Syllabi Version 6 Announced

As part of a continued effort to keep our content as current as possible, we have introduced a fresh round of updates to the syllabi. This comes two years after the last updates, which were prompted by the 2021 BJCP style guideline changes. While no BJCP updates drove these latest changes, we felt it necessary to add specific topics to keep pace with some of the current trends in the beer industry.  

“Since taking the program over in March, Dan and I have had constant discussions about ways to ensure that the Cicerone program provides as much value as possible as the beer industry evolves,” said Cicerone program president Jason Pratt.  “We feel that these changes are another step toward ensuring that Cicerone continues to be the gold standard when it comes to practical and relevant industry knowledge for beer professionals,” he said.

Each of the four levels of Cicerone certification has its own dedicated syllabus, which is a guideline for the material a candidate is responsible for knowing at that level. We also have different syllabi for various countries and regions around the world, reflecting the uniqueness of beer culture across the globe. For this round of updates, we have introduced new content for all of the English- and Spanish-language syllabi. These changes will become effective according to the following calendar.

• August 6, 2024: Updates are effective for the English-and Spanish-language versions of BeerSavvy, the online, self-guided preparatory course for the Certified Beer Server Exam.
• November 1, 2024:New syllabus updates incorporated into the English- and Spanish-language Certified Beer Server exams.
• January 1, 2025: New syllabus updates incorporated into the English- and Spanish-language Certified Cicerone and Advanced Cicerone exams.
• Updates to other non-English syllabi are forthcoming but timing is TBD.

For reference, below is a summary of the syllabi updates. Changes made at each level are also in effect at every level beyond it; e.g., changes and topics added at the Certified Beer Server level have also been at Certified Cicerone and above, etc.

Certified Beer Server

• More consistent detail on pouring draft and bottled beer
• Expanded detail on Jockey Boxes (US and Canadian Syllabi only)
• Introduction of new Emerging Styles
  • Pastry Stout or Dessert Stout
  • American-Style Fruited Sour
  • Inclusion of non-alcoholic beer and alcohol-free beer
  • Inclusion of gluten-free beer
  • Inclusion of dry hopping
  • Inclusion of brewing process steps

Certified Cicerone

• Inclusion of draft line infection flavors
• Removal of acetic from off-flavors in tasting exam Off-Flavor Identification
• Update of food ingredient list in Recommended Culinary Knowledge Appendix

Advanced Cicerone

• Inclusion of American-Style India Pale Lager
• Inclusion of advanced and novel hop products
• Inclusion of novel yeast products
• Inclusion of thiol-boosting products
• Inclusion of biotransformation

Master Cicerone

• All new topics added with expectation of Master level depth of knowledge

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