Cicerone® Syllabus Topics
Certified Beer Server Candidate scope · 23 topic articles
Keeping and Serving Beer
4 topics
Certified Beer Server
I. Keeping and Serving Beer / C. Beer storage
1. Beer Is Best Consumed Fresh
Most beer is released ready to drink, and age, oxygen, heat, and light can dull hop aroma, stale malt flavor, and make beer taste less like the brewer intended.
4 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
I. Keeping and Serving Beer / C. Beer storage
3. Store Beer Properly
Refrigerated storage is best for all beer because warm storage speeds staling reactions.
5 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
I. Keeping and Serving Beer / C. Beer storage
5. Serve Beer Properly
Traditional draft kegs should be served with CO2 or an appropriate CO2-nitrogen blend at proper pressure.
4 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
I. Keeping and Serving Beer / D. Draft systems
4. Draft System Maintenance
Draft lines should be cleaned at least every 14 days with proper line-cleaning chemical, with faucets, couplers, and FOBs cleaned on schedule.
5 question bank questions
Beer Styles
3 topics
Certified Beer Server
II. Beer Styles / B. Style parameters
2. Qualitative Parameters of Beer Character
Qualitative parameters describe aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression in plain sensory language.
4 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
II. Beer Styles / C. Beer style knowledge
1. Knowledge Requirements of Listed Styles
CBS style knowledge focuses on recognizing listed styles by major sensory traits, not memorizing every advanced detail.
15 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
II. Beer Styles / C. Beer style knowledge
2. Beer Styles by Region
Regional style groupings connect beer styles to traditions from places such as Britain, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Ireland, and the United States.
132 question bank questions
Beer Flavor and Evaluation
8 topics
Certified Beer Server
III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation / A. Taste and flavor
1. How We Perceive Flavor
Beer flavor is built from taste, aroma, retronasal aroma, mouthfeel, temperature, and carbonation working together.
5 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation / A. Taste and flavor
2. Beer Evaluation
Evaluate beer with a consistent sequence: appearance, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression.
9 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation / B. Identify normal flavors of beer and their source
1. Malt and Grain Flavors
Malt and grains can contribute bready, cracker-like, toasty, caramel, chocolate, coffee, roast, grainy, or dark-fruit impressions.
6 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation / B. Identify normal flavors of beer and their source
2. Hop Flavors
Hops provide bitterness that balances malt sweetness and aroma or flavor that may seem floral, herbal, spicy, citrus, pine, resinous, tropical, or earthy.
5 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation / B. Identify normal flavors of beer and their source
3. Fermentation Flavors
Yeast consumes sugars and produces alcohol, CO2, and flavor compounds.
4 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation / C. Off-flavor knowledge
1. Oxidation
Oxidation can show as stale cardboard, paper, honey-like sweetness, muted hops, or dull malt.
5 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation / C. Off-flavor knowledge
2. Lightstruck Skunky
Lightstruck character is commonly described as skunky and comes from light damage to hop-derived compounds.
4 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation / C. Off-flavor knowledge
3. Dirty Draft Lines
Dirty draft lines may create buttery diacetyl, sour or vinegar-like acidity, musty character, or generally stale and unpleasant beer.
6 question bank questions
Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes
7 topics
Certified Beer Server
IV. Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes / A. Ingredients
1. Grains
Brewing grains provide fermentable sugars, color, body, foam potential, and malt-derived flavor.
5 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
IV. Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes / A. Ingredients
2. Hops
Hops balance malt sweetness with bitterness and add aroma or flavor depending on variety and use.
5 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
IV. Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes / A. Ingredients
3. Yeast
Yeast is pitched into cooled wort, consumes fermentable sugars, and creates alcohol and carbon dioxide.
5 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
IV. Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes / B. Brewing Process Overview
3. Lautering
Lautering separates sweet wort from the grain bed after mashing.
4 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
IV. Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes / B. Brewing Process Overview
4. Boiling
Wort is boiled in the brew kettle, where heat helps sterilize it and drive process changes.
4 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
IV. Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes / B. Brewing Process Overview
7. Fermentation
Yeast is pitched into cooled wort and consumes sugars.
5 question bank questions
Certified Beer Server
IV. Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes / B. Brewing Process Overview
8. Maturation and Lagering
After primary fermentation, beer may need time for yeast and flavor to stabilize.
4 question bank questions