The February 2024 BJCP Bulletin introduces significant updates and initiatives within the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). A major highlight is the release of the 2025 BJCP Cider Style Guidelines, a comprehensive revision of the 2015 edition, featuring reorganized categories, renamed styles, and new additions to better align with contemporary cider styles.
In collaboration with the Master Homebrew Program, the BJCP has launched the “Gavel Awards Program” to recognize the dedication of beer, mead, and cider judges. This annual, repeatable award honors judges based on their accumulated judging points and competition participation.
To acknowledge ongoing volunteer efforts, the BJCP has introduced two new honorific ranks: Distinguished Certified and Distinguished National. These ranks celebrate judges who consistently contribute through judging, organizing competitions, grading exams, and mentoring newcomers.
The bulletin also features updates from various BJCP directorates:
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IT Directorate: Initiatives to modernize the organization’s nearly two-decade-old infrastructure.
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Competition Directorate: A report on robust competition activities and insights into the concept of “sessions” within competitions.
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Exam Directorate: An overview of the scheduled exams over the next year and a recap of the exam sets completed in 2024, marking a significant increase from the previous year.
Additionally, the BJCP has streamlined competition reporting by no longer collecting Best of Show (BOS) winner details as of May 2024, aiming to expedite the reporting process and reduce delays.
The bulletin concludes with a spotlight on Grand Master IV and Mead judge Brian Eichhorn from Cincinnati, Ohio, sharing his journey since joining the BJCP in 2010.
Also included are more articles packed with regional news, and rank advancements in 2024. Readers are encouraged to consult the full BJCP Bulletin to get all the details!