Cicerone® Certification Program

This beer style is brown to black in color, may feature garnet highlights, and is topped with a thick, creamy, tan cap of foam. It boasts a prominent roasted malt aroma, featuring notes of coffee, chocolate, and a subtle toasty-nutty note. The flavor profile is rich and complex, with the roasted malt character delivering flavors reminiscent of milk chocolate, mocha, and toasted almonds with a range of fruitiness. The balance can vary greatly, with moderate hop bitterness that is balanced by a wide range of malt sweetness. The mouthfeel is velvety, creamy and often full-bodied. The finish can vary, but often leaves a lingering impression of roasted malt followed by a hint of sweetness. *Note the barrelhead this was filmed on is NOT intended as a clue for the quiz. *Note the barrelhead this was filmed on is NOT intended as a clue for the quiz.

Attention Orlando area Cicerones! We are hosting a Cicerone Meet Up at Crooked Can Brewing (426 W Plant St, Winter Garden, FL 34787) on Tuesday, July 30th starting at 6PM. Join Master Cicerone Jason Pratt alongside other area Cicerones for a night of networking and camaraderie. To honor your dedication and achievements within the Cicerone Program, we're offering a complimentary first beer to all attendees with any level of Cicerone certification. P.S. If you're in the area and feel prepared for your Certified Cicerone Tasting Exam, we still have a few spots available for the tasting exam being held on Tuesday July 30th in the morning. P.P.S. If you're attending the Florida Brewers Guild Conference, don't miss Master Cicerone Jason Pratt's palate-building course, "Become a Better Beer Taster." It's an excellent opportunity to expand your sensory knowledge!

This beer style is pale gold in color with a persistent, creamy, white cap of foam. It features a grainy-sweet malt aroma with subtle notes of floral, spicy, or herbal hops. The malt character is apparent in the flavor showcasing notes of freshly baked bread, cereal, and sometimes a hint of honey-like sweetness. The hop bitterness is moderate providing subtle balance to the soft, round malt flavors. It is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation contributing to a clean, smooth finish that is dry but not overly crisp.

Advanced Cicerone® candidates, are you ready for your exam? Your opportunity is here! We have recently added multiple new exam dates to the schedule, including a Spanish-language tasting and oral exam in Charlotte, NC! Secure your seat today! The full Advanced Cicerone Exam schedule can be found at this link 👉 https://lnkd.in/ejvKCzkF

Today's malt focus is on Wheat Malt, commonly used in a variety of beer styles, and a key ingredient in Weissbier and American Wheat Beer. Wheat Malt typically imparts flavors of uncooked bread dough, fresh baked bread and a subtle grainy sweetness. It usually has a Lovibond rating of around 2L to 4L, giving it a pale color that contributes to the light and refreshing appearance of these beers. Wheat Malt has a higher protein content than barley which adds body and a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. The higher protein levels also aid in head retention and lend a characteristic haze to a beer's appearance. Wheat Malt can comprise 50%-70%+ of the grist in some beer styles but brewers can also use small amounts to make more subtle tweaks to a beer's body and appearance. What is your favorite beer made with Wheat Malt?

This beer style ranges from light yellow to deep golden in color, with a creamy, long-lasting white cap of foam. It boasts malt aromas of freshly baked bread, light toast, and sometimes a subtle hint of honey or light caramel. The hop character is prominent, delivering floral, spicy, and herbal nuances. Low levels of diacetyl and fruity esters may be present but are optional. The bitterness is pronounced yet never harsh. A key ingredient is the soft water with low sulfate and carbonate content, which provides a distinct rounded hop profile despite the high hopping rates. It has a medium body with moderate carbonation that finishes semi-dry with a rounded but slightly bitter finish.

Certified Cicerone® candidates, are you feeling prepared for the tasting and demonstration portions of the exam? Registration is open at the following locations: Fort Worth, TX- 7/26/24 (During Texas Brewery Roundup) Orlando, FL - 7/30/24 (During FBG Conference) Buffalo, NY - 9/21/24 Yakima, WA - 9/4/24 (During Hop Harvest) Atlanta, GA- 11/12/24 Mesa/Phoenix, AZ - 12/18/24 San Diego, CA - 2/11/25 Charleston, SC - 2/27/25 Cleveland, OH - 4/17/25 and many more... For a complete list of upcoming exam locations, visit this link https://lnkd.in/e_dW3gP4

We're thrilled to announce that the global network of Cicerones has grown again! In the past few months, we've welcomed 5 new Advanced Cicerones and 27 Certified Cicerones from six countries: Australia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Taiwan, and the United States. Join us in a round of applause for each of the following: Advanced Cicerones: Masahrio Kitano Natalia Urzúa Nic Stougaard Russ Bonsall Taryn Arvold Certified Cicerones: Adam Peck Addison Cassel Alex Burke Andrew Morris Aubrey Durand Bryan Metzger Chloe Schaefer Christopher Galletto Daniel Vial Drew Henkel Erik Solberg Jillian Tallboys Jordan Hermel Jose Fernando Sanchez Mark Gosling Matt O'Neill McShane Dator Nic Bortolin Olivier Mayer Peter Anderson Rodrigo Flores Tahhan Sean Snelling Steven Pokorski Taylor Saale Thomas McNeil Tina Creve Timothy Copple We commend you for your unwavering dedication to beer education!

Today's malt focus is on Roasted Barley, a key ingredient in many Irish stouts. Roasted Barley is celebrated for its intense flavors of bold coffee, bittersweet dark chocolate, and charred toast, as well as its contribution to the dark color of these beer styles. Unlike Black Malt, Roasted Barley is made from unmalted barley that is roasted at high temperatures, giving it a Lovibond rating typically around 300L to 500L. This roasting process imparts distinct flavors of coffee, bittersweet dark chocolate, and charred toast, providing a dry, slightly astringent quality to the beer. Compared to Black Malt, Roasted Barley has a sharper, more acrid flavor profile. It is a key ingredient in many Irish Stouts where it contributes to the dryness and depth often found in the style.

This week's beer style shines with a radiant golden color, topped by a dense, long-lasting off-white cap of foam. It features a captivating bouquet of fruity-citrusy esters, with aromas of oranges and lemon zest, followed by a subtle hint of spicy-peppery phenols. The flavor profile is delightfully complex, with a delicate balance of sweet malt and gentle hop bitterness. Notes of honey, lightly caramelized sugar, and a touch of black pepper are complemented by a soft, cracker, and lightly toasted bread undertone. The beer has a medium body with medium to high carbonation, leaving a mouth-filling, prickly sensation that finishes dry with a hint of alcohol warmth.