The Growth of Cicerone As A Profession

Key Takeaways

• The sommelier of beer: a cicerone is a certified beer expert who safeguards quality and service.
• Trademarked title: only those who earn a Cicerone credential may use the name.
• Founded in 2007 by beer educator Ray Daniels, with its first exam in 2008.
• Four levels: from Certified Beer Server up to Master Cicerone.
• Master Cicerone is rare: fewer than 25 people worldwide have ever earned it.

In This Article

1. What is a cicerone?
2. What does a cicerone actually do?
3. Who created the Cicerone Certification Program?
4. What are the levels of certification?
5. How hard is the exam, and how do you prepare?
6. Frequently asked questions

What is a cicerone?

With an ever-growing number of breweries, brands, and limited releases, the possible flavor combinations can feel endless, and so can the ways a beer can go wrong. Beer is a delicate product that can be spoiled in an instant if it isn’t handled properly, and not every brewery or bar is equipped to catch the problem. That’s where the cicerone comes in: the friendly, knowledgeable face you’ll increasingly find at trustworthy beer bars, breweries, bottle shops, and even fine-dining restaurants.

As one of the program’s exam managers, Jenny Pfäfflin, put it, the job begins the moment a beer leaves the brewery: cicerones help preserve the integrity of the craft by making sure beer is properly stored and carbonated and that draft lines are regularly cleaned.

What does a cicerone actually do?

A cicerone’s job is to make sure your drinking experience lives up to what the brewer envisioned. That means keeping industry standards in check, educating and empowering sales teams and staff, and working the floor. As drinkers grow more discerning, cicerones guide the public through the world of craft beer, helping bars and restaurants pour and present beer properly, troubleshoot draught systems, and talk about their offerings with the right vocabulary.

“You wouldn’t drink wine from a bottle, so beer should be no different.”

— Tracy Phillippi, Certified Cicerone and author of ThatBeerLady

It often starts with the basics. Certified Cicerone Tracy Phillippi only half-jokes that if she could get everyone to drink their beer from a glass rather than the bottle, she’d consider her career a success. The point, as Pfäfflin notes, is that the experience should feel effortless: beer drinkers shouldn’t have to think about anything but enjoying their beer.

Who created the Cicerone Certification Program?

The program was founded in 2007 by veteran beer author and educator Ray Daniels, who had previously led craft-beer marketing for the Brewers Association. His motivation, in his own words, was simple: bad beer. Too many places were pouring beer ruined by poor handling and knew little about what they were serving. The Cicerone Certification Program launched its first online exam in 2008, and rather than running a school, Daniels built a set of certifications around what beer professionals actually need to know on the job.

The model worked. The program has since become the de facto global standard, and in 2024 Daniels handed it off, selling the Chicago-based organization to two Master Cicerones, Dan Imdieke and Jason Pratt, who now guide its next chapter.

What are the levels of Cicerone certification?

The program is built as a ladder of four credentials, each tougher than the last. Candidates start by earning the Certified Beer Server title, then progress through the higher levels. Every tier tests five areas of knowledge: keeping and serving beer; beer styles; beer flavor and evaluation; beer ingredients and brewing processes; and pairing beer with food.

More than 150,000 people in over 90 countries have now earned at least one level of certification.

How hard is the exam, and how do you prepare?

Harder than most people expect. “Many people think, ‘Oh, I enjoy beer, how hard can it be?’ Those people will be in for a surprise,” warns Phillippi, who has helped write for the Cicerone exam. Many candidates spend six months to two years preparing for the Certified Cicerone exam, and those chasing Master Cicerone may study for years, even after decades in the industry.

Phillippi’s advice for anyone serious about beer tasting is to keep a notebook and jot down everything you taste, smell, and experience, which builds the vocabulary and recognition a pro needs. The path generally looks like this:

A good palate matters, but passion matters most. For Phillippi, the joy is in the social side of beer, the way it brings people together and drives local economies, and in moments when someone says, “I never knew beer could taste like that,” or “I only drink wine, but this is good.”

Frequently Asked Questions

🍺 The Cicerone Program at a Glance

Key facts about beer’s leading certification.