Slate article on "Cicerones"

[gr8shandini]

Didn't see this posted yet, so I figured I'd see what y'all think

Beer Sommeliers: Why beer deserves the same kind of expertise as wine. - Slate Magazine

Personally, I think the idea of a beer sommelier adds a level of pretension that I don't think belongs in beer. That said, there is probably some room for qualified consultants that could help a bar curate and arrange their beer list. I've been to Churchkey and I really like how they set up their list by flavor profile rather than region or style.

 

[terrapinj]

one of our local beer bars is run by a certified cicerone - extremely laid back environment but they get all sorts of rare beers and do lots of special events

i don't think it necessarily adds any level of pretentiousness and I appreciate that they also encourage their servers to get certified as beer servers as well

i'd much rather deal with someone with over the top beer knowledge than try to order beer from someone that has no clue what they are talking about

the program was started and run by Ray Daniels - so certainly plenty of credibility there

 

[bigbeergeek]

Education is good, especially in the context of serving pricey-yet-fine food and beverage products.

I wait tables at a very fancy fine dining restaurant. I'm expected to have a near encyclopedic knowledge of where ingredients are sourced, how sauces are prepared etc. If you are going to pay top dollar for a quality steak or a mysterious bomber of craft beer, you might have a question or two before you pull the trigger. That's where the education/expertiese comes in. It's not about pretentious service -- an educated service staff is an asset.

 

[ajbram]

I agree 100% with terrapinj and bigbeergeek. I don't think its at all pretentious to have someone qualified on hand to guide you on making a selection. I know my beer and wine very well, but I don't know everything about either. When I go to a restaurant, I know what flavour profile I am looking for in the wine to accompany my meal, and I know what varietals typically will get me what I am looking for. But there may be several wines on the list that are made from the same grape, and a good sommelier could point me in the direction of the one that is the best fit for what I'm looking for. Sometimes there is a local wine or something new that I haven't had on the list, and a good sommelier can tell me what the flavour profile is like using terms that are meaningful to someone who knows something about wine. In a lot of cases, I find that I know more about wines than the waiter at whatever restaurant I'm at , but when they have a good sommelier, I'm certainly not above asking his advice and I genuinely appreciate being able to have an informed discussion about something that can really make my meal that much better. I don't find it at all pretentious. It doesn't have to be pretentious. As brewers, we can all talk in an educated fashion about the flavour profile of any of our brews. It would be nice to go to a pub and have someone other than the owner/brewmaster be able to give me the same information about the beers they have on tap. We all love rare/unusual/local brews. Wouldn't it be awesome to have someone on hand to tell you about them in a way that was more meaningful than the usual watress saying "ummm I haven't had it, but people seem to like it. They're really all pretty good."

 

[gr8shandini]

No doubt that a knowledegable staff is a good thing. I guess when I think of sommeliers, I get the picture of a snobbish sort of gentleman in an expensive suit telling me I simply must try this $200 bottle with the quail. Probably unfair, I know.

On the flip side, since even a really expensive bomber of beer usually tops out under $20 at a restaurant, I'd think people would be willing to roll the dice so long as the list gives a detailed (and accurate) description.

 

[Homercidal]

I've been to lots of places that don't even know what the F they got on tap, let alone know how to pronounce it.

That's the reality of the flip side.

 

[bigbeergeek]

I've been to lots of places that don't even know what the F they got on tap, let alone know how to pronounce it.

That's the reality of the flip side.

Word to your mother.

 

[Schemy]

I would like to sit down with a cicerone at some point and go through some tasting notes. To me it is a great thing for craft beer. Too many nights I have sat with someone at a bar tasting a beer, and neither of us knows what we are tasting. I have also sat with the over oppinionated that just knows there is no Amarillo in this beer, even though the bottle plainly states there is Amarillo in the beer. Now I know I won't have a cicerone to correct these situations. **** just made up my mind, cicerone is my next beer quest.

 

[Rudeboy]

Did anyone else do the little test attached to the article.

8 out of 8.

Still anyone who hangs out here for more than a month should get 8 out of 8.

I wonder if that really is representative of the whole test.

Rudeboy

 

[terrapinj]

Did anyone else do the little test attached to the article.

8 out of 8.

Still anyone who hangs out here for more than a month should get 8 out of 8.

I wonder if that really is representative of the whole test.

Rudeboy

that's for the beer server level - which looks like it's pretty basic stuff

 

[daksin]

that's for the beer server level - which looks like it's pretty basic stuff

But you still need to take the server test (and pass it) to take the full cicerone exam. It's a good place to start, although I'll bet anybody who's spent a few months on HBT and enjoys craft beer could pass without studying.

 

[Homercidal]

Was hanging out at BW3 waiting for my daughters to get out of dance and the hot young bartender was talking to me about homebrewing. Then she started asking me questions for a test she had to take. A test that BW3 requires their servers to pass. All about beer.

I was actually fairly impressed with the questions:

Is Newcastle a Pale Ale Brown Ale or (I forget)...?

I told her it was either an Northern Brown Ale, for a Southern Brown Ale, I couldn't remember which was which, but it was definitely a Brown Ale.

One of the other tenders told me they clean their taps every 2 weeks, as required by law. So they aren't really slacking like some places I've been to.

 

[Yooper]

FSR402 just became a ciccerone. He'd be a great one to ask about the exam! He's at the first level, and will be working his way up to "master" over the next two years, I believe.