BJCP Exam Question Pool

This is the collection of questions from which exams are made. A unique group of questions is used for each exam. Please note that this list includes questions that are no longer in use. In addition, exams may use questions that are not yet on this list, or variations of the questions on this list. The Co-Directors of the program (currently Pat Baker & Alberta Rager) determine the questions and make up the exams.

Russ Wigglesworth - 5/10/94

Categories of Questions

Beers: Style

1. Explain the style lambic, and describe each of the following faro, framboise, gueze and kriek.
2. Describe and differentiate the different sub categories of Stout.
3. Describe and differentiate between a Pils, Dortmunder Export, and Munchner Helles, give commercial examples.
4. Describe and differentiate between a weizenbier, weissbier weizenbock and a lambic.
5. Describe the Brown Ale style, include regional variations.
6. Describe the characteristics of a Rauchbier, and tell how and where it is made.
7. Describe and differentiate 3 Strong Ale styles.
8. Describe and differentiate between a bock, dopplebock, eisbock and weizenbock.
9. Identify and describe 3 ale styles traditionally brewed in Germany.
10. Describe the characteristics of a Stienbier, and tell how and where it is made.
11. Describe the flavor profile and history of a India Pale Ale.
12. Explain the bock beer style, and describes each of its variations.
13. Describe the Munich Dunkel and Schwarzbier style.
14. What is Lutece?
15. Describe the flavor profile and history of a Russian Imperial Stout.
16. Describe the German Pilsner Beer style and Bohemian Pilsner Beer style.
17. Explain the Pale Ale style, and describe each of its variations.
18. Identify and describe 3 beer styles that use wheat as a major ingredient.
19. Identify and describe two major beer styles that use other than lager or ale yeast for part of the fermentation.
20. Describe Porters, include regional variations and the origin of the style.
21. Describe the Vienna beer style.
22. Describe the various beer styles of Belgium origin.
23. What does saison mean?
24. Describe and differentiate the different sub categories of English Bitter and Scottish Ale (Scottish Bitter).
25. Describe the Munich Helles beer style.
26. Describe and differentiate English Pale Ale, India Pale Ale and American Pale Ale beer styles.
27. Describe, differentiate and relate the ranges of pale ales and bitters, giving commercial examples.
28. Describe and differentiate between lager, pilsner and continenta light styles of beer.
29. Name three hop varieties and commercial beers that reflect that variety.
30. What is the difference between a Marsen, Oktoberfest and a Vienna style beer?
31. Describe a Marzenbier and give a commercial example.
32. A good pale ale frequently reflects the taste of what kind of malt?
33. Name two Trappist beers and describe the style.
34. Relate and differentiate between the following beer styles(bitter, mild, brown ale and pale ale.)
35. Describe Watneys' Stingo and indicate the style.
36. What is an Alt beer?
37. Describe and differentiate between (American light,) (classic) pilsner and continental light beers.
38. Describe the typical major taste characteristics of a foreign extra stout.
39. Which grain or malt type is often reflected in the following beer styles, and briefly describe the characteristics: porter, pale ale, stout.
40. Describe a Russian Imperial Stout.
41. Describe and differentiate between Abbey and Trappist beers, describing the flavors and giving commercial examples.
42. Identify, describe and differentiate four pale German bottom-fermented beer styles, giving commercial examples.
43. Identify, describe and differentiate English Old ales, Strong Ales and Barley Wines, giving commercial examples.
44. Identify, describe and differentiate top-fermented strong beer styles, giving commercial examples.
45. Identify, describe and differentiate three bottom-fermenting German beer styles.
46. How does a foreign extra stout differ from a dry stout?
47. Give the name of the German Beer Purity Law, explain the provisions of it, and current status.
48. What is a Biere de Garde? Describe the style and give a commercial example.

Technical

1. What is the difference between a bittering and finishing hop and give three traditional examples of each?
2. What parts of the hop plant are useful to the brewer and why?
3. Explain the properties a brewer wants from hops, and how each is extracted.
4. What's the difference between a flavor and an aroma hop? Give three examples of each.
5. What properties and characteristics does the brewmaster expect from hops?
6. What is the difference between a bittering and finishing hop? Give three traditional examples of each.
7. Explain the effects on finished beer of: (boiling hops for an hour, adding hops at the end of the boil.)
8. What's the difference between a flavor and an aroma hop? Give three examples of each.

