• Home
  • Education & Training
  • Education Resources
  • Sensory Kits

    • Sensory Kits

    Flavor Kits from Siebel

    The BJCP has partnered with the Siebel Institute to provide commercial kits to BJCP exam prep classes. These are not custom kits, but the BJCP was involved with developing and testing the final product. Visit Siebel Institute Sensory Training Kits to learn more.

    Individual orders are placed through the BJCP, which will then periodically collect them into groups and place batch orders with Siebel for them to fulfill. This ensures that we will have fresh kits sent out, that we won’t run out of inventory, and that we won’t have to have volunteers handle product fulfillment. 

    What’s in the kit?

    Each sample flavor makes one liter, which provides enough for at least 20 samples. The characteristics in each kit are:

    • Acetaldehyde (green apple, cut grass)
    • Butyric Acid (putrid, baby vomit)
    • Diacetyl (butter, butterscotch)
    • DMS (cooked corn or vegetables)
    • Earthy (geosmin, soil-like)
    • Ethyl Acetate (solvent-like, nail polish remover)
    • Ethyl Hexanoate (aniseed, apple or licorice)
    • Geraniol (floral, geranium flowers)
    • Indole (farm, barnyard)
    • Isovaleric Acid (cheesy, old hops, sweat socks)
    • Papery (oxidized, cardboard)
    • Spicy (cloves, allspice)

    Note: Additional flavors and instructions on how to create them can be found in the Guidelines for Doctoring Beers section of the BJCP Beer Exam Study Guide.

    How can you get a kit?

    If you want a subsidized kit for use in an exam preparation class:

    • You need to have the exam approved and scheduled, see Scheduling Procedures.
    • You need to order and pay for the exam kit using our exam kit ordering web application. You must select the registered exam from a list; only one kit may be ordered per exam. These exam kits are intended for exam administrators, or those approved by the administrator to teach the exam prep class. They should not be ordered by those participating in the prep classes. Any BJCP members wishing to order a kit for personal use, or needing an additional kit for larger prep classes need to use the kit ordering web application for personal use.
    • When ordering, please note that kit orders are processed by the Siebel Institute within two weeks from the time they receive the order from the BJCP. Since they also sell kits to other customers as well, there may be times that they are low on inventory. Therefore, last minute orders may not be received by the time you need them. Please place your kit order with the Education Director at least two months before the first date that you plan to use it.

    If you want a subsidized kit for your own purposes:

    • The exam kits are intended for exam administrators, or those approved by the administrator to teach the exam prep class. All others need to use the Kit Ordering web application. You must authenticate using the BJCP portal, and pay for the kit using PayPal. The ordering process is similar to that used for BJCP Name Badges.
    • Please order at least two months in advance of when you need the kit. Kits have a finite shelf-life, so don’t keep them around indefinitely. They must be kept refrigerated.
    • Any active BJCP member holding the rank of Recognized or higher may purchase one off-flavor kit a year. This is the same kit provided to organizers of exam preparation classes.

    What does it cost?

    The kit costs US$50 to registered exam prep classes. The BJCP is subsidizing the cost of the kit using Education and Training Directorate funds, allocated from the BJCP annual operating budget. Siebel is handling product fulfillment. The BJCP will pay for the shipping costs.

    The subsidized kit for BJCP members costs US$100 (shipping included). A member may order one kit per year at this price.

    Sensory Training Kit Orders Shipped Outside of the United States — Please Read!! There will likely be associated costs with the delivery of sensory training kits outside of the United States, including local taxes and customs or duty fees. Depending on the country, these fees may be substantial. These are destination charges and are the responsibility of the member to pay upon delivery. The BJCP will subsidize the cost of the kit and the shipping but will not pay these additional destination charges. If you have any questions regarding what additional fees you may need to pay, please contact your local customs officials for those details.

    Per the vendor’s request the Education and Training Directorate will need collect Tax ID numbers from people in the following regions prior to the shipping of the kit:

    • Asia
    • Egypt
    • South Africa
    • South America

    Contact the  Education Director for specific details.