To support the Mead Exam program, a new Mead Judge designation was created. This designation is treated differently depending on whether or not the person passing the Mead Exam is already a member of the BJCP.
- For existing BJCP judges, the designation is called an endorsement. Judges continue to hold their existing BJCP ranks, and otherwise operate within the program in the same manner as before. They may refer to themselves as Mead Judges, but their rank is still based on their beer exam score.
- For those who have not taken the BJCP Beer Exam, the designation will be the judge’s rank. Non-BJCP members passing the exam become active BJCP judges, get assigned a BJCP ID, may accumulate experience points, and have all other rights, privileges, and responsibilities due an active BJCP member.
Judges in the BJCP have only one rank. Those passing the BJCP Beer Exam use a graduated system of rank levels that depends on exam score and experience points. Those only passing the BJCP Mead Exam use the Mead Judge rank exclusively. Both groups of judges are full BJCP members. The Mead Judge rank differs from the Beer Judge ranks (Apprentice through Grand Master) in that there is only one Mead Judge rank level – no advancement in rank is possible without taking the BJCP Beer Exam.
Note that there are not different types of judging experience points; no distinction is made whether they are earned judging mead, beer or cider. Any judging experience within the BJCP system develops skills and experience, and is recorded on the BJCP judge’s judging record. So, experience points gained while holding the Mead Judge rank can be used towards advancing in the Beer Judge ranks once the BJCP Beer Exam is taken. An existing BJCP judge with the Mead Judge endorsement will obviously continue to earn experience points as before; no changes in the rank system are made because of the endorsement.
The criterion for the Mead Judge designation is simply to pass the Mead Judging Exam (i.e., receive a score of 60 or higher). No experience points are required. All who pass the Mead Judging Exam may check the Mead Judge checkbox on the BJCP Mead Scoresheet and may wear the BJCP Mead Judge pin. Distinctive Mead Judge pins and attractive certificates are provided by the BJCP to all who pass the exam. Existing BJCP judges passing the Mead Judging Exam should check the appropriate BJCP Rank checkbox on the BJCP Mead Scoresheet in addition to the Mead Judge checkbox.
Existing BJCP judges who pass the Mead Judging Exam will receive ETD credits, which are non-judging experience points on their judging records. ETD points are awarded based on the overall Mead Judging Exam score (0.5/1/1.5/2 points for a score of 60/70/80/90). Judges may receive the ETD credit once for each type of exam (mead or cider). Judges retaking the Mead Judging Exam will be given ETD credit based on their highest score.