You might have noticed it before… This month is the month! Next week I will be taking the hardest beer exam in a series to become a International Diplom Beer Sommelier. This is a big part of the reason for all things being somewhat quiet on here. If I pass next week, I’ll be visiting Obertrum (Austria) next month for the final few days in the certification program. The exam has two parts: theory and tasting.
Over the whole program we have tasted, described and learned to recognize a whole bunch of styles. For the exam, a shortlist has been created and the task is to recognize six of them blindly. You can understand that I have been practicing. On top of the style recognition, there will be one beer spiked with an off-flavor. A training session on that topic is ever so slightly less enjoyable…
The theory is a big pile (see featured image) of chapters on all kinds of topics. Some are rather technical chapters on e.g. malts, sugar and water, hops or yeast, others are much more practical like beer and food, beer tastings, beer judging and beer cocktails. The most elaborate chapter is one on 20 countries, their beer culture and their beer styles, of which historical, brewing technical as well as organoleptical (how does it smell and taste) properties are to be known.
It isn’t easy material, and it is a lot of material. Thank goodness it is also mostly very interesting material, otherwise these weeks would have been hell. At the time of writing, the exam is in one week. I’ll keep you posted!
By the way, for those of you who appreciate the content here or elsewhere (Mastodon, for example), you can now buy me a pint. Much appreciated!
Tasting Craft Beer 
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