Examination Regulations and General Information Effective From January 2009

Examinations Department
The Institute of Brewing & Distilling
33 Clarges Street London
W1J 7EE
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7499 8144
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7499 1156
E-mail: exams@ibd.org.uk
Web: www.ibd.org.uk

1. General Information

1.1 These regulations apply to The Institute of Brewing & Distilling (IBD) Examinations held from January 2009 onwards.

1.2 The IBD retains full rights of interpretation of these regulations.

1.3 Amendments to these regulations will be made as the need arises, and will be reported in the Brewer & Distiller International and on the IBD web site (www.ibd.org.uk).

1.4 These regulations address the requirements of all stakeholders: Board of Examiners, Candidates , Sponsoring Companies and IBD Sections

2. Data Protection Act

2.1 Personal data such as names, addresses and dates of birth, provided either by candidates, their companies or examination centres, on application forms or by any other means, will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act.

2.2 The data collected for each candidate will be used for the purposes of examining and awarding qualifications and may be used to organise certificates by the IBD recognised accreditation bodies e.g. City & Guilds.

2.3 It is a requirement of the Data Protection Act 1998 that each candidate is informed of the purposes for which their personal data may be used. Further information about the Data Protection Act can be found online at http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk.

2.4 Individual candidates who wish to obtain access to the data held by the IBD should apply in writing to the Office Manager at the IBD (address on the front of this booklet). Individuals should not expect information to be released to them before the normal publication of results. Please note that a fee of £10.00 will be charged in respect of any application made.

3. IBD Examinations and Qualifications

3.1 There are seven IBD Examinations:
(a) The Master Brewer (M.Brew)
(b) The Diploma in Brewing (Dipl. Brew)
(c) The Diploma in Distilling (Dipl. Distil)
(d) The Diploma in Beverage Packaging (Beer) (Dipl. Pack.)
(e) The General Certificate in Brewing (GCB)
(f) The General Certificate in Beer Packaging (GCP)
(g) The General Certificate in Distilling (GCD)
(h) The General Certificate in Distilling (GCD)

3.2 The Diploma and M.Brew Examinations will be held annually during the first two weeks of June.

3.3 The GC Examinations will be held annually during the second week in May and November.

3.4 Examinations will be held at pre-arranged centres around the world

3.5 Examinations and qualifications will be accredited by national or international Qualification Authorities recognised by IBD (e.g. City and Guilds, SVQ, SAQA, etc).

3.6 Setting, marking and moderation of examinations will follow recognised procedures that have been developed by the Board of Examiners in line with national and international standards.

3.7 Examinations and qualifications will be reviewed annually to keep up with industry requirements .

4. Preliminary Qualifications

4.1 No prior educational qualifications are required for applicants to sit the Examinations. In their own interests, candidates for the Diploma Examinations will need to have a basic grounding in science and mathematics. Candidates for the Master Brewer Examination must hold a pass in the Diploma in Brewing and be able to demonstrate broadly based, practical experience to the Examiners.

5. Exemption from the Diploma Examinations

5.1 Candidates may apply for exemption from the Diploma Examinations upon the provision of evidence of the following:
• Heriot-Watt University BSc Brewing and Distilling
• Heriot-Watt University Post Graduate Diploma in Brewing and Distilling
• Heriot-Watt University MSc Brewing and Distilling
• Heriot-Watt University Distance Learning MSc/Diploma in Malting and Brewing
• Heriot-Watt University Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering with Brewing and Distilling Technology The Board of Examiners may, in exceptional circumstances, permit exemption on other grounds.

5.2 Assessment of Competency and Recognition of Prior Learning The Board of Examiners will accept assessment processes and Recognitions of Prior Learning for specific examinations and these will be defined in the applicable qualifications.

6 Examination Format

6.1 The Diploma and Master Brewer Examinations are modular in format and candidates may choose to sit any number of modules at each annual Examination. There is no limit to the number of times a candidate may sit a module, or to the period of time taken to pass all modules relevant to either Examination.

6.2 The GCB, GCP and GCD Examinations are multiple choice exams.

7. Examination Syllabus

7.1 All candidates are advised to purchase a copy of the relevant Examination Syllabus from the IBD. Detailed advice concerning the Examinations is included in each syllabus. Each syllabus sets out the knowledge (GCB/ GCP/ GCD), comprehension (Diploma) and competence (Master Brewer) a candidate should gain before attempting the Examination. The syllabus also provides a record of such knowledge and experience, which candidates should gain as their study progresses.

