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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Brewing Discussion --> BJCP Prep Class

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brewcrewkevin
Charter Member
Appleton, WI
66 Posts


Hey guys! Excited for the new forum!!

So I'm planning on hosting a local BJCP prep class, and I guess I'm just looking for general advice from those that have taken or hosted classes in the past. And if anybody has any info about the new style guidelines that were supposed to be released ah... tomorrow, that may be helpful too.

After asking on Reddit, I'm picturing it as a 12-week course. 

Week 1 would be just a study day for the written portion, so everybody can take the written exam for homework.

Weeks 2-12 (10 weeks) would consist of a) tastings of 2 or 3 categories (all beers in category, probably 6 styles), and a technical discussion on one aspect of brewing (malting, mashing, malt, hops, water, yeast, etc.)

Somewhere about halfway through I would get the off-flavor and components kits and do that. I have heard from people who did it first and they said they were hard to identify, and i talked to people who did it at the end and they said they didn't get a chance to identify them in sample beers. I think in the middle would be best.

Any general tips for me? I'm going to send out feelers to a couple local clubs to gauge interest, but I'm thinking about starting up in Feb. or so.




Posted 34 days ago.

KidMoxie
Charter Member
San Elijo Hills, CA
405 Posts


What our class does is we get the "Classic Examples" of the style then just do an actual review and write it down on the scoresheet. We then discuss what we wrote and justify it and how that might or might not be relevant to what's expected from a review.

This way we learn the styles and get experience with the physical act of judging.




Posted 34 days ago.

uberg33k
Charter Member
The Internet
314 Posts


www.bjcp.org/docs/2014%20BJCP%20Style...

That's a draft copy of the 2014 guidelines.  I don't think too much has changed based on what I've heard.




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


I had heard that the new guidelines were going to go in effect in the fall.  It's now 2015... will these become the "2015 BJCP Style Guidelines"?  Will they ever go into effect?




Posted 34 days ago.

chino_brews
Charter Member
Eden Prairie, MN
301 Posts


The new guidelines were to be published in the last week of December per Gordon Strong, but not to go into effect until around July (after the NHC) because it would be unfair for entrants to comps. They have not been published yet. I suspect we'll see them in Feb-April, barely in time for a big splash at the NHC.




Posted 34 days ago.

brewcrewkevin
Charter Member
Appleton, WI
66 Posts


That's what I heard, too. I'm doing a BJCP class in Milwaukee over the next few months. He's a master judge, and he said we will be focusing more on the previous style guidelines, but will touch on the new ones as well. But more of the class is identifying flavors and judging, so new styles won't be hard to adapt to.

He said the same thing. Gordon Strong is done with them, but they are waiting until after NHC. I assume he'll make a big deal and use that platform to get the word out a bit more. I'm sure he'll have another "finalized BJCP Style Guidelines" presentation at the conference.




Posted 34 days ago.

KidMoxie
Charter Member
San Elijo Hills, CA
405 Posts


BTW, NHC is still going to use the 2008 guidelines this year. Judging w/ the new updates will begin in earnest afterward (mid June).



Posted 34 days ago.

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