FYI

//Mike

From: Al Boyce [mailto:alboyce@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2013 12:44 AM
To: alboyce@comast.net
Subject: MINNESOTA BEER CLUBS: North Region Open BJCP Beer Judge Written Proficiency Exam - 9/8/2013 - Minneapolis, MN

Greetings!

Please pass this email along to all BJCP members in your beer club!

I am Al Boyce, the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) representative for the North Region of the BJCP.  I am writing to your beer club to announce that there will be an open regional Beer Judge Written Proficiency Examination for any current BJCP judges wishing to increase their rank from Certified or above to National or Master.  The test consists of 20 T/F questions and 5 essay questions, and must be completed in 90 minutes.  The cost is $15.

The exam will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 8, 2013 at 9am.

The prerequisites for taking the exam are:

* At least Certified BJCP rank

* If Certified,  

….> you must have at least 10 judging points, and

….> you must have scored a minimum of 80% on either the BJCP Beer Judging Examination (tasting), or

….> you must have scored a minimum of 80% on the tasting portion of the BJCP Legacy Beer Examination

* If National, or qualified for National under the legacy exam system,

….> you are qualified to take the BJCP Written Proficiency Exam whenever you wish

Further details of the BJCP Exam process can be found at:

http://www.bjcp.org/docs/BJCP_Exam_Structure.pdf

Currently, there are only 12 seats available for the exam, so if you meet these qualifications and wish to take the BJCP Written Proficiency Exam, please send a non-refundable check for $15, made out to me, to:

Al Boyce

3208 Edgewood Ave S

St.Louis Park, MN  55426

USA

First come, first served.  Upon filling the exam, I will return all checks that arrive after that – so please include your return address.  I will send exam details to the 12 people chosen to sit the exam.

NOTE TO CURRENT NATIONAL JUDGES: 

We can expand the number of seats from 20 to 12 if we can recruit FOUR new graders (2 new LEAD graders, and 2 SECOND graders) to grade BJCP exams from this region!  Please contact me if you are interested, and I will connect you with the BJCP Exam Directors!

FOR CURRENT BJCP JUDGES TRYING TO IMPROVE THEIR SCORE UP TO THE 80% LEVEL:

* You must improve your score via the BJCP Beer Judging Examination.  This is a tasting test, in which you must judge and write score sheets on six beers in 90 minutes.  A list of currently scheduled Beer Judging Exams can be found at:

http://www.bjcp.org/exams.php

FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A NEW BJCP JUDGE

* There is an online BJCP Entrance Exam that you may take to qualify to take the BJCP Beer Judge Examination.  This exam costs $10, and is a 60 minute timed 200 question T/F, Multiple Choice exam.  The exam is Pass/Fail and you must achieve at least 60% to pass.  You may take the exam as many times as you like – but only once per day.  You may register to take the BJCP Entrance Exam at:

http://bjcp.coursewebs.com.

* There is a Study Guide for the exam online at the BJCP website.  You will also need to be very familiar with the BJCP Style Guidelines:

http://www.bjcp.org/docs/BJCP_Study_Guide.pdf

http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2008_stylebook.pdf

* You may wish to form a study group in your area to help each other prepare for the BJCP Entrance Exam and BJCP Beer Judge Examination.  A suggested syllabus for a ten-session course can be found in the BJCP Study Guide, in section II.E., on page 41:

http://www.bjcp.org/docs/BJCP_Study_Guide.pdf

* Once you pass the BJCP Entrance Exam, you may find an exam site at which you may take the BJCP Beer Judge Examination:

http://www.bjcp.org/exams.php

SETTING UP A BJCP BEER JUDING EXAM IN YOUR AREA

* It is recommended that a Nationally-ranked BJCP member set up a Beer Judging Exam, but this may be waived at the discretion of the BJCP Exam Directors.  Directions for how to set up an exam can be found on the BJCP website at:

http://www.bjcp.org/examschproc.php

* The number of Beer Judge Exams is currently limited by the number of graders available.  Scheduling is currently running about two years out.

*Please contact me if you would like help in setting up a BJCP Beer Judging Exam in your area.

BEER CONTESTS

* Beer contests are FUN! and a great way to practice for the BJCP exams!  If you would like to host a homebrew competition in your area, there is help online at:

http://www.bjcp.org/compcenter.php

Please contact me if you have any questions about this, or anything else related to the BJCP!

Thanks!

Al Boyce, North Rep

Beer Judge Certification Program