Welcome to Beer Study Hall
Beer Study Hall is where curiosity about beer turns into deeper understanding. Explore clear, approachable articles about beer styles, ingredients, brewing processes, sensory science, history, and the many details that shape what ends up in your glass. Whether you are studying for an exam or simply want to learn more about beer, start wherever your interests take you.
Studying for Cicerone® or BJCP?
Build confidence with structured practice and personalized feedback.
Learn about Answer Calibration
Beer & Food Pairing: Scotch Eggs & Scottish Ale
The Belhaven Scottish Ale paired perfectly with the vegetarian version. The caramel maltiness tempered the heat from the spicy Italian Beyond sausage as well as highlighted the Maillard flavors from the deep frying. The herbal and earthy hop flavors highlighted the beer horseradish mustard I paired with the Scotch eggs.
I Tried It: Beer Judging
"Meh" is not acceptable feedback for competitions. Or anywhere, really - stop leaving "Meh" as beer feedback, everyone
I Tried It: Strong Belgian Ales Blind Tasting
How did I find the difference between Belgian Blond Ales, Belgian Golden Strong Ales, and Belgian Tripels?
Pretty much like the difference between Queen's "Under Pressure" and Vanilla Ice's "Ice, Ice, Baby," as described by Vanilla Ice.
Becoming a Certified Cicerone: Part Two
Beyond the expense of the exam itself, the other costs can add up quickly. However, the good news is that if you don’t have a lot of cash to throw around, it’s still completely possible to have all the study materials you need for next to nothing.
Becoming a Certified Cicerone: Part One
My road to Cicerone was a long one, full of hard work, failure, and self-discovery. In this series of posts, I'll talk about how I approached the exam, the resources I used, how I conducted tastings, how the day of the exam went for me, and what I learned along the way.