Meet Franklin Gordon, Certified Cicerone® & Beer Consultant

My beer journey has been long and (of course) a lot of fun! Other than domestic light beer, my first forays into beer were the hoppy IPAs and Pale Ales brewed in Georgia. As my palate evolved, I moved away from the domestic lights and into the big, dark, robust flavors of stouts and barleywines, then sours, various lagers, and now…anything and everything!

I drank beer casually for years, until I started a beer cellar and began tasting the differences in beer vintages and vertical collections. When I went to work running a local beer garden, drinking beer became something I did for a living as I learned how to diversify beer menus and inventories to ensure there was something all of my customers could enjoy. All in all, I put in nearly fifteen years in the bar business as both bartender and manager for everything from dive bars and night clubs to fine dining and gastropubs. Eventually, I decided to go to work for my favorite local brewery and studied diligently in order to become a Certified Cicerone®.

What is a Certified Cicerone®? Those who have successfully passed the Certified Cicerone® exam have an extensive knowledge of beer, including distinctions of beer styles as well as their historical context. We have a firm grasp of brewing ingredients and the brewing process, and are able to identify flawed beer due to off flavors, improper handling or beer delivery issues. Certified Cicerones® have innate tasting skills and the ability to discern favorable pairings of beer with food.

With my certification and years of experience, I began planning, executing and advising on beer dinners in the area, as well as consulting for those in the beer world. In addition, I’m currently studying for the Advanced Cicerone® Certification while working as a beer buyer in Oregon. My experience of working with beer on so many levels, in bars and restaurants, for a beer distribution company and a brewery, as well as my depth of education in the beer world makes me well suited to the role of beer consultant and confident that I can help businesses and aspiring beer lovers to understand more about this fast-paced industry.

Whether you’re looking to revamp your food or beer menu, train your staff to be more knowledgeable about beer and serving practices, plan or host a beer dinner, or increase your overall familiarity of the beer world, I can and will help you get to where you want to be. I’m always happy to talk beer!

Franklin Gordon, Certified Cicerone®