10, 2007.
2nd Update: Mr. Slack, through his public defender, requested a second continuance which was also granted, which postpones his trial until at least February 5, 2008.
3rd Update: Mr. Slack, through his public defender, requested a third continuance which was also granted, which postpones his trial until at least June 3, 2008.
4th Update: Mr. Slack, through his public defender, requested a fourth continuance which was also granted, which postpones his trial until at least September 3, 2008.
5th Update: Mr. Slack, through his public defender, entered into a plea agreement on September 2, 2008. In the agreement, Mr. Slack agreed to plead guilty to his crime. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2008 at 10:30am at the Federal Courthouse in Concord, NH.
6th Update: Mr. Slack was sentenced on December 16, 2008 to five years probation, incarceration of one week per month for twelve months, and restitution of approximately $43K. The sentencing order provides full details of the sentence imposed. The local newspaper in Nashua reported on the trial, and it was also mentioned in the Keene, NH paper. A full report is forthcoming.The BJCP is satisfied with this sentence and believes this matter is now closed.
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Earlier news items can be found on the News page, which also has a link to the Archives page containing even older items.