My Road to Cicerone®: Loy Maierhauser of MAP Brewing Company

Loy Maierhauser is a Certified Cicerone^® from Bozeman, Montana. Here she describes how becoming a Certified Cicerone has improved her knowledge, abilities, and confidence in her work.

1. Where do you work now and what do you do there?
   I’m the Assistant General Manager at MAP Brewing Company in Bozeman, Montana.  
2. What industry were you working in when you started preparing for the Certified Cicerone exam?
   I was working in the restaurant industry when I started preparing. I had always wanted to get into working in breweries, but felt like I needed an “in” and moving towards Certified Cicerone felt like a great way to prepare myself for working in the industry, as well as prove to potential employers that I was serious about beer.  
3. How did you first hear of the Cicerone Certification Program?
   I first heard about it as I was simultaneously studying for my BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) exam. Someone in the homebrew club that I was studying with mentioned the Cicerone Program, which prompted me to look into it, and piqued my interest in pursuing this certification. There are quite a few places in Montana that encourage their staff to take the Certified Beer Server exam, but at the time I was looking into taking it, there were only seven Certified Cicerones in the whole state!
4. Why did you choose to pursue Cicerone certification?
   I think it helps validate my knowledge with other people, and it proves how serious I am about the work that I do. Sometimes being a woman in beer, I think people don’t take me as seriously. And once I started studying for the exam, I found the process of learning more and more about beer kind of addicting. Now whenever we have a new style of beer on tap, I’ll spend tons of time researching and getting to know everything I can about the style. Occasionally our head brewer will joke that I know more about beer styles than he does. 
5. Explain how earning your certification helped you break into the beer industry.
   When I started applying for jobs, I only had my Certified Beer Server certification, and that absolutely helped me get interviews. I know when the owners of MAP Brewing saw that I was a Certified Beer Server, it was definitely a draw for them and contributed to the fact that I got an interview. I also let them know that I intended to take the Certified Cicerone exam within the first year of me being there, and I think they saw that passion and that drive to better myself within my work and within the industry, so they were excited to bring me on board. 
6. Describe your study process. How did you prepare for the exam?
   I spent over a year studying the styles themselves, because I felt like that was the area of knowledge that I was the most nervous about.  For that year, I set aside one evening per week to spend about an hour doing concentrated and focused studying, and even roped in some friends to come drink beer with me while I studied. Having people to study with (or even just friends to quiz me on things while we all shared beers) was so critical for me to keep me motivated. Plus, then I had a huge community of people who were all invested in my success! I read Tasting Beer cover to cover, and then would reference it frequently in my studying as well. I used the syllabus and broke down topics to study each week, sort of creating a personal syllabus for myself, and once I did that, it was easier to convince myself to sit down each week and put the time into it. This is definitely not the type of thing you can procrastinate at, which is typically how I roll, so I’m really glad I put the dedicated time into studying.
7. Were there any areas of study that you became particularly interested in while preparing for the Certified Cicerone exam?
   I’m a bit of a history nerd, and I really loved getting to know the history of beer styles, which was also a really helpful thing to study. There’s something about being able to tell the story of beer that gets me so excited. And I love sharing that with the guests at our bar, too. People love a good story, and I’ve found that the best stories sell the most beer! 
8. What are your greatest strengths now that you’re a Certified Cicerone?
   Honestly, I think I’d have to say confidence in what I’m doing. I love talking about beer with people, but I think previously I would second-guess my own knowledge and shy away from diving into conversations. Now, I feel like my confidence matches my passion and I love when people ask me questions! 
9. In your opinion, how valuable is it for those looking to get into the beer industry to earn Cicerone certification?
   The craft beer industry is growing so quickly and more and more people are seeing what an amazing industry it is to be a part of!  Because of that, I think having a certification like this is incredibly important because it gives you a leg up against the increasing number of candidates applying for jobs in beer. It proves your knowledge and passion to your employer, which every brewery is excited to come upon in an applicant! 
10. What advice do you have for Certified Beer Servers who are looking into taking the Certified Cicerone exam?
    Spend so much time with the BJCP style guidelines. Download the BJCP app and don’t be afraid to get it out while you’re tasting new beers at your favorite taprooms. Push yourself to try styles you don’t normally taste and taste them while you’re reading through the style guidelines. Find friends to study with, even if they’re not taking the exam, have them quiz you on beers, the brewing process, or ingredients… I promise, they’ll have fun too! And then, just pick a date and schedule your exam… because nothing will get you studying more than having that date on the calendar! 

Ready to get started? Learn more about the Certified Cicerone exam here!