The Beer Judge Certification Program
The purpose of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) is to promote beer literacy and the appreciation of real beer, and to recognize beer tasting and evaluation skills.
The BJCP certifies and ranks beer judges through an examination and monitoring process. Established in 1985, today it has over 2,000 member judges at various ranks and levels of experience.
Pat Baker (Founder of Crosby & Baker, a leading national wholesaler of brewing ingredients and supplies) writes, on the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) official website:
“I was involved with the HWBTA, and thought that perhaps if the HWBTA and AHA joined forces behind a judge certification program, it might give beer judging some credibility. I wrote up a plan, and discussed the idea with Charlie Papazian at the AHA Mini-conference in October 1984. Charlie's response was cool; "Do you really think people will pay money to take an exam?" But he agreed to go along with it if I would do the work.”
The first BJCP exam was given on May 31, 1985 at the AHA conference in Estes Park, Colorado.
“Estes Park was the next step and when fifty-one people came through the door, we knew we had something meaningful.”
The BJCP style sheet:
http://www.bjcp.org/stylecenter.html
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