I’ve been an awful blogger as of late, and I am so sorry about that. You might have been wondering if I changed my mind and decided that craft beer doesn’t need GAB, or perhaps if I had changed careers altogether. Maybe you thought that I was out selling insurance or making candlesticks, no longer interested in beer. Well, while being a Candlestick Maker would certainly be an interesting and potentially rewarding profession, I assure you, my world is still a beer-soaked one. That said, I’ve been rude and neglectful and I’m here to make amends.
While I’m not usually one to make excuses, this time I have a pretty good one! You see, I’m in training. Training to become a better beer server, a better beer consumer and hopefully all of this bettering will make me a better beer blogger. In the wine industry, the term “sommelier” refers to an individual who has been trained, tested, and proven to be a knowledgeable (if not expert) steward of wine. These individuals learn through programs in which they are certified as such.
A Wine Sommelier. Well no, he's not a real one.
Until recently, a wine sommelier’s counterpart in the beer industry has been relatively subjective. That is until Ray Daniels (president of the Craft Beer Institute, beer & brewing expert, and all-around beer industry big-wig) organized and began operating the Cicerone program. This comprehensive program is a structured way for those in the industry (or anyone with a passion for beer and the drive to become more knowledgeable on the subject) to study and learn just about everything from the history of beer to the brewing process to food pairing to serving and draft systems and everything in between.
Wikipedia now defines a Cicerone as “those with expertise in selecting, acquiring, and serving today’s wide range of beers”. So, beer people now finally have a definitive, qualitative program that measures levels of expertise. And I want in!
The program is split into three levels, Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone, and Master Cicerone. One must take a exam at each level, and upon passing said test, they become a member of the Cicerone roster. I currently hold the Certified Beer Server position, however, next month I’m going for round two – Certified Cicerone. So, that’s my excuse, I’ve been studying – lots of studying. Like, flash cards and syllabus studying – probably more than I did in college!
This isn't quite what I look like - green isn't my color - but you get the point.
So, I must ask that you bear with me for just a bit longer as I strive to learn more about the glory of beer. I promise, I’ll pass along the knowledge when it’s all through. Wish me luck! And, not to get infomercial-y on you, but check out Cicerone.org for more info on the program if you’re interested!