Malt

1. Describe what happens when malt is mashed and why.
2. What does a maltste mean when he talks about malt modifications?
3. Describe the major brewer's malt varieties, and briefly indicate the character of each and why it is used by the brewer.
4. Name six malt varieties and indicate the reason each is selected by the brewer (what beer styles reflect those malts.)
5. Name and describe two varieties of brewers pale malt. Also name and describe five specialty malts and how and why they are used.

Yeast

1. Describe the life cycle of yeast during brewing.
2. Discuss the considerations in selecting a type of yeast for a batch of beer, and how the resulting beer will be affected by the yeast.
3. What are the technical names for ale and lager yeasts, and what are the major differences between the yeasts?
4. Differentiate ale and lager yeast, in fermentation and in the taste of the beer.
5. Describe the life cycle of yeast during brewing.

Barley

1. Briefly explain the changes in barley when it is malted.
2. Describe the characteristics of an oxidized beer, and explain what can cause the beer to become oxidized.
3. What does krauzening mean, and why is it done?
4. Explain infusion, step-infusion and decoction mashing, give process and reasons for each method.
5. Discuss diacetyl in beer, include causes, ways to prevent or avoid, how a judge will perceive it and what styles it is appropriate for.
6. What are the functions of the "lauter tun" and the "hop back".
7. Differentiate ale and lager yeast, in brewing process and characteristics imparted to beer.
8. Explain the different methods of carbonating beer, give process, pros and cons of each.
9. Where in the brewing process is water treatment important and why.
10. Discuss astringency in beer, include causes, ways to prevent or avoid and how a judge will perceive it.
11. When is the addition of oxygen desirable in the brewing process. When is the addition of oxygen not desirable in the brewing process. How is the undesirable addition perceived by the judge.
12. Give four reasons why a brewer boils his wort, and how boiling achieves these purposes.
13. Explain how Chocolate Malt and Crystal Malt are produced, and what each contributes to the finished beer.
14. Select any traditional beer style and give a recipe for a 5 gallon batch of homebrew that will fit that style. Explain why the recipe will fit the style selected. Indicate approximate starting and finishing gravity. Please do not use the fruit, herb, or specialty styles.
15. Explain how Roasted Barley and Crystal Malt are produced, and what each contributes to the finished beer.
16. Explain how Munich Malt and Crystal Malt are produced, and what each contributes to the finished beer.
17. Discuss Phenols and Chlorophenols in beer, include causes, ways to prevent or avoid, how a judge will perceive them.
18. Explain how Dextrin Malt and Crystal Malt are produced, what characteristic each contribute to the finished beer, and how those characteristics can be extracted.
19. Discuss DMS in beer, include causes, ways to prevent or avoid, how a judge will perceive it, and what styles it can be acceptable in.
20. What are the proper serving temperatures for real beer?
21. What is the source of chill haze: What are two ways to combat the problem? (Discuss the causes of haze in beer.)
22. Describe the smell of diacetyl.
23. Why does a beer gush?
24. What is the alcoholic content of an English bitter, and indicate the strength by weight and by volume.
25. What cause the following off-flavors, and how does the brewer avoid them? Cidery tastes, sour tastes, cardboardy taste, astringency, skunkyness, phenolic.
26. Explain how each of the following grains are produced, and what effect each has on beer; (black patent, chocolate malt, Dextrin malt, Cara-pils, roasted barley, Munich malt.)
27. Acrospire length relates to modification. What is an acrospire, what is modification, and what is occurring?
28. What is the difference between Saccharomyces Carlsberghensis and Saccharomyces Uvarum?
29. Discuss the origin and impact of DMS in beer.
30. Discuss the kettle boil and what it does for the brewer.
31. Name three beer clarifying aids, explaining how, when and why they are used.
32. Describe four flaws found in beer, explaining the cause and how the problem can be avoided.
33. Describe the action of enzymes during brewing, identifying at least two (preferably three) specific enzymes.
34. What is the "hot-break" and what is happening?
35. What is pH, what is the proper pH during the mash, and why is it important in mashing?
36. How do you kraeusen your beer, and why?

Judging

 1. Explain how a participant in the Judge Certification Program advances.
2. Explain how a judge prepares for a judging session, include what a judge should bring to a session.
3. Describe how the Beer Judge Certification Program is organized and how a judge progresses within it.