7.2 Potential Examination candidates should apply for their syllabus as soon as possible, the appropriate syllabuses can be downloaded from the IBD website www.ibd.org.uk

7.3 The GCB content is confirmed in the Exam Syllabus and covers:
• Overview of brewing practices
• Wort Production:
• Raw materials
• Plant
• Boiling
• Wort Clarification
• Basic Principles of fermentation and yeast husbandry
• Beer quality:
• Process control
• Flavour
• Microbiology
• Quality management
• Plant Cleaning:
• Materials
• Systems
• Engineering maintenance
• Utilities - water, effluent & gases Plus one from the following two elective sections:
• Beer maturation for chilled and filtered beers, plus bright beer preparation
• Beer maturation and racking for cask beer

7.4 The GCP content is confirmed in the Exam Syllabus and covers:
• Overview of beer packaging
• Bright beer production and storage
• Pasteurisation and sterile filtration
• Container inspection and online checks
• Packaging performance
• Engineering maintenance
• Warehousing
• Beer Quality
• Process control
• Flavour
• Importance of dissolved oxygen
• Microbiology
• Quality management
• Plant cleaning
• Materials
• Systems
• Utilities - water, effluent and gases Plus one from the following four elective sections specific to materials and packaging line:
• Cans
• Non-returnable bottles (NRB)
• Returnable bottles (RB)
• Kegs

7.5 The GCD content has 3 elective sections, Cereal, Sugar Can Molasses and Grape and is confirmed in the Exam Syllabus, subdivided into eight sections.
• Overview and Glossary
• Fermentation Theory
• Fundamentals of Distillation
• Packaging
• Utilities - Water
• Utilities - Effluent
• Utilities - Energy
• Distilling and the Environment
• Plant Cleaning - Chemicals
• Plant Cleaning - Cleaning Systems
• Engineering and Maintenance
• Process Control
• Quality Control
• Quality Management Systems (QMS)

7.6 The Diploma in Brewing Examination consists of three modules; the third module is split into two sections:
• Module 1: Materials and Wort
• Module 2: Yeast and Beer
• Module 3A: Packaging Technology
• Module 3B: Process Technology

7.7 The Diploma in Distilling Examination consists of three modules:
• Module 1: Materials and Wort
• Module 2: Fermentation, Distillation and Maturation
• Module 3: Process Technology

7.8 The Diploma in Beverage Packaging (Beer) consists of three modules:
• Module 1: Syllabus Units 1 - 4
• Module 2: Syllabus Units 5 - 8
• Module 3: Syllabus Units 9 - 12 A fourth module (Diploma in Management) is also available as a separate qualification

7.9 The Master Brewer Examination consists of five modules:
• Module 1: Materials and Wort Production
• Module 2: Fermentation and Beer Processing
• Module 3: Packaging and Beer Dispense
• Module 4: Central Functions
• Module 5: Case Study The M.Brew Examination includes a Case Study Module, in the form of a paper requiring candidates to demonstrate knowledge and experience outlined in the other four modules. The Case Study was made a stand-alone Module in June 2001 and candidates are therefore no longer required to sit the Case Study as the final module of the M.Brew; candidates may take the Case Study Module either on its own, or in combination with any other module, whether going for completion of the M.Brew or not. Candidates are reminded that they are no longer permitted to take any notes or publications into the M.Brew Module 5 Examination.

8. Applications to Sit the IBD Examinations

8.1 Application forms for Diploma and Master Brewer Examinations being held in June must reach the IBD by 7th November in the year preceding the Examination. Any late applications will incur a £25 per module per candidate late fee. Please see application forms for closing date.

8.2 All application forms must be on the correct form and require a signature and sponsor statement. The forms should be sent with the appropriate entry fees, as set by the IBD for that registration period.

8.3 Candidates for the Diploma must be fully paid up Members of the IBD before sitting the Examination.

8.4 Master Brewer Examination candidates must be fully paid up Members of the IBD and also have passed the Diploma in Brewing, before sitting the Examination.

8.5 Membership of the IBD is NOT a prerequisite for sitting the GCB/GCP/GCD

8.6 Please note that relevant and completed experience record sheets pertaining to the M.Brew Module(s) do not need to be returned to the IBD, but must be completed prior to sitting the M.Brew Examination. The Board of Examiners retain the right to request these sheets at any time, particularly if they are required by the Examiners as an aid to overall assessment of the quality of the Examination answers.

8.7 Sponsoring Companies are encouraged to facilitate the preparation of candidates for exams by the use of IBD approved trainers and material.

9. Medical Conditions

9.1 The Board of Examiners may grant special dispensation to candidates with proven medical conditions.

9.2 Candidates must notify the Board of Examiners in writing when applying to sit an Examination, or as they are diagnosed, enclosing medical documents to support their case.

9.3 The Board of Examiners will consider each case on an individual basis, and will notify the candidate of any dispensation.

10. Examination Fees

10.1 The IBD reserves the right to alter examination fees at any time. However, the examination fees will normally be set annually in July and published in The Brewer & Distiller International and on the IBD web site.

10.2 The IBD reserves the right to withhold the results and the certificate (if applicable) in respect of any candidate for whom Examination fees (and/or Membership fees if applicable) have not been paid.

11. Examination Notices

11.1 Notices, giving up-to-date details regarding Examinations, applications, fees, and other important information, are constantly updated on the IBD web site. Notices also appear regularly in The Brewer & Distiller International magazine. All IBD Examination candidates must ensure that they read them and take any appropriate action.

12. Personal Details - Notification of Changes

12.1 Candidates must keep both the Examinations Department and the Registrar informed of any errors in their personal details or changes to their home/business address. 13. Withdrawal from an Examination

13.1 Candidates must inform the Examinations Department of their intention to withdraw from an Examination in writing (i.e. fax, e-mail, or letter).

13.2 Please see your application form for withdrawal deadlines and regulations.

13.3 Examination fees cannot be carried over or transferred to a subsequent exam date or person.

13.4 Candidates who are absent from their Examination(s) without having advised the IBD in writing, may be liable for an extra administration charge of £50.

14. Examination Centres

14.1 The IBD will organise all Examination Centres, and write to all candidates to confirm the location of their nearest Examination Centre.

14.2 The IBD may send an inspector to a centre to take control of the Examinations, or send a representative to a centre during the Examinations to inspect the arrangements and to see that the Examinations are being conducted in accordance with the IBD Examination regulations.

15. Malpractice/Breach of Regulations

15.1 Candidates are forbidden to communicate in any way with, seek assistance from, give assistance to, or interfere with, the work of other candidates or the invigilators in the Examination room or elsewhere during the period of the Examination, or indulge in any other form of unfair practice.

15.2 The invigilator or his/her representative is empowered to expel a candidate from the Examination room, but such action will only be taken if it is felt that it is essential, or when the continued presence of the candidate would cause disruption to other candidates.

15.3 Any established, suspected or alleged collusion or misconduct discovered at any time during an Examination must be reported to the IBD Examinations Department and supported by a statement signed by the invigilator or his/her representative.

15.4 If the IBD is satisfied that a breach of these regulations has occurred, it reserves the right to take such action as it deems appropriate in the circumstances, including disqualification of the candidate from all Examination Modules/Papers. The IBD also reserves the right to bar the candidate from future IBD Examinations for any period of time.

15.5 The IBD has the right to disqualify any candidate involved in impersonation or attempted impersonation at an Examination and criminal proceedings may be initiated against the candidate(s) and any other persons who were party to the deception.

16. Personal Identification

16.1 Candidates are advised that they must take the letter confirming their Examination Centre and candidate number with them to the Examination Centre.

16.2 All candidates are required to be in possession of photographic identification at their Examination Centre. Valid examples would be a passport or driving licence. In the event that a candidate fails to provide such photographic identification, or the invigilator is unsure whether the identification matches the candidate, formal procedures for verification will be followed by the Examination Centre and the IBD.

17. Reading Time

17.1 Candidates taking the Diploma or M.Brew Examination will be allowed fifteen minutes of reading time prior to the start of the Examination. During this time, candidates will not be permitted to write.

17.2 Candidates sitting the GCB/ GCP/ GCD Examinations should note that sufficient reading time has been incorporated into the Examination papers and no additional reading time is necessary.

18. Use of Electronic Calculators during the Examination

18.1 Candidates will be permitted to take electronic calculators into the Examination Room. Electronic organisers and PDA machines are not allowed.

18.2 Only calculators of the hand-held type, quiet in operation and complete with their own power supply, will be permitted.

18.3 Calculators must have a volatile memory and be capable of storing only numerical data.

19. Use of Dictionaries during the Examination

19.1 Candidates are not permitted to use dictionaries/thesauri or electronic spellcheckers whilst writing any IBD Examination. However, candidates who do not speak English as their first language may use language translation dictionaries subject to written approval from the Board of Examiners gained not less than one calendar month before the Examination.

20. Examination Scripts

20.1 Examination scripts are confidential between the candidate and the IBD, and may not be read or photocopied by an invigilator, his/her representative or any other person, prior to despatch for marking.

20.2 All marked Examination scripts remain the property of the IBD and will not be released to candidates, their employers or any other person.

20.3 Candidates should be aware that the IBD reserves the right to utilise extracts from Examination scripts on an anonymous basis for Examination reports or presentations, in accordance with current copyright law.

21. Publication and Certification of Results

21.1 All Examination results will be released to candidates by letter and e mail only. Results will not be issued to candidates by any other method.

21.2 Examination results will be issued to candidates in grade form only, as determined by the grade boundaries set by the Board of Examiners. It is IBD policy not to make public the actual marks and/or percentage scores that candidates receive, but, in certain circumstances, such information may be requested by IBD authorised persons (as detailed in 21.5 and 21.6, below).

21.3 A certificate will be issued for a pass in each Diploma/M.Brew module, with the appropriate grade indicated. GCB/ GCP/ GCD certificates will be issued jointly by the IBD and City & Guilds. The results on these certificates will not be shown in grade format, but will state pass, credit or distinction.

21.4 A certificate is and remains at all times, the property of the IBD, and the IBD reserves the right to request it from any candidate at any time.

21.5 Candidates are advised that their Examination results may be notified to their company if they have received full company support in payment of their Examination fees. Under exceptional circumstances, supporting companies may require the IBD to provide more details relating to specific candidates' results (such as actual marks and details of questions answered); this information may be relevant to specific National awards of which the IBD qualifications represent the examined knowledge base. In such cases, this information will only be provided by direct application by companies to the IBD Board of Examiners; candidates so involved will also receive the same detailed information. Individual candidates cannot request this information. To ensure that candidates receive results first, then results will be sent to companies (upon request) no earlier than two weeks after results have been sent to candidates. Companies requesting results must provide a list of candidates that they have supported to ensure the privacy of candidates who have entered privately.

21.6 Examination results and grades may also be passed to IBD Section Secretaries and IBD Accredited Trainers, when requested, in order to organise Section annual awards and presentation of such awards. This information may also be used by the Section Secretaries and IBD Accredited Trainers to determine examination performance at IBD Section level and to help identify future Section training requirements. Such information passed to IBD Section Secretaries and Accredited Trainers is for their use only and cannot be passed to any third parties. IBD Section Secretaries and Accredited Trainers are obliged to ensure that any information so obtained that might prove to be of a commercially sensitive nature is fully protected at all times. Candidates who do not wish to have the details of examination results passed to the relevant IBD Section Secretary or Accredited Trainer should inform the IBD Examination Administration team, in writing, at the time of application. To ensure that candidate receive results first, then requests for results will be dealt with two weeks after results have been sent to candidates.

21.7 The names of successful candidates will be published in either The Brewer & Distiller International or the Journal of the Institute of Brewing and on the IBD web site.

22. Examination Awards

22.1 Passes with "Distinction" in the Diploma (Brewing and Distilling) will only be awarded to candidates who achieve a minimum average score of 70% overall, with a minimum score of 60% in each Module. All Modules must be passed in the same year. The "John S Ford Award" will be awarded to the candidate with the highest marks at "Distinction" level. A "Distinction", or the "John S Ford Award" may be awarded to a first re-sit candidate if all Modules have been re-sat and passed in the same year.

22.2 Passes with "Honours" in the M.Brew may be accumulated under the modular system, by achieving 60% or more in each Module, with an average of 65% overall. The candidate who achieves the highest "Honours" pass will be considered for the "James S Hough Award". Failure of a Module at any stage precludes the grant of "Honours" and the eligibility for the "James S Hough Award"; regardless of how well a subsequent Module has been passed.

22.3 The Worshipful Company of Brewers Award are currently reviewing the awarding procedure for the GCB and GCP examinations.

22.4 The Scotch Whisky Association Award will be nominated by the Board of Examiners from candidates obtaining the highest grades in the GCD Examination.

23. Appealing Against an Examination Result

23.1 Candidates, who wish to challenge their Examination grade, must write to the Chairman of the Board of Examiners, care of the Examinations Department, indicating the basis of the objection.

23.2 All appeals must be received within one calendar month following the official release of results.

23.3 A fee of £25.00 will be charged for each Examination appeal. Fees must be submitted at the time of appeal and will be refunded to the candidate if their appeal is upheld.

23.4 The Chairman will review the candidate's Examination paper, in conjunction with the appropriate Examiner, and advise the candidate in writing of the outcome of the review. In all cases, the decision of the Chairman of the Board of Examiners is final. General Guidance for GCB, GCP, GCD, Diploma and M.Brew Examination Candidates All candidates are advised to keep abreast of current literature and to read the Examiners' Reports of previous Examinations published in the IBD's magazines and Journal of the Institute of Brewing. A Reference Reading List of suggested articles and papers for Dipl. Brew and M. Brew candidates can be obtained from the IBD Examination's Department.

Candidates sitting the GCD will be examined against the syllabus in two written Examination papers, each of two hours and comprising questions necessitating short answers in spaces provided on the Examination papers. The GCD has Revision Workbooks and Syllabus available on CD-ROM, along with visual aids, an interactive search facility and self-assessment section. Further information can be obtained from the Examinations Department at the IBD. Candidates sitting the General Certificate in Brewing (GCB) and the General Certificate in Packaging (GCP) will be examined against the syllabus a multiple choice examination. The GCB and GCP have Revision Workbooks and Syllabus available on CD-ROM. These CD-ROMs can be purchased from the IBD webstore www.ibdstore.org In the case of the Master Brewer Examination (M.Brew), candidates will be examined on the knowledge gained from their practical experience in brewing. Candidates are strongly advised to keep notes of the experience gained while studying for the M.Brew.

The Recommended Experience required for each module is detailed in the syllabus. It is recommended that M.Brew candidates gain experience of contrasting methods of production by visiting locations where operations differ from those at their particular place of work. The "Shortfall in Experience" boxes should be used where candidates have been unable to acquire the relevant experience. Please note that relevant and completed experience record sheets pertaining to the M.Brew Module(s) registered must be completed prior to the Examinations and retained by the candidate (not sent to the IBD). The Board of Examiners retain the right to request these sheets at any time, particularly if they are required by the Examiners as an aid to overall assessment of the quality of the Examination answers. Candidates sitting the Diploma examinations will be tested on their knowledge and understanding of the syllabus. Guidance on Terms Used in IBD Examination Papers Every year, the IBD publishes a report from the Board of Examiners.

Regularly, the comments noted by the Examiners relate to candidates failing to answer the question put before them. It is therefore extremely important to read each question carefully, and answer the question asked. The wording of questions that appear on IBD Examination Papers are scrutinised to ensure that the terminology utilised is uniform, and based on definitions used by City & Guilds and other international organisations. Terms and definitions that may be used are as follows: "List/Name" Give a list rather than sentences as the answer "State" Give the relevant facts briefly and to the point "Define" Give the exact meaning (e.g. of a term, principle or procedure) "Describe briefly" Give a brief but full account with examples of the procedure/term that is specified in the question "Describe/State what is meant by" More than just define - give a definition but also an explanation and discuss its significance and limitations "Outline" Briefly gives all the essential points "Explain briefly" Give the reasons for "Sketch" Produce a freehand drawing Pre-Examination Notes The following instructions apply to, and should be followed by, all candidates sitting IBD Examinations.

Candidates for the GCB/ GCP / GCD/ Examinations should note that separate answer books are not used in their Examination:

1. Read the instructions at the start of the Examination paper and on the inside cover of the answer books.

2. Read each question carefully and plan each answer before starting to write.

3. Irrelevant material will not be marked.

4. Make sure that the form of any answer is that required by the question, e.g. essay, brief notes, etc.

5. The standard of writing, legibility and structure of answers are all important. Well ordered tables supporting the text, are simple and valuable ways of clearly presenting information, and should be used wherever appropriate. Difficult concepts may often be explained by the use of drawings or sketches, which must be both neat and well labelled.

6. Abbreviations should be defined at first use.

7. Answers should be written in ball-point pen or ink (preferably blue or black).

8. Insert the numbers of the questions attempted, on the front cover of the first answer book, in the order attempted.

9. Smoking is not permitted in the Examination Room.

10. Candidates are not permitted to leave the Examination Room during any Examination.

11. The Examination Regulations must be observed.