As I pour over my study materials for the Cicerone® exam, I came across this statement from Chris Cohen, The Beer Scholar and Advanced Cicerone himself: “A Certified Cicerone should understand beer from the raw ingredient all the way to the glass.” Makes sense. As I study, I am learning how each ingredient plays a unique role in what a beer becomes. This is partly why I am convinced that brewing is a true art form, as brewers coax nearly unlimited possibilities out of really only a few ingredients.
As I continue to study, I find it helpful to ‘transform’ what I am learning. That is…take what I’ve learned in one book and turn it into something else. That process of reading and then rewriting the study materials differently, has been really helpful. Lately, I’ve been creating infographics. They summarize a lot of information quickly and visually, which can help with memory and recall.
Here’s my latest infographic about the general process of making beer.