My Road to Cicerone®: Russ Krause of PA Brew Review

Russ Krause is a Certified Cicerone^® from the Philadelphia area. Here he discusses how Cicerone certification helped lend credibility to his beer-focused business.

What’s your current role and how does being a Certified Cicerone help you with it?
I run PA Brew Review, a comprehensive brewery resource for consumers and industry professionals. Our work involves tracking and cataloging all Pennsylvania breweries, as well as listing all brewery events and engaging customer feedback of their brewery experiences.

Describe the factors that made you decide to become a Certified Cicerone.
It all began with a passion for enjoying craft beer, of course. But when I decided to turn PA Brew Review into a professional endeavor, I wanted to make sure that I knew the ins and outs of the craft brewing industry and its history. I needed to know I could look the breweries in the eye and understand the basics of what they were doing.

Explain some of the challenges you had while studying for the exam, and how did you overcome them?
Time was a significant factor. Like most people taking the exam, I was working a full time job and dealing with family life. Luckily the material can be digested in small bits at a time. So it really comes down to just squeezing study time wherever you can fit it in. 

How did you prepare for the exam? What were the most beneficial resources that you used?
By virtue of hanging out at craft beer bars, I was lucky enough to run into a few professionals who were kind enough to give their advice. "The Brewmaster’s Table" by Garrett Oliver was recommended, as well as anything by Michael Jackson. I also came across "The Complete Beer Course" by Joshua Bernstein, which was really helpful.
I also used The Beer Scholar, which is a course put together by an Advanced Cicerone^® that includes written materials and flashcards. As someone who studies by repetition, I was happy to find the Beer Scholar’s Study Guide, which came complete with lots of information and flashcards. Every spare minute I had was spent going over that material.

Since becoming a Certified Cicerone, what have been some of your greatest achievements?
The certification has kicked our approach into high gear. We were able to begin consulting for breweries, and they could trust that we were serious and knew our craft. PA Brew Review is proud to collaborate with the Brewers Association by providing comprehensive information on Pennsylvania’s breweries. Cicerone Certification is a stamp of validation on what we’re doing. It shows that we have the knowledge and dedication to back it up.  

In your opinion, how valuable is Cicerone certification for those looking to boost their career?
The certification is invaluable. There’s no substitute. It shows that you have taken the time and effort to truly immerse yourself in the subject of beer. Anyone running a serious beer business will appreciate the knowledge and motivation required to obtain the certification. 

What’s your top study tip for anyone preparing for the Certified Cicerone exam?
Find a way to understand the subject matter. You can try to memorize the material as best as possible, but the best way to comprehensively understand everything is to focus on the background for it. Geography, taxes, time frame, and other things can really craft an understandable narrative for beer styles and other information. Get the bird’s eye view and it will really help.

Ready to get started? Learn more about the Certified Cicerone exam here!