How is a Cicerone different from a Beer Sommelier?

While many beer sommeliers have received excellent training, the content of each program differs. Furthermore, anyone can use the title "beer sommelier" — even if they know very little about beer! The Cicerone exams provide well-known and respected benchmarks for assigning beer expertise. Since the Cicerone titles hold trademark status in the US, Canada, Europe, and other parts of the world, only those individuals who have passed these exams can use those titles. To ensure the validity of a Cicerone title for any individual, in any country, check the online certification directory at cicerone.org.