The Cicerone Certification Program recently awarded six new designations of Master Cicerone.

Recently the Cicerone Certification Program announced that six people had attained the title of Master Cicerone. There are now a total of 28 Master Cicerones worldwide. A Master Cicerone is similar to a Master Sommelier in the wine world but the focus is less on service/hospitality and more on general beer knowledge. The exam is frequently regarded as one of the hardest tests not just in beer, but in the world.

Founded in 2008 by former Brewers Association Publisher, beer educator, and author Ray Daniels, the Cicerone (the Italian word for “guide”) Certification Program offers four levels of beer certifications ranging from an online exam in Certified Beer Server to Certified Cicerone (a half day in person exam) to Advanced Cicerone (a full day in person exam) and then Master Cicerone. There are currently 173 Advanced Cicerones, 4568 Certified Cicerones, and over 150,000 Certified Beer Servers in the world.

The Master Cicerone exam is a two day marathon of all things beer including three hours of essay writing per day, plus one on one demonstrations with some of the most celebrated individuals in beer and food. An example essay may be creating a four course tasting menu for a fine dining restaurant using only one style of beer or an essay explaining how ions in water affect beer’s flavor and mouthfeel. Demonstrations can range from setting up a British style cask system for service to pairing obscure cheeses with beer styles and more.

Multiple tasting panels are also encompassed in the process. Here, aspirants are tasked with identifying off-flavors in beer such as 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol (the cause of your beer tasting skunky), scribbling sophisticated technical descriptions of the beers placed before them, or distinguishing particular beer styles in a blind tasting. This can be incredibly challenging due to the overlapping flavor, aroma, and color characteristics shared by many beer styles. To succeed, your aggregate score for tasting, demonstrations, and written tests must equal an average of 85.

The latest Master Cicerone, Patrick Combs, who is the Director of Liquids for Stem Ciders & Howdy Beer Co, left the exam with much greater confidence, since this was his second attempt. However, he humorously conveyed, “Regardless of the number of preparation hours you’ve accumulated, I don’t believe anyone walks away from that exam thinking ‘Wow, I aced that. I can’t wait for the call…’ you’re always doubting a few aspects at least.”

The road to the exam involves several months of intense effort and hundreds of hours committed to studying, beer tasting, memorization, and beyond. Combs expressed that he devoted 45 hours a week to studying, referring to it as a “second job.” In an average year, about 24 individuals will sit for the exam, but only one or two will clear it. Six individuals passing is an unprecedented event.

“The achievement of six individuals earning the title of Master Cicerone is an exceptional outcome. Their accomplishments emphasize the importance of nurturing a culture of continuous learning and are a significant contribution to the sustained relevance of the beer category in the coming years,” commented Chris Pisney, the Cicerone Exam Director. “This is additionally a testament to the commitment and expertise prevalent in the beer industry. We are overjoyed.”

How did other Master Cicerones react to six new people passing the exam and joining their ranks?

“Of course I was shocked to see six people pass, but this also felt like a bit of a right-sizing,” said Senior Manager of Education and Training for Artisanal Brewing Ventures Max Finnance, who became the 22nd Master Cicerone last year. “These are six incredibly smart, hard working folks. I was hopefully optimistic that this would be the biggest cohort yet and I wasn’t disappointed.”

Shane McNamara, who passed the exam in 2021 and is a global director at ABInbev, was also very pleased more people are attaining this designation.

“As a Master Cicerone, it brings me immense joy each year to welcome and congratulate the new individuals who have earned this prestigious title,” said McNamara. “Their achievement showcases the hard work, extensive knowledge, and unwavering commitment necessary to reach such a high level of expertise in the world of beer.”

The newest Master Cicerones: Shelley Smith, Jen Blair, Patrick Combs, Craig Thomas, Federico Lantschner and David Reese

Passing the exam requires a lot of help from outside sources be it special classes in off-flavor training to asking loved ones and coworkers for help. Newest Master Cicerone Shelley Smith, who is a Senior Brewing Manager for Taprooms at Boston Beer Company was thankful for many people, including her coworkers as well as other new Master Cicerones like Jen Blair, who studied with Smith. Smith studied several hours a day and every weekend to be ready for the exam.

“I am grateful to all my coworkers that helped prep samples, mess up draft systems for me to fix, and quizzed me on every beer topic under the sun,” said Smith, “and to Jen Blair – we’ve had a goal to double the number of women Master Cicerones, so I love that we passed together.”

Blair, who runs her own beer education and consulting business Under the Jenfluence and also works for Cicerone as an exam manager credits her husband Tom in helping her pass the exam.

“Despite enduring ‘presentations’ on the components of draught, he arranged numerous blind tasting panels for me and assisted with flashcards, an activity I consider immensely dull. His commitment to supporting me is evident in these actions,” Blair commented.

Combs expressed gratitude for his wife Megan’s unwavering support in the lead-up to the examination.

“Her incessant encouragement and the countless samples she curated and served for me are the driving forces behind me crossing the finish line,” Combs articulated.