Beer Judge Certification Program
The Beer Judge Certification Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has set the global standard for certifying judges of beer, mead, and cider since 1985, serving 7,120+ active judges across 44+ countries through standardized exams, Style Guidelines, and continuing education.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersSaint Louis Park, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Beer Judge Certification Program does
The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP), founded in 1985 and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization under New York State law, is the long-standing de facto global standard for certifying judges of beer and related fermented beverages (mead and cider). It operates as a volunteer-governed professional association with elected Regional Representatives forming the Board and appointed Staff handling day-to-day operations; Board and Officer positions are uncompensated, with only expense reimbursement permitted. As of July 2, 2026 the program has 7,120 active judges, has overseen 14,419 sanctioned competitions, and its judges have evaluated 2,496,532 beers. BJCP is active across 44+ countries and serves hobbyist brewers, mead and cider makers, and homebrew competition organizers.
Core products center on the Beer, Mead, and Cider Judge Programs, each anchored by an Online Entrance Exam (delivered through app.bjcp.org) followed by an in-person tasting exam administered locally. Supporting products include the BJCP Style Guidelines (Beer 2021, Mead 2015, Cider 2025) encompassing 34 beer style categories plus mead and cider classifications, the BJCP Scoresheet (the standardized evaluation tool used across sanctioned competitions), a Moodle-based Training Portal (training.bjcp.org) offering exam preparation and grader training in multiple languages, physical 12-vial sensory training kits supplied via Siebel Institute, and the newly launched Bravo platform (2025) that consolidates judge records, exam scheduling, and competition management. Exam grading is performed exclusively by National-rank or higher judges under a double-grading protocol with Exam Director review.
BJCP's business model rests on four modest, diversified revenue streams: recurring annual membership dues (active membership requires a passing exam result and judging in at least one sanctioned competition every 24 months), one-time exam fees, merchandise and printed Style Guideline sales, and sensory kit sales. Distribution combines self-serve digital (website, app, training portal) with field-administered in-person exams run through local Exam Administrators and annual mass-exam events at the American Homebrewers Association National Homebrew Conference — a long-standing foundational partnership. The organization pursues a community-led GTM through regional representatives and homebrew club engagement rather than paid marketing.
Beer Judge Certification Program firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Beer Judge Certification Program
- Legal name
- Beer Judge Certification Program, Incorporated
- Website
- https://bjcp.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The Beer Judge Certification Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has set the global standard for certifying judges of beer, mead, and cider since 1985, serving 7,120+ active judges across 44+ countries through standardized exams, Style Guidelines, and continuing education.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Beer Judge Certification Program industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Certification & Training
- akta.pro primary industry
- Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Witness Audits, Office Assessments & Certification Governance Services (AFALACAG)
Keywords
Where Beer Judge Certification Program is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Louis Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Beer Judge Certification Program business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual dues for continued membership. Active membership requires passing BJCP certification exam and judging in at least one sanctioned competition every 24 months.
- Exam Fees: Fees for taking BJCP certification exams (Beer Judging, Written, Mead, Cider). Exam registration through local administrators or online systems.
- Printed Materials and Merchandise: Sales of printed Style Guidelines, BJCP name badges, lapel pins, and other merchandise through the BJCP Store.
- Sensory Training Kits: 12-vial basic sensory kits for training: $50 for exam kits, $100 for member kits. Discontinued 24-vial comprehensive kit in 2015. Ordering through Siebel for specialty kits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sensory Kit - Exam Use |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sensory Kit - Member Purchase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Beer Judge Certification Program product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BJCP certifies beer, mead, and cider judges through structured exam programs (Beer Judging Exam, Mead Exam, Cider Exam, and Online Entrance Exam) supported by standardized Style Guidelines, a tiered rank system, sanctioned competitions, and continuing education via its Moodle-based training portal and sensory training kits.
Product overview
The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) is a nonprofit certification organization offering a comprehensive suite of products and services for beer, mead, and cider evaluation. The core offerings include the Beer Judge Certification Exam, Mead Judge Program, and Cider Judge Program, along with the BJCP Style Guidelines used in all sanctioned competitions. Supporting products include the BJCP Training Portal (Moodle-based learning management system), Sensory Training Kits, the Online Entrance Exam system, and Judge Record database. The BJCP also provides study programs, grader training, educational resources including beer vocabulary and fault references, and sanctions competitions through the AHA/BJCP Sanctioned Competition Program. The program maintains a global presence across 44+ countries with exams available in multiple languages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Beer Judge Certification Exam
- Mead Judge Program
- Cider Judge Program
- BJCP Training Portal
- Bravo Platform
- AHA/BJCP Sanctioned Competition Program
- Malt Sensory Training Course
- Grader Training Program
Companies that use Beer Judge Certification Program
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Beer Judge Certification Program technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Beer Judge Certification Program partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- American Homebrewers Association (AHA)coreLong-standing partnership with AHA for annual National Homebrew Conference. BJCP runs multiple exams at the conference, holds judge reception, and conducts grader training. AHA provides space at conferences and supports exam scanning. The partnership is foundational to BJCP's visibility and member recruitment.
