Cicerone Certified Beer Server Exam Study Guide Part II – Belgian/French Styles

This is Part II of a series on knowledge for the Cicerone Certified Beer Server Exam. All information disseminated is from the syllabus provided by the Cicerone website and mixed with my own thoughts. I’m doing this to 1) help me learn the material and 2) share the knowledge with people who haven’t heard of the exam or are planning to take the exam.

Feel free to skip ahead to other sections. Here’s a list of all the study guide parts:

• Part I – German/Czech Styles
• Part II – Belgian/French Styles
• Part III – British Styles
• Part IV – American Styles
• Part V – Off-Flavors

This is Part II on Belgian/French Styles.

**Note – PB stands for Perceived Bitterness**

Belgian/French Styles

Trappist and Abbey Ales

Double/Dubbel

• PB – Low
• Color – Amber to brown
• ABV – Elevated

Triple/Tripel

• PB – Moderate
• Color – Gold
• ABV – High

Spontaneously fermented beer

Gueuze

• PB – Low
• Color – Gold
• ABV – Normal to elevated

Kriek, Framboise and other fruit lambics

• PB – Low
• Color – Varies with fruit
• ABV – Normal to elevated

Flanders Ales

Red

• PB – Low
• Color – Red-Brown
• ABV – Normal to elevated

Farmhouse Beers

Saison

• PB – Moderate
• Color – Gold to light amber
• ABV – Normal to elevated

Witbier/White

• PB – Low
• Color – Straw made white by haze
• ABV – Normal

Other Belgian Beers

Blond Ale

• PB – Low
• Color – Gold
• ABV – Elevated

Belgian Golden Strong Ale

• PB – Moderate
• Color – Gold
• ABV – High to very high

Happy studying! Next post will be on British styles.