Beer Assessment Exam -100 Questions

About the NBE Beer Assessment Exam

The purpose and intent of this assessment exam is to give brewery taprooms and other retail sellers of beer a quick, simple and reasonably-priced alternative to certification programs out there.

Due to the lingering pandemic and ever-growing competition within the craft beer industry, it’s important that business owners and managers be able to weed through potential new hires by quickly identifying their competency (or lack thereof) within the beer world.

How This Assessment Exam is Intended to be Used

The word “exam” in the title is less important than the word “assessment”.  This was not conceived as a pass-fail test, but more as a way of appraising the knowledge level and beer competence of applicants prior to making hiring decisions.  More and more self-styled beer experts are turning to the craft beer industry for employment; this assessment exam becomes another tool in your employer toolbox.

Don’t overlook the value of this exam as it pertains to evaluating and training current employees as well.  When it comes to matters of employee retention, promotion and salary increases, it’s practical to put them to the test, too.

Keep in mind that this is not a “one-size-fits-all” assessment.  Not all topics and questions provided will be relevant to all businesses and all employees.  But a sufficiently wide area of beer knowledge is covered within this evaluation.

A Close-up of the NBE Beer Assessment Exam

The exam is comprised of eight different topics, with a total of 100 questions.  These are posed in a mixed variety of multiple choice, true-or-false and fill-in-the-blank type questions.  The topics include:

• Beer Glassware                 (8 questions)

• Pouring and Serving          (27 questions)

• Beer Styles                         (18 questions)

• Beer Evaluation                  (11 questions)

• Beer and Food Pairing      (13 questions)

• Beer Ingredients                 (11 questions)

• Brewing Processes             (8 questions)

• Regulatory Issues               (4 questions)

About Nachel Beer Education

NBE was started by Marty Nachel in 2018, but its roots go much farther back.  Marty has been involved in the craft beer industry for over 35 years.  He has worn many hats, including that of Beer Writer and Book Author, professional Beer Judge and Beer Educator.

In addition to many other publications, Marty authored the popular “Beer for Dummies” and “Homebrewing for Dummies” books.  As a judge, Marty was the 1st person in the state of Illinois to become a BJCP Certified Beer Judge; he has gone on to judge professionally at Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup, Festival of Barrel Aged Beers and Copa Cervezas de America.

In 2015, College of DuPage invited Marty to be on the Advisory Board to help create the curriculum for the new Business of Craft Beer certificate program.  He still teaches the two prerequisite courses that lead into the dual tracks in the program.