BJCP Certification?

Interesting point about passing the tasting exam. I hadn't thought of this. I still feel like it would be a worthwhile exercise though. Even if I can't detect diacetyl or DMS at ultra low concentrations, being able to correctly identify them and adapt my process accordingly will still do me some good as a brewer. After all, if I can get the off flavors down below my own detection limit, I will have improved the tasting experience the consumers of 75% of my beer (i.e. me)

Evan Ceisel said:

A friend of mine said this recently. I'm not sure if his is an outdated practice, but, it seems like somewhere to start.

 

"Just remembering the "training" I got at the HBS I worked in, when my boss was training me up to be a brewing judge:
He would take 1 gram of sugar, salt, or vinegar, and dilute it in a liter of bottled water. I would have to taste and identify which was which. Then he would cut this down to 1/2 gram a liter, repeat.
At the time my favorite beer was Doppelbock or Tripel, favorite wine was Port or Mead- all sweet. As a result, I had a hard time figuring out which bottle had the sugar in it. On the other hand- I tended to eat a low salt diet (Never added to any food, but would eat it if it was there)- so I could pick the salt out pretty quickly!
Training yourself to pick up slight tastes is a fun challenge, but it tends to make you over-critical"

 

While I believe anyone can probably pass the written exam (with much studying and research), passing the actual tasting won't be possible for just anyone. As a cigar smoker I'd imagine I'd fail no matter how much I trained. IIRC, taste buds die and once they're gone they're gone. I know I've read that people who actually work as tasters fro wine, olive oil, beer, coffee actually have insured their taste buds. Not trying to be pessimistic, just, we can't all have the senses of a perfume mixologist. Perhaps you're a "nose". Cheers.