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  • Writer's pictureLuke Nyswonger

Become a Certified BJCP Beer Judge with the Help of Generative AI

Listen up, beer lovers! This article may seem like shameless click bait, but trust me, it’s worth it — we’re talking about Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and beer! Now, before you get too excited, let’s address the obvious: AI can’t actually taste beer (at least not yet, but who knows what the future holds!).


While AI can’t drink beer, it can help you become a certified beer judge through the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). Yep, you read that right. With the help of AI, you can learn about different beer styles, brewing techniques, and beer judging skills without ever having to crack open a cold one (although, let’s be real, that’s the best part of studying beer).


Homebrewing beer judge, cartoon and graffiti style
Bing Image Creator: Homebrewing beer judge, cartoon and graffiti style

This article serves as a complementary piece to “10 Ways to Utilize Generative AI in Your Homebrewing Process.” Its purpose is to dive into practical applications of generative AI that can aid aspiring BJCP certified beer judges in their journey. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to engage in prompt engineering and test your knowledge through a practice exam using ChatGPT, hopefully making this an exciting and interactive experience.


The Benefits of BJCP Certification

BJCP stands for Beer Judge Certification Program. It is a program that was created to promote beer education and knowledge, and to develop and maintain a standardized system for judging beer competitions. The BJCP was founded in 1985 and is now the largest beer judge certification program in the world.


The BJCP offers three levels of certification: Certified, National, and Master. To become a certified beer judge, candidates must pass an online exam covering topics such as beer styles, brewing processes, and beer judging techniques. After passing the exam, candidates must also participate in a judging session to demonstrate their beer evaluation skills.


The BJCP maintains a set of guidelines for judging and evaluating beer styles, known as the Beer Style Guidelines. These guidelines provide a standardized set of characteristics for each beer style, including appearance, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel. Judges use these guidelines to evaluate beers in competitions, and they are also a valuable resource for homebrewers and beer enthusiasts who want to learn more about different beer styles.

All in all, the BJCP is a great organization that’s helping to promote knowledge and education about beer and providing a standardized system for evaluating and judging beer styles. It’s like a beer superhero, fighting the good fight for all of us beer lovers out there. So go ahead, raise a pint to the BJCP — they’ve earned it!


So how can AI help?

Generative AI can help with BJCP certification in several ways:

  • It can help you identify and prioritize key study materials, such as books, articles, and study guides, based on your learning preferences and strengths.

  • It can assist in creating customized study plans that cater to your learning style and pace, while also ensuring that you cover all the required BJCP material.

  • It can assist in the memorization of key BJCP style guidelines and technical terminology, which is essential for passing the certification exam.

As amazing as AI is, it’s essential to recognize that practical experience in brewing, tasting, and judging beer can’t be replaced. So, while AI can provide helpful support and resources, it’s crucial to supplement your AI-based learning with hands-on experience. To take your beer education to the next level, consider joining local homebrewing clubs, attending beer festivals, and even brewing your own beer. After all, nothing beats the feeling of cracking open a bottle of your own handcrafted beer and enjoying the fruits of your labor.


The Ultimate Beer Companion: ChatGPT as Your Personal Beer Tutor

ChatGPT can be a useful tool for interactive learning and tutoring in many different areas, including beer education and beer judging. Here are a few ways you can use ChatGPT as an interactive tutor for learning:

  1. Ask questions: You can ask ChatGPT specific questions related to beer styles, brewing techniques, beer tasting, or any other topic you’re interested in. ChatGPT can provide detailed answers, explanations, and additional resources to help you deepen your knowledge and understanding.

  2. Practice beer evaluation: ChatGPT can act as a virtual judge for beer evaluation practice. You can describe the appearance, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel of a beer to ChatGPT, and it can provide feedback on your evaluation skills and suggest areas for improvement.

  3. Get personalized study recommendations: ChatGPT can provide recommendations for study materials, online resources, and beer tasting events based on your interests and level of knowledge. You can ask ChatGPT for suggestions on what to study next, or where to find additional resources on a particular topic.

  4. Engage in conversation: ChatGPT can engage in conversation with you on a wide range of beer-related topics. This can be a fun and engaging way to learn more about beer, exchange ideas and opinions, and deepen your understanding of the beer community.

  5. Take quizzes and tests: ChatGPT can provide quizzes or tests on beer styles, brewing techniques, and beer evaluation. You can use these quizzes to test your knowledge, identify areas of weakness, and track your progress over time.

Let’s get a closer taste of #5 above.


Are you ready to put your beer knowledge to the test?

It’s time to see if you have what it takes to become a certified beer judge through the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) testing right in ChatGPT. So, grab a pint, take a deep breath, and get ready to show off your beer tasting and evaluating skills.


Quiz Prompt

Please help me prepare for the BJCP exam by providing 5 True/False questions and 1 essay question, one question at a time. I would like you to grade my responses, provide explanations, and keep track of my progress as a percentage. Generate a congratulations message at the end that includes beer related ASCII art.

This goal of this prompt is to create an exercise that will help you sharpen your knowledge and skills in preparation for the BJCP exam, while also providing a fun and engaging way to learn about beer and brewing.


Screenshot of ChatGPT conversation about BJCP

I find this prompt to be exceptionally potent because of its ability to present both True/False and essay questions. Of course, you could create separate prompts for either one, but this combination makes for a well-rounded exercise. Writing essays can be one of the most challenging areas, but practicing this skill will help you develop your critical thinking and writing prowess and become familiar with the format and structure of essay questions for the BJCP exam.


To assess your writing, ChatGPT employs a blend of natural language processing (NLP) techniques, machine learning algorithms, and a comprehensive knowledge of the BJCP and beer judging competitions. This allows ChatGPT to analyze essay responses for BJCP exam questions accurately and effectively.


Here is an instance where my response did not provide sufficient detail to effectively explain the answer to this question, as assessed by the model.


Screenshot of ChatGPT conversation about BJCP

Here’s an instance where I was able to articulate the beer styles with greater precision and clarity.


Screenshot of ChatGPT conversation about BJCP

And finally, the AI’s beer-inspired ASCII art to raise a glass to my victory over the practice questions. Hmm, it resembles either a jellybean or a cucumber, but let’s not judge a beer by its label!

Screenshot of ChatGPT conversation about BJCP

Conclusion

In conclusion, while AI may not be able to crack open a cold one and taste beer like us, it can still be a helpful tool in assisting us on our journey to become certified beer judges through the BJCP program. After all, AI can help us identify the most crucial study materials, create customized study plans, and even assist in memorizing the vital BJCP guidelines and technical terminology. But let’s not forget that practical experience is still crucial, and nothing beats the feeling of sipping on a cold one while putting our beer-tasting skills to the test!


Who knows, maybe one day AI will even be able to taste beer and join us for a cheers! 🍻

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