There's no getting around the fact that becoming a Certified Cicerone is bloody hard work. It requires a heap of study, an encyclopaedic knowledge of beer – from grain to glass – and the ability to nail a blind tasting and pick out beer faults like an airport drug dog. But ask those who have passed the test whether all the effort is worth it and you're bound to get an answer in the affirmative.
So, if you're in Sydney and are keen to push the boundaries of your beer knowledge, the crew at Hopsters are offering a leg up with their Cicerone Study Group. Alongside likeminded folk – and led by the all-important trained Cicerones – you can come and get on the path to your own beer qualification.
While the bulk of the course is self-guided, the group will meet at Hopsters on Tuesday evenings every fortnight to catch up on progress, share presentation topics, and encourage and keep each other on track.
The course costs $200 which covers nine beer tasting sessions, snacks, access to all the study guides you'll need, books and coursework, plus a private Off-Flavour Training Course run by Cicerone Australia, itself worth $55.
Keen? The first session is locked in for August 13, from 7-9pm.
You can sign up and get more course info here.
Crafty Cabal Member offer at Hopsters Co-operative Brewery: 2-FOR-1 Tasting Paddles
