Alaina Parchmann, BBA, CGA, CPA…. Certified Cicerone? If you had told me 10 years ago that by 2025, I would be knee deep into a multi-year beer journey, I’d have laughed at you.
After all, past Alaina was barely a beer fan. Sure, I enjoyed the occasional wheat beer (the brand shall not be named), but Doppelbock? Lambic? Gueuze? I wouldn’t have guessed those were styles of beer – let alone real words! I had a tenuous grasp on beer styles, at best. I knew Pilsners and IPAs existed, but my beer goggles were firmly behind accounting spectacles. Fast forward to today, and I have learned that the world of beer extends far beyond the selection at the BC Liquor Store. I now know that I am a sucker for decoction mashing, have a deep-seated appreciation for the classics, will forever be a hop head and a funk fanatic, and overall, am a proud Beer Geek. But how did I get here?
Pandemic Beginnings
My story began to unfold during the pandemic. Like many, I created a new Instagram account (@eye.of.the.beerholder86), but I knew I was one of many new ‘Beerstagrammers’ trying to make their mark in the world. I had my niche (makeup and beer), but as a lifelong baker, the science of beer spoke to me, and I wanted to learn more. Not working in the industry, I was uncertain about how best to navigate amongst those that I admired (we all know that beer kept a lot of us sane during those dark months). I was relieved to find out that women in the beer industry are particularly open to sharing with each other. To this day, I am still blown away by the quality of women I have met and am forever grateful for how welcoming they have been. Women like Master Cicerone® Mirella Amato (author of Beerology, the only Canadian Master Cicerone®, and overall wonder woman of beer) and Certified Cicerone® Lundy Dale (Pink Boots Society, BC Craft Brewer’s Guild, and BC Ale Trail powerhouse), were integral in opening my eyes to what is available to someone wanting to take the journey in beer. Knowing I had the support of so many women, I felt much more prepared to take the next step.
Choosing a Path and the Challenges of Walking It
After doing some research, I decided to follow the Cicerone® Certification Program. The Program is one of several international beer education programs (others include, for example, Prud’homme Beer Certification, Doemens Biersommelier program, etc.). Certification levels include Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone®, Advanced Cicerone®, and the elusive Master Cicerone® (as of the writing of this article, there are only 28 Master Cicerones® in the world!). Becoming a Cicerone® is a marker of excellence in beer education and shows you are knowledgeable in various aspects of beer service (including the dreaded off-flavour identification), beer production, beer styles, beer history, and beer and food pairing. According to the Cicerone website, there are currently 206 Certified and 14 Advanced Cicerones® in Canada (~70 and 4 of which are in British Columbia, respectively).
To be successful, candidates must pass various examinations, including tasting, demonstration, and oral exams. The complexity of the program cannot be understated. As someone who has sometimes felt like a professional student and exam-taker, I can say that the program is not for the faint-hearted. It took nearly a year of dedicated studying and practice tastings (with my study buddy Noelle Phillips) to obtain the designation of Certified® Cicerone. One of the largest challenges of the Cicerone® Program is that there is no “one-stop shop” for studying. While the Program releases syllabi for the various accreditation levels, there is no official “course” available. They do offer various “Road to Cicerone” mini courses that cover various beer styles, but beer style knowledge is only a portion of what you need to know to successfully complete the examinations. There is a plethora of free material available to those studying for the programs, but I recommend investing in The Beer Scholar for a structured approach to studying. The monthly live group tasting sessions are an invaluable way to soak up information from other beer nerds!
I found that one of the hardest aspects of studying was preparing for the tasting and demonstration exams – both of which were an in-person component of the certification process and required me to travel (to Seattle and then to Calgary). The demonstration portion of the exam requires the candidate to effectively demonstrate an aspect of beer service, i.e. disassembling and cleaning a beer faucet or keg coupler. Not having regular access to a brewery, this is where networking came into play. Not only were local brewers happy to give tours of their facilities, but they were also generous with sharing equipment to practice with. It pays to be curious and just ASK!
One of the components of the tasting exam is differentiating between various beer styles when being served them blind. The beer styles you are expected to know at the Certified Cicerone® level are, far and above, classical examples. No Imperial Pastry Stouts here! The hunt for classical styles took a lot of time, and ultimately, a lot of beer was dumped. When you’re tasting a panel of 8 similar beers, some of it must be sacrificed in the name of clear-headed beer evaluation. This is where finding study partners has its benefits – it is cost-effective to split up the purchasing of the beer styles, and everyone cries less when only 1/3 of a bottle or can is dumped versus 2/3.
The largest component of the tasting exam is the unpleasant, but necessary, ability to identify off-flavours in beer. A Cicerone® should be able to identify when a beer is not fit for service – and to do this, must be familiar with the various tastes and smells that signal when a beer is ‘not quite right’. The Program offers ‘spike kits’ in single-dose and 12-person sizes – it is a much better value if you can purchase the large kit and share it with others (or you’ll end up using a gem scale to divide it into 12 single-serve cups, like I had to do). The tasting exam was by far one of the most humbling experiences of my life. I have always considered myself to have a good palate and a solid sense of smell – so, not passing it on the first try was a reality check. Though please do not let this deter you, it is not uncommon to need multiple attempts to pass the Cicerone® exams.
An Evolving Journey
All in all, the path to Certified Cicerone® has been a rewarding one. Passion is contagious, and there is no shortage of that within the beer industry and from its supporters. Beer education has allowed me to connect with people all around the world, given me a much deeper appreciation for the ‘craft’ of craft beer (and those who make it), and stoked the fire of curiosity. Reaching the Certified Cicerone® level is not the end of my journey, but just the beginning. Next up is Beer Judge Certification, and a deeper dive into the world of beer and food pairing (I recommend Mirella Amato’s course). Be sure to check out mine and Noelle Phillips’ new Instagram account,@ladies.of.the.pint, and come along for the ride!
Every Pint Tells a Story
