The University of Beer

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"I'm the first in my family to graduate from beer school!" That was the declaration of a proud Eddie Roscoe.

Eddie, outfitted in cap and gown (thank God everyone didn't do that!) was one of fifty graduates to walk across the stage last night at Cicero's in U-City, where Beer School was wrapping up.

I walked in expecting to find a glorified excuse for a bunch of guys to knock a few back. The truth of the matter is these people are deadly serious when it comes to their beer. The class meets every Wednesday for seventeen weeks. If you miss two classes, you can't graduate.

But even under such tough rules, there were fifty. That's the largest class ever according to Beer School Dean (or principal if you prefer) Karen McVicker.

McVicker, who is also the General Manager of the restaurant, started this whole thing back in 2006. She says it began with training servers in the restaurant on the various beers they carry. She says teaching the customers directly seemed to be the next logical step.

"With the dollar as tight as it is, it's hard to plop down five dollars or more for something you've never even tried before," she says. "It's definitely a marketing tool. You get to try between three and five beers every time, and there are chances to win beer gear."

But this is hardly a glorified game of "quarters." At graduation, McVicker barked out questions from the previous semester as students scrambled through their notes. (Yes, they really take notes!)

"What is the best selling brand from Unibroue?"

"What is the alcohol by volume of Maudiet?"

"Name the founder of the Stella Artois brewery!"

Name four members of the Michelob family other than Michelob!" (Hint: Michelob Ultra doesn't count. "They exiled it," she says. "It's the red-headed step child!")

Forest Crawford showed up for graduation wearing his Scottish finest. (He claims to be a distant relative of William Wallace.) He says the class a few weeks ago on Scottish brews prompted him to wear the outfit. As for attending Beer School?

"I've been a beer snob for a couple of years now. I saw the (ad) and I knew I had to come."

But McVicker says this is not just a guy thing, or even a "beer snob" thing. She tells the story of a female student a couple of semesters ago.

"She was dragged here kicking and screaming. When I asked everyone what their favorite beer was, she said, 'Bud Light.'" Beer School's dean then goes on like a proud mother talking about the progression of the young woman to the status of "beer-phile" in a few short weeks. "I love the diversity," she says.

As for beer's "frat boy" reputation, McVicker says it's an unfair tag.

"Beer is incredibly complex. It's so much more complex than wine."

As for her students, many weren't looking all that complex on this night, but that wasn't the point. After all, they've been furiously scribbling notes about the most obscure brews you can think of for more than four months now. This was the time to let loose.

Of course one of their "professors" from the past few months had to keep things in some perspective. Karl Braun of Unibroue Brewery chided the group.

"It used to be when we went to college you got in trouble for drinking too much beer! Now you're being honored for it!"

That sounds like every college kid's dream, not to mention a number of people I know in their thirties and beyond.

There will be some semblance of summer school for Beer School, but the next true "semester" begins in the fall. Check with Cicero's in U-City for all the details.