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The thing about failing the Advanced Cicerone the first time is I at least knew what to expect the second, third and fourth time. With a 75 on tasting (the minimum passing tasting score) and 78 overall (two points short), I felt confident that I could do it. It was just a matter of time. I didn’t know that time would be two more years, but that would not have deterred me anyway.
The score report gave me a few alternatives.
- Since I “passed” tasting, I could retake only the written/oral portion and a bring my overall to 80 or more. I tried this in October 2016. It didn’t go well.
- Retake only the tasting and hope for an 89. This would require my palate to be extra sharp, but it was worth a shot. I tried this in July 2017. It went even worse.
- Retake the full exam and hope for the best. I tried this in April 2018. It worked.
Attempt 2.0
Because I didn’t fully trust my palate, I chose option one. I thought that after sitting through the exam once, I could do it again, and would go in knowing what to expect. I was partially right.
So on Tuesday, October 11, 2016, I flew to Dallas. I had just flown into Nashville from the Great American Beer Festival in Denver the day before, and I probably should have flown from Denver to Dallas instead. I also probably should not have been at GABF in the first place, but more on that later.
I probably shouldn’t have gone to Dallas either. I was unprepared for the exam and exhausted from the marathon that is five days in Denver for GABF. I registered for the October exams in June and should have cranked into study mode, but sometimes life happens. I knew exactly what I need to do to prepare, but did not do it. Things come up, and you think you will get back around to the study plan, then the first thing you know it’s exam time.
We went to Tampa in July for the Beer Bloggers & Writers Conference, then to Michigan for Labor Day weekend. By mid-September I knew was very behind. June and I had a trip coming up in late September/early October to visit friends in Maine and New Hampshire. We added a few days for a swing into Vermont to drink fresh Heady Topper at the Alchemist brewery. June and her friend ran the Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon, and I did the 5k. I should have spent time studying instead of training for a 5k that my knees did not appreciate. I took my study notes and flashcards on the trip but did not look at them with any serious intent.
We flew home from New England that Monday, October 3, then I hopped on a plane to Denver Wednesday, October 5 for GABF. Six days later I was heading for Dallas.
I got to Dallas during rush hour and made my way up to Allen, the exam location and settled in after a quick bite at In-N-Out Burger near the Hampton Inn. (FYI, you don’t have to go to Cali for In-N-Out, they are all over the DFW area!) I tried studying but was exhausted. I convinced myself I wasn’t going to learn anything new and a good night’s sleep was the best thing I could do.
I slept well and headed to the exam site, hosted by the fine folks at the local Miller-Coors house, Andrews Distributing. I had a healthy respect for the exam, but I did not feel the complete fear I felt in Chicago eight months earlier walking into the first exam. I felt like I did well on the first half before lunch. Because I was not re-taking the tasting exam, I had an extended lunch break. I went to In-N-Out, of course, then went back to the Hampton Inn for a power nap. The afternoon half of the exam went well too. I never felt stumped and thought I was doing better than the first attempt. I did, by a hair.
I left in good spirits. That evening I had dinner at In-N-Out. Again. I’m not ashamed to confess my obsession.
I got my score eight weeks later. I was correct in thinking I did better than the first attempt in Chicago, which was 78 overall, but it wasn’t enough. My overall was now 79. A little more study and a little less beer-travel might have made the difference.
Lesson learned.
You cannot drink around New England, then go directly to GABF, then take the Advanced Cicerone exams in a 2-week span. Learn from my ignorance, young student of beer.