The comment period on the 2014 revision to the Style Guidelines has closed. The Style Committee will now do a final revision and the Guidelines should be published relatively soon. Competitions are free to adopt the new guidelines at will. Exams under the new guidelines will not start until at least the second quarter of 2015.

Many exams are scheduled across the region each year. Having all of the seats filled for each exam should be a goal. Coordinating locally and in your surrounding areas to keep a regular test schedule and possibly even a centralized wait list can help ensure that everyone has access to an exam.

Quarterly written exams can be given by any exam grader, so seek one out when you are ready to shoot for the higher ranks. Anyone with a National or higher rank can and should grade exams. The grading process has been simplified and the time commitment greatly reduced.

The exam directors have adopted a policy strongly discouraging retaking an exam while awaiting the results of a previous exam. Abiding by that policy will help unclog the exam backlog.

The Program is always accepting volunteers in the other directorates as well - Continuing Education, Competition, IT, Communications. There are also ad hoc committees formed regularly to address specific issues. If you would like to help please contact me. A bit of volunteer work for a non-profit global educational charity won’t hurt your resume.

Don Blake – Grand Master I

David Lytton – Grand Master I

(Editors Note: This list was compiled in October 2014. The BJCP Bulletin wishes to also congratulate those who have reached National, Master, and Grand Master ranks since that time.)

Thanks for being part of the Beer Judge Certification Program, and feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance.