Beer Scholar · est. 2014

about chris cohen, the beer scholar

Portland, OR based sensory expert, beer educator, and the guy behind the courses that most Certified Cicerones® used to pass.

Chris Cohen, Advanced Cicerone, behind the bar at Old Devil Moon

Hi, I'm Chris

I can be your guide.

I'm the creator of Beer Scholar. I'm a Portland, OR based sensory expert and beer educator, plus a serial entrepreneur with over 10 years of beer industry experience developing courses, study material, and training programs for beer servers and sales staff, with a focus on helping students crush the Cicerone® exams.

If you're interested in becoming a Cicerone® but the time and money investment seems too big, you're freaked out about memorizing the beer style info, or you're dreading the in-person tasting exam, I can be your guide. I'm proud to say the majority of the ~4,900 Certified Cicerones® in the world used my study material. I've created the quickest and easiest course to ensure you pass on your first try.

Advanced Cicerone®National BJCP JudgeGABF Judge (4x)Partner, Old Devil MoonFounder, SF Homebrewers Guild

The receipts

A little more about me.

Took the second ever Advanced Cicerone® exam the program gave and am one of the first 20 ACs to pass. Ten years later there are still just over 200.
Created the world's first prep material for the CBS and Certified Cicerone® exams in 2014, and the world's first prep program for the Advanced Cicerone® exam in 2023.
99% exam pass rate for students who finish the course.
Co-founded Old Devil Moon, one of San Francisco's top beer bars, which my partners and I operated from 2016 to 2022. It paired a carefully curated craft beer list with a top-level cocktail program.
National BJCP beer judge; have judged many prestigious beer competitions, including the Great American Beer Festival.
Have conducted 400+ in-person and online beer classes, style tastings, pairing dinners, and other beer events over a decade of beer education work.
Insatiable traveler who has experienced beer in 17 countries.
Founded the San Francisco Homebrewers Guild in 2012.
Former contributing beer writer for Serious Eats and SF Weekly.
Award-winning homebrewer.
Member of the New York and Oregon State Bars. I'm a practicing attorney by day.

I'm all about raising the level of knowledge in the industry, never with any gatekeeping or snobbery. I'm about inclusivity, having fun, and building community. If you have any questions for me, email me at [email protected]. Students can also reach me anytime in the Beer Scholar community on Skool.

Cheers,
Chris

Chris Cohen holding his Great American Beer Festival judge badge

4x Great American Beer Festival judge

The team

Meet Matthew Shapiro.

Matthew Shapiro is a beer educator and homebrewer who passed the Advanced Cicerone® exam in 2025 after working through the Beer Scholar courses for the CC and AC levels. He has worked in a commercial brewery, completed the Micro Matic Dispense Specialist Program, and studied beer and food pairing with Master Cicerone Mirella Amato. Matthew hosts beer dinners and tasting events and publishes study references on his blog, Bottledregs.com.

Not a "numbers person," he still memorized every vital stat for the exam, and he'll show you how to do it, too! His AC sessions are built to save you time by making exam material approachable and memorable.

Advanced Cicerone®HomebrewerMicro Matic Dispense Specialist

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