The 3rd-level rank of Advanced Cicerone was introduced in 2015 to distinguish those individuals who had advanced their knowledge to an expert level. Those who achieve this certification possess expert knowledge of beer and excellent tasting ability. Such knowledge generally results from several years of additional study and tasting after achieving Certified Cicerone®. Well-prepared candidates will have excellent and extensive style knowledge, hands-on experience with beer service, direct familiarity with brewing and ingredients, and frequent and repeated experience in beer and food pairing.
Prerequisites - Must have passed the Certified Cicerone exam. Candidates for this certification must be 21 years of age (or legal drinking age in the location where the exam is given).
Exam Format & Components - Candidates for Advanced Cicerone will participate in a day-long examination that includes multiple written, oral, and tasting components. The written component will consist of questions in various formats from multiple choice to fill-in-the-blank and essays where extensive knowledge will be asked for. Two oral examinations will be conducted involving hands-on presentation of beer in various formats. Taste assessments will include a significant range of off flavors, blind assessment of beer styles, and descriptive analysis of blind samples. A grade of 80% overall and at least 75% on the tasting portion are required to pass the Advanced Cicerone exam. Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, please expect limited availability of the in-person written, oral, and tasting sections.
Exam Cost - First-Time/Initial Test: $795; Retake tasting: $300; Retake written: $375. All prices listed in US Dollars.
Initiating an Exam - The Advanced Cicerone exam is held several times a year in various locations. Dates and registration information are announced via email so make sure that the email address associated with your profile is current and that your email program is not diverting emails from cicerone.org to a spam folder.
Knowledge Area Responsibilities - Candidates for Advanced Cicerone certification must demonstrate expert knowledge of all issues related to brewing, beer, and beer service. The full Advanced Cicerone syllabus is your guide to preparation. All of the resources recommended for the Certified Cicerone exams should be considered in your preparation for the Advanced Cicerone exam in addition to more advanced resources including many of those recommended for Master Cicerone® Exam preparation. In-depth theoretical and hands-on knowledge of draft systems of all types is required. Comprehensive and in-depth beer style knowledge is expected including tasting experience with multiple commercial examples of each style. Candidates must be able to recognize a specific list of off flavors as given in the syllabus. AROXATM flavor standards will be used in testing.
Travel to classic beer producing areas in Europe can be beneficial. Brewing beer alone or with others can help to ensure thorough knowledge of the brewing process. Experience preparing and presenting beer and food pairings is strongly recommended. Throughout the exam, candidates will be expected to describe beer (and food) flavors using concrete and specific terms that accurately cover the full spectrum of flavor.
Registration - After passing the Certified Cicerone exam you will be eligible to register for the Advanced Cicerone exam. Log in to your account and navigate to the Advanced Cicerone exam page. Select a date from the drop-down list to register and proceed through checkout.
Exam Retakes - Individuals who do not pass the written portion of the Advanced Cicerone exam will be allowed to retake the written exam again starting six months after the date of their most recent exam. There is no required waiting period between retakes of the tasting portion of the Advanced Cicerone exam.
Postponement, Rescheduling, and Other Policies - You can view the Advanced Cicerone exam policies at cicerone.org/cicerone-exam-policies#ac