Here’s to Forty Years of Taste, Tradition & Technique!
From Style to Scoresheet, the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) is celebrating four decades of dedication to developing the standards for Beer, Mead & Cider Excellence.
The BJCP remains committed to its purpose of promoting and expanding knowledge and appreciation of beer, mead, and cider, certifying and ranking judges through an examination and monitoring process, sanctioning competitions, and providing educational resources and standardized methods for evaluation and feedback to current and prospective judges.
A Capsule History of the BJCP
The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) was founded in 1985 as a joint effort of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) and the now-defunct Home Wine and Beer Trade Association (HWBTA). The first exam, held at the AHA conference in Estes Park, Colorado, tested 51 examinees, setting the foundation for a structured beer judging program. Initially run under AHA oversight, the BJCP became fully independent in 1995 after both sponsors withdrew, transitioning to a volunteer-led, member-elected board that has guided the organization ever since.
In the early years, the BJCP focused on developing exams, study materials, competition sanctioning, and its own style guidelines, while moving from a fragmented regional structure to a unified national organization. By the late 1990s and 2000s, the BJCP had incorporated, published comprehensive style guidelines, and shifted operations online, creating databases, electronic competition reporting, and web-based member tools.
The program’s influence grew steadily, seeing the style guidelines adopted for major competitions such as the Great American Beer Festival and National Homebrew Competition. Over time, the program expanded internationally, and by 2017 had administered exams to over 16,000 individuals, sanctioned more than 13,000 competitions, and judged over 2 million beers! Along the way, challenges had to be overcome, including internal restructuring, financial mismanagement by a treasurer in 2007, and the constant need to modernize exam formats and guidelines.
With nearly 6,400 currently active judges in the program, 684 hold the rank of National or Master Judge. These two highest ranks represent 10% of our active Judges and signify the marks of a tenured and highly competent judge, one trusted to evaluate homebrew and commercially brewed beer of all styles accurately, while providing critical and useful feedback. They frequently take on the role of Lead Judge, mentor newer judges in their journey to certification, and often participate in selecting the overall winners on Best of Show panels at competitions.
As of this article, published Sept 2025, 125 exams have been registered, and exams have been given to over 500 examinees. Organizers have registered over 600 competitions.
Today, the BJCP remains an all-volunteer nonprofit, and is widely respected for its standardized training, certification, and style guidelines for beer, mead, and cider judging. With thousands of active judges worldwide, the program continues to play a central role in supporting competitions, education, and appreciation of fermented beverages.