You might recall from my post on January 31, that I was really eager and motivated to finish studying and take the exam. Well, as you might’ve guessed based on the dates of my posts, I hadn’t been in such a hurry to finish anymore. There was a huge gap between lessons 12 and 13. Looking back, I’m mildly ashamed and kind of embarrassed about the amount of time that I let go by. More on that in a minute. Anyway… Then I learned that the Cicerone® Certification program is planning on changing the Certified Beer Server exam in 2016—so we gotta get this thing done!
Q: Can I kick it? by Todd on flickr (CC BY 2.0)
I got fired
Yeah, so… That brewery that hired me… I asked them for a paycheck, and they fired me.
“It’s not working out,” they said. “It’s not a good fit.” Or something else came up that they didn’t tell me about.
They cut me loose after I had worked just three, 4-hour shifts. I added an update to the post where I mentioned that I got a job at a brewery and how maybe I shouldn’t mention it until I actually sign the W-4, so if you want a slightly more detailed account, check it out.
So there’s that.
I got you
Anyway, that experience had certainly diminished my urgency to finish this exam. But I’ve been realizing lately that I should’ve finished a long time ago. And publishing a weekly podcast about how to start a brewery takes way more time than you would guess!
And applying for a “real job.”
Anyway, I want to get my certificate and finish up these notes before the Cicerone® Certification Program changes the exam.
@inbituinthebrew New @cicerone Certified Beer Server exams in 6 mo? Where's new syllabus??? (Been studying for 6 mo. might need another 6.)
— MicroBrewr (@MicroBrewr) May 14, 2015
Perfect. Thank you, @cicerone. @inbituinthebrew
— MicroBrewr (@MicroBrewr) May 14, 2015
I reckon some people are checking these notes. I know some people have signed up to get the free flashcards. So I want to finish this in time so this website will still be helpful to you guys.
And I don’t want the notes to be overkill. I had a feeling that I was studying too much, so I emailed the Cicerone® Certification Program.
They confirmed my suspicion.
…Knowing exact ABV, SRM, and IBU ranges goes well beyond what you need to know for Certified Beer Server exam. However, I laud the effort to go the extra mile, and that extra study will definitely help if you want to take the Certified Cicerone exam at some point. (Email from Cicerone® Certification Program, March 6, 2015)
So I went back and revised the last lesson on Style Parameters. And I designed some flashcards for the beer styles in the subsequent lesson.
I got going
We’re now in part 3 of the Certified Beer Server syllabus. We’re on a roll and we’re still rolling. Let’s get this thing done!
I have applied for several positions for which Certified Beer Server certification is required or “highly recommended.” It seems like “currently studying for” isn’t good enough.
Gotta get this done.
Let’s go! ! !
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