Cicerone.org

Hello, my name is Tom Devlin. I just found out about the program as I was reading my most recent Zymurgy last night, as I was sipping my version of Denny Conn's Rye Ipa. I am all about beer, good beer that is. I am a beer snob and I am not afraid to admit this.

I have been an avid homebrewer for 5 years now, the last 3 doing all grain. My day time occupation is a Clinical Staff Pharmacist in the hospital setting, so now I have 2 reasons for taking all of that chemistry in college.

Ray, I think this is truly an idea that is long over due. Beer should never take a back seat to wine, and I think, actually pairs better with most foods than wine. And with Charlie P. being a proponent of the slow food movement, the pairing seems a natural. Obviously, it would be great to work in the business, but right now I am quite satisfied educating myself as much as possible about beer.

This should be exciting to watch this take off. I wish you the best of luck and I think there will definitely be enough interest. And not to brag, but I scored 90% on the sample exam. I had never heard of a "choker line".

Peace
Tom

Hello everyone, my name is Nick Hamilton.  I live in the DC area.  DC is a great place to be if your in the beer scene.

I read about this site in the most recent issue of Zymurgy.  I'm an avid homebrewer and somewhat of a hobby chef.  I love to cook with beer and create new meals to pair with the beers I have crafted.  I tend to brew within style guidelines, but I have an experimental side as well.

Hope to keep up with this.  Thanks for putting this together Ray.  Its been a long time coming and its a key step in the movement to sophisticate beer and bring it to the forefront as an elegant, complex drink that easily stands up with wines.

I guess I better introduce myself as well.  My name is Scott Kerkmans and I have been involved with the beer industry on several levels.  I have been a brewer at Alaskan, and Head Brewer at Kelly's Brewpub, I helped the founders of Draft Magazine get started as their 1st Beer Director, I have sold beer for Crescent Crown Distributing, and I am currently the Chief Beer Officer for Four Points by Sheraton Hotels, where I help choose the beers we serve, work with chefs on pairings, create a training program for the staff, and host beer dinners.  Ray was kind enough to ask for my opinion on a few things with the Cicerone program, so here I am.  Don't forget to tell your friends about cicerone.org and feel free to hit me up anytime at chiefbeerofficer@gmail.com

Gidday I may be the first Aussie on the site and if so I fantastic if not then the more the merrier. My name is Paul Mercurio and I am a good mate of Keith Lemke from Sebel Institute. He sent me the link to Cicerone amd I have posted it on a great beer forum site here in Aus called Aussiehomebrewer.com

Ray you may want to check it out and say gidday to the guys on the forum as they are avid fans of your books and your work etc and I am sure they would get a huge buz to hear from you and no doubt possibly inundate you with questions. My id on the site is mercs own - also the name of my beer company.

I am an actor by trade but also a home brewer - I actually had my own beer on the market here in Australia for 6 months until my investors realised we needed more funds to take it to the next level. Keith was lucky enough to have a pint or two with me some years ago. I also have my own food show on one of the commercial TV networks here in Australia and cook with beer as often as I can. I have held beer dinners doing food and beer matching at resturants but my big thing is food and beer cooking and actually cooking with the beer you are then drinking with the meal - I love it and think that is the pinacle of beer food.

Due to work commitments I have not been able to understake the online courses offered by the Sebel Institute but will certainly keep an eye on this site with great interest. I had hoped to do the BJCP course but work and travel got in the way but hey travelling with work means you get to sample a lot of varied and interesting product.

Happy brewing and drinking to you all.

Hi All...Pleasure to see so many like-minded folks exchanging ideas here!  I just passed the CBS exam and am eagerly anticipating the opportunity and honor of becoming a ceritified Cicerone!  I think we all owe a hearty "Thank You" to Ray for his work in making this long overdue program a reality.  As a food professional, I am all about giving beer its rightful place on the dining table.   The Cicerone certification will do so much for the advancement of beer appreciation for so many people, and I am proud to be a part of it!

Any fellow Seattleites on the forum?  PM me and perhaps we can meet for beers!

Aloha!
A longtime beer enthusiast / beer-geek. I still haven’t found a beer that I do not enjoy at some level. Yeah, there’s even a place for pale lagers in my world; it’s just that I don’t visit them often, by choice.

I’ve been an administrator for the popular consumer review site, www.ratebeer.com for the past 5 years, and have been in the Craft Beer wholesale business here in Central Florida for the past 4+ years. http://worldclassbeverages.com/FLmainpage.asp
The Craft Beer industry is my passion and my lifestyle.

Internationally I’ve sampled and taken detailed notes of several thousand beers over the past 8-9 years. Recently I have been hunting and experimenting with beer far less than in the past. I’ve been focusing my attention and efforts on the outside consumer education, hosting beer dinners, sampling events, restaurant and pub staff training, creating beer menus ... etc.  I trust that someday Central Florida will be a destination for beer aficionados, yet we’re still a few years away from that.

To me, our world is an open book. There is always something worth learning more about, a new idea to create, a new person to become acquainted, and a new experience to be had.

Cheers,   Matt A.   of Tampa, FL.

My name is Jeff Glovan, and I live near San Antonio, Texas.  I am currently a tax and benefits attorney, but my true passion is beer. 

I am a BJCP Certified Beer Judge, and I am Certified Beer Server number 222.  I attended the Advanced Homebrewing Institute in Durango, Colorado (July 2005), and I started the Alamo City Cerveza Fest homebrew competition (San Antonio's first!) in 2006.  I also helped found the San Antonio Area Zymurgists, a San Antonio homebrew club that unfortunately is now defunct.

I am hoping to make a leap into the world of craft beer as a career, and I know the Certified Cicerone Program will certainly help me do that.  I also look forward to meeting new folks here on the forum, because I know I have a lot to learn!