CFPS Study Guide 2026

Everything you need to pass the CFPS exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.

📋 CFPS Exam Format at a Glance

100

Questions

120 min

Time Limit

80.00%

Passing Score

Take a Full CFPS Exam Simulation →

📚 CFPS Topics to Study (37)

Draft Beer Systems and Technology · 7 cards Draft Beer Systems and Technology · 7 cards Draft Beer Systems and Technology · 7 cards Beer and Food Pairing · 6 cards Beer and Food Pairing · 6 cards Beer and Food Pairing · 6 cards Beer Faults and Off-Flavors · 6 cards Beer Faults and Off-Flavors · 6 cards Beer Faults and Off-Flavors · 6 cards Beer History and Culture · 6 cards Beer History and Culture · 6 cards Beer History and Culture · 6 cards Beer Service and Cellar Management · 6 cards Beer Service and Cellar Management · 6 cards Beer Service and Cellar Management · 6 cards Beer Service and Storage · 6 cards Beer Service and Storage · 6 cards Beer Service and Storage · 6 cards Beer Styles · 6 cards Beer Styles · 6 cards Beer Styles · 6 cards Beer Styles and Characteristics · 6 cards Beer Styles and Characteristics · 6 cards Beer Styles and Characteristics · 6 cards Brewing Ingredients · 6 cards Brewing Ingredients · 6 cards Brewing Ingredients · 6 cards Brewing Ingredients and Process · 6 cards Brewing Ingredients and Process · 6 cards Brewing Ingredients and Process · 6 cards

See all 37 topics as flashcards →

✍️ Sample CFPS Questions & Answers

1. Which of the following actions should be taken first?

✓ Check if the keg was recently agitated.

If a keg has been recently agitated, such as during transport, the CO2 dissolved in the beer can come out of solution, leading to excessive foaming. Checking for agitation first is a simple, common troubleshooting step that often resolves foaming issues without needing to adjust equipment settings. Allowing the keg to settle can prevent unnecessary adjustments to temperature or pressure.

2. What is the primary role of malted barley in the brewing process?

✓ To provide fermentable sugars and contribute flavor and color

Malted barley is the backbone of most beers, providing fermentable sugars from starch conversion, as well as flavor, color, and body contributions.

3. What type of gas blend is typically used to dispense nitrogenated stouts such as Guinness?

✓ 75% nitrogen and 25% CO2

Nitrogenated stouts use a 75/25 nitrogen-to-CO2 blend, which creates their signature creamy texture and tight cascading bubbles without overcarbonating the beer.

4. What is the primary source of metallic off-flavors in beer, often described as blood, coins, or pennies?

✓ Iron, copper, or aluminum contamination from corroded or reactive brewing equipment

Iron and copper ions from reactive metals (old equipment, corroded fittings) dissolve into beer, catalyzing oxidation and contributing distinct metallic flavors even at very low concentrations.

5. What was the original primary reason hops replaced other bittering herbs (like gruit) in European brewing during the Middle Ages?

✓ Hops' antimicrobial and preservative properties extended beer shelf life

Hops contain alpha and beta acids with significant antimicrobial properties that inhibit spoilage bacteria, extending beer's shelf life dramatically compared to unhopped ales.

6. What is the defining characteristic of a Rauchbier?

✓ Malt that has been dried over beechwood smoke

Rauchbier ('smoke beer') from Bamberg, Germany uses malt kilned over beechwood fires, imparting a distinctive campfire or smoked meat character.

🎯 Free CFPS Practice Tests

Draft Beer Systems and Technology · 7 questions Draft Beer Systems and Technology · 7 questions Draft Beer Systems and Technology · 7 questions Beer Service and Storage · 6 questions Brewing Ingredients · 6 questions Beer Service and Cellar Management · 6 questions Off-Flavors and Quality Control · 6 questions Brewing Ingredients and Process · 6 questions Brewing Ingredients and Process · 6 questions Beer Styles · 6 questions

📖 CFPS Guides & Articles

Your CFPS Study Path

1. Learn with Flashcards → 2. Drill Practice Tests → 3. Take the Full Exam Simulation

🃏 CFPS Flashcards (221)🏆 CFPS Exam Simulation

What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for CFPS

An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:

A timed, full-length CFPS mock exam — 100 questions in 120 minutes with a 80% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
A fixed CFPS question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
A printable CFPS cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
CFPS flashcards built from the same question bank.
Free CFPS practice tests with the correct answer shown after each question.

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