- China National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation IndustriesminorHost institution for first BJCP exam in China (September 2016). Provided national-level tasting facilities for 21 examinees in Beijing. Partnership enabling international expansion into Chinese market.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Beer Judge Certification Program competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Society of Wine Educators: Society of Wine Educators offers Certified Wine Educator and other wine education credentials. It mirrors BJCP's role in the wine category — a content and certification body for beverage evaluation expertise — making it thematically parallel in an adjacent industry.
- Siebel Institute of Technology: Siebel Institute is a brewing education institution and BJCP's vendor partner for sensory training kits. Siebel provides formal brewing science education (diploma programs, master brewer tracks) for industry professionals, making it an adjacent education provider and ecosystem participant in the brewing space.
- American Homebrewers Association (AHA): AHA is a BJCP strategic partner and the largest US homebrewing membership organization, hosting the annual National Homebrew Conference where BJCP administers all exam types. AHA is not a direct competitor but a community organization whose member base overlaps heavily with BJCP's target audience.
- Brewers Association (BA): The Brewers Association is the trade association for US craft brewers, running events like the Great American Beer Festival. BA is not a certification body but an industry trade group whose events and standards ecosystem intersect meaningfully with BJCP's competition and judging activities.
Emerging players
- Wine Scholar Guild: Wine Scholar Guild provides specialized wine education programs and certifications targeting enthusiasts and professionals. It is a smaller, specialized certification body in an adjacent beverage category, demonstrating the educational certification business model that BJCP has scaled for beer, mead, and cider.
Direct peers
- Master Brewers Association (MBAA): The Master Brewers Association is a professional society for brewing scientists and production brewers, providing the Master Brewer designation and technical education. MBAA focuses on production brewing science while BJCP focuses on sensory evaluation and judging, but both serve as certifying bodies for beer industry professionals with similar governance models.
- Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD): The IBD is a UK-based international membership body offering brewing certifications (General Certificate in Brewing, Diploma in Brewing, Master Brewer) for professional brewers. IBD targets working brewers while BJCP targets competition judges, but both operate tiered certification schemes for the beer industry with international recognition and a standard-owner role.
- Cicerone Certification Program: Cicerone Certification Program is the most direct competitor, offering tiered beer credentials (Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone, Advanced Cicerone, Master Cicerone) targeting beer service professionals, bartenders, and retailers. While BJCP focuses on competition judging and homebrewers, Cicerone targets the beer service industry — both compete for mindshare and qualified candidates in the same beer expertise ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Court of Master Sommeliers: The Court of Master Sommeliers is the established global certification body for wine sommeliers, with tiered credentials (Introductory, Certified, Advanced, Master). It operates as a parallel 'BJCP equivalent' for the wine industry, demonstrating the same standard-owner plus tiered-certification business model in an adjacent beverage category.
- WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust): WSET is a UK-based global leader in wine, spirits, and sake education, offering tiered qualifications (Level 1 through Level 4 Diploma) used widely in the wine and hospitality industry. WSET is a broader incumbent that demonstrates the same content plus exam plus certification business model in an adjacent beverage category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Beer Judge Certification Program social profiles
Digital presenceBeer Judge Certification Program compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Beer Judge Certification Program financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Beer Judge Certification Program leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Beer Judge Certification Program funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Beer Judge Certification Program M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Beer Judge Certification Program
What does Beer Judge Certification Program do?
BJCP certifies beer, mead, and cider judges through structured exam programs (Beer Judging Exam, Mead Exam, Cider Exam, and Online Entrance Exam) supported by standardized Style Guidelines, a tiered rank system, sanctioned competitions, and continuing education via its Moodle-based training portal and sensory training kits.
Is Beer Judge Certification Program a public or private company?
Beer Judge Certification Program is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Beer Judge Certification Program founded?
Beer Judge Certification Program was founded in 1985. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Beer Judge Certification Program based?
Beer Judge Certification Program is headquartered in Saint Louis Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does Beer Judge Certification Program make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are exam Fees, printed Materials and Merchandise and sensory Training Kits.
Who are Beer Judge Certification Program's main competitors?
Others on record are Society of Wine Educators, Siebel Institute of Technology, American Homebrewers Association (AHA) and Brewers Association (BA). Wine Scholar Guild is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Master Brewers Association (MBAA), Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) and Cicerone Certification Program. Broad incumbents are Court of Master Sommeliers and WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust).
Does Beer Judge Certification Program have an API?
No public API is recorded for Beer Judge Certification Program.
What industry is Beer Judge Certification Program in?
Beer Judge Certification Program's product category is Professional Certification & Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALACAC, Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners), with a secondary code of AFALACAG, Witness Audits, Office Assessments & Certification Governance Services.