[THC] BJCP exam and study group

[L.A. Swihart]

Latest word – looks like it's going to happen. There is enough interest 
and it’s actually likely to max out. I was thinking of capping it at 6 
people besides myself. First 6 to ante up? Might go to 7 or 8 but that 
gets close to the size which would require more than one (12 oz) bottle 
of beer for judging samples. Ideally each person should get 1.5 oz to 2 
oz for each judging/tasting sample

Exam will be March 24 or March 31, not decided yet.

Study class will be Mon or Tue or Wed, NOT Thu or Fri or Sat or Sun, and 
will meet most weeks between Nov 27 and the exam. It will start at 5:45 
or 6:00, at my house near campus.
http://www.chem.purdue.edu/chemsafety/THC/RickAndLindasHouse.htm

Study nights will commonly last two hours. We will share shopping and 
material prep duties. I will coordinate. The initial fee is $50, $10 of 
which is a non-refundable deposit toward the exam fee. The exam is $50, 
the other $40 of which will be due in mid-Feb. If we run out of beer 
money we will make a second collection from the attendees, but it should 
not be overly burdensome. Good beer is not cheap, but we are also not 
“drinking,” we are studying, and it takes quite a bit less beer for the 
latter.

I will wait for your comments (from seriously interested people) until 
Mon night Nov 6 to send the request to BJCP to get the process of 
scheduling the exam started. They have to arrange for a master judge to 
come give our exam, a proctor or two, and graders ready to spend weeks 
afterward. It is truly, as the kids say, a BFD.

Before Mon Night Nov 6, send me comments about the day/time of the study 
group or the exam if you are seriously interested. Before the first 
meeting we will all be clear on who is signed up. I hope it won’t be 
necessary to close the enrollment, to tell somebody sorry the class is 
full. Registered attendees will need to bring $50 to the first meeting, 
or get it to me beforehand if they’re missing the first meeting. (It’s 
OK to miss meetings when you have to, but we will all pay equally for 
the beer -- including me – and you will need to study that section on 
your own.

Send email (swihart at purdue.edu) if you want to do this crazy beer judge 
study thing. Robert and Carl and Nancy and Victor, you too, at least 
tell me your favorite night and time of starting.