Beer Education

Getting Certified – Part 3 in my Journey to Advanced Cicerone®

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I’ve taken a lot of exams in my life, but I was never more nervous than when I sat for the Certified Cicerone® exam on November 12, 2013. I had worked hard to learn the materials but woke up feeling rough, my allergies were in full effect. That was not a good sign. I got … Read more

Going for Level Two

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In July of 2013, at the Beer Bloggers Conference in Boston, I met Ray Daniels for the first time. He is the founder of the Cicerone® program and was our speaker the next morning. Over beers during the Night of Many Bottles, I introduced myself and told him I was studying for the level two … Read more

The Day My (Beer) Life Changed

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It’s cool when you can point to a day on the calendar and say “my life changed that day.” For me, that day was October 20, 2012. It was a crisp fall day at my neighborhood craft beer festival, the Tennessee Beer Festival in Donelson, TN. The massive oak trees on the lawn of Two … Read more

The Beer Capital of the World

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Milwaukee, here we come! It’s time again for our annual pilgrimage to the Beer Bloggers and Writers Conference. This conference is Kendall’s sixth straight and my fourth. It’s always a good time with old and new friends, tasty beer and informative sessions. Last year in Tampa we had a sneaky suspicion we were going there for … Read more

A Certified Cicerone® takes the MBAA Beer Steward Exam

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I recently passed the Master Brewers Association of the Americas’ Beer Steward exam. Some friends have asked why I bothered with it since I’m a Certified Cicerone®? It’s true, but I’m also a student of beer, and I’m a teacher of beer. There’s nothing I enjoy more than leading Craft Beer 101 at a local … Read more