The Double-Edge Sword of the Cicerone Program

It has been officially 9 weeks from the date that I took the Certified Cicerone(tm) exam in San Diego, CA at the Craft Brewers Conference. According to Ray Daniels, founder of the Cicerone(tm) program, I should expect results today or tomorrow (assuming no delays).

For those readers out there who are not familiar, the Cicerone program is an industry certification with three ranks: Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone(tm), and Master Cicerone(tm). Similar to a wine sommelier who may be employed at a bar or restaurant, those who have studied and become certified in the Cicerone program are expected to have knowledge in the areas of beer serving, handling, food pairing, and off flavor recognition. Since 2008 the program has grown to become the industry standard.  Various breweries, bars, and distributors are encouraging their employees to become certified.

In the last 2+ months of waiting for results, I have had the experience of speaking with a variety of people in the craft-beer scene regarding the program. I spoke with people from within in the industry on both the sales and the production side. Most people were interested and supportive... wishing me luck on the results. What I didn't expect to find was a degree of backlash against the Cicerone program from several others.

While taking the Sensory Panel Management course at Siebel Institute in Chicago (where Ray Daniels is a member of the faculty) I befriended a local brewer who was attending the class as well. When I mentioned that I was waiting for my results he clearly had something to get off his chest. He explained to me that when sharing his English Special Bitter (ESB) with a distributor they refused to accept that the low levels of diacetyl (a buttery off-flavor/attribute) that was present was not only acceptable but to-style for ESBs. The distributor justified his position by bragging about the high score he earned on the Certified Cicerone exam and that he knows when a beer is off. Upon tasting the beer myself, I found it to be a delicious example of the style.

Last week while in the Bay Area putting out resumes, I spoke with the owner of one of my favorite beer bars. When I explained that I was still waiting for the results for my exam she informed me that she refuses to hire Cicerones so it would be better to leave it off the resume. I did not get the opportunity to ask why.

As my last example, while studying for the exam I met my sister for a few beers at a well known bar in Sacramento where her friend works. She recalled that he had taken the exam and wanted to know if he could give me any advice. He informed that it was "a waste of time" and that 15 people he knew had taken the exam and failed. Needless to say, once I looked at the average pass/fail rate of the exam it appears he and his friends simply didn't study.

It appears that, for some, the idea of a beer steward on par with a wine sommelier carries with it a certain level of pretentiousness.

I believe that wine has dominated the fine-dining and beverage market for too long and beer has been pushed aside despite having just as noble of a history. I feel that beer deserves to have a group of people who really understand its complexities and how best to experience it. Any restaurant or bar who prides itself as having great beer should have a staff that has proven their skills. For that reason, I wish to become a Cicerone.

However... I also get my hands dirty. I commute 3 hours (one way) weekly to intern (no pay) at a brewery where I scrub bright tanks and wash kegs. I find that to truly appreciate beer you need to understand where it comes from on an intimate level. This is something that the Cicerone program can not teach you.

As someone who is trying to break into the industry I am using the Cicerone program as one of several routes to earn my education in addition to homebrewing, interning, and classes.

In closing...

1) To all the brewers and bar staff out there who feel like Cicerones are self-proclaimed beer "experts"... please keep in mind the amount of time and effort these people put into their studying and that in the end it all comes back to the common goal of putting beer in its rightful place. Don't assume they are snobby or pretentious.

2) To all the Cicerones out there... please realize that there are lots of people out there (both inside the industry and out) who know more than you. Be humble, be helpful, and remember it's not about you... it's about the beer.

Wish me luck... the results could be here any minute.