Ray Daniels suffered from knowing too much about beer meanwhile suffering poor beer service from those who knew too little. Eventually, he decided to do something about it.
We are at an all-time high water mark for breweries in the U.S. and the rest of the world. With so many choices, beer and service have become overwhelming. Cicerones are guides that make sense of all the noise and facilitate a great drinking experience for those who seek something better.
When I first heard the word Cicerone, I didn’t understand the purpose let alone what it meant. I worked in a brewery where becoming a first level Beer Server was mandatory, so I went with it.
Sometime later I watched a documentary about wine sommeliers, which, ironically, helped me understand that a Cicerone is a guide in the complex world of beer.
Cicerones have to be knowledgeable about ingredients, process, keeping and serving, styles, flavor and evaluation, and pairing beer with food.
In past episodes, we have discussed this and even talked to a Master. In this episode, however, we go to ground zero and speak to the man who founded the Cicerone program in order to learn exactly what it is and why we need it.
Show Links
“Designing Great Beers” – and other Books by Ray Daniels
Craft Beer Marketing – Julia Herz
Cicerone Training Syllabi
Beer Server Certified Cicerone Advanced Cicerone Master Cicerone
Cicerone Introduction to Beer – ebook