Beer Judging 101:

Beer Tasting and Judging class, with Grand Master Beer Judge David Teckam.

Prerequisites:  None.  This class is intended mainly for non-judges who have some amount of casual tasting experience, and an interest in craft beer and world beer styles.

Section 1: Noon - Sunday, Feb 19, 2012

Section 2: 2:30PM - Sunday, Feb 19, 2012

Instructor: David Teckam, BJCP Grand Master ranked Beer Judge and beer educator, assisted by Master level BCJP judge and homebrew competition organizer, Brian Cooper.

What separates a truly world class brew from a run of the mill beer?  

Beer Judging 101 is an introduction to the critical tasting and describing of beer. Expand your evaluative, perceptive, and descriptive ability, while sampling some unique and world class beers. We'll compare and contrast different beers, talking about the ingredients and processes that go into them, and discuss the resulting flavors, body and aromas in the beer.  You will be shown how to approach a beer from a judge's perspective, learning some practical tasting skills, as well as terms for discussing the various flavors, aromas and other attributes of the beer.

In addition to learning about judging and tasting skills, we will also discuss world beer styles and their evolution, and how they fit into recognized historic styles.  You will learn a bit about what constitutes an award-winning example of a style, and gain some preliminary experience detecting and identifying defects or style deficiencies.  We will also touch upon the effects of aging on beer.  For those interested in taking it a step further, we will share some information about joining the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program).

Timeline and costs: Section One starts at noon, and goes until 1:30.  Section Two starts at 2:30 PM and goes until 4:00.  Each class is identical, and the cost is $30, including all beers and materials. Note: we recommend you purchase your tickets early (top of this page) to ensure a spot, as this event has been very popular in prior years.  Both sections of our beer judging 101 class sold out for last year's SF Beer Week.

Venue: This class will be held at the Pyramid Alehouse in Berkeley -- 901 Gilman Street, Berkeley, CA. Attendees will receive discounts on food and beverages at the alehouse and a free brewery tour will be offered after each session. For more info about our host, visit: www.pyramidbrew.com/alehouses/berkeley. Use of public transit, cab, and/or designated drivers is highly recommended. The closest BART is the North Berkeley Station.