Is the Certified Bourbon Steward Program Worth It? I Paid $100 to Find Out!
From Reddit to Instagram, YouTube to TikTok, you can always spot a tater by one phrase in their bio. Any guesses? If you guessed “Certified Bourbon Steward,” you’d be absolutely right! But is it actually worth it? Or is it just another gimmick?
Well, I shelled out a whole $100 to find out. Let’s get right into it! Signing Up for the Stave & Thief Bourbon Steward Certification I enrolled in the Stave & Thief Standard Bourbon Steward Certification, which cost me $100.16 after taxes. Here’s what came with it:
✔ Bourbon Steward Handbook
✔ Access to the online final exam
✔ A lapel pin upon completion
The exam was available immediately, and the book arrived in 9 days—which I think is reasonable, considering I ordered it the day after Christmas.
Taking the Exam: Easy or Challenging?
The final exam consists of 20 questions, with no time limit. You can use the book during the test—in fact, the Stave & Thief Society encourages it.
The questions are almost word-for-word from the book, so if you read it, you’ll have no trouble passing. An 80% is considered passing, and you have unlimited attempts.
Now, let me be real with you—if you’ve done at least three distillery tours, you’ll likely pass with ease. I took the test three times before I even got the book and still scored an 88%. If you’ve been in the bourbon community for more than three months, a lot of the material is basic knowledge.
What’s in the Book?
Despite being fairly easy to pass, the book itself was surprisingly interesting. It covers a wide range of bourbon-related topics, including:
- Whiskey classifications
- Distilling & barreling
- Bourbon history & lore
- The science behind production
- Mash bills and flavor profiles
It took me about two hours to read the entire book, and even though I’ve been on countless distillery tours, I still learned new things that aren’t typically covered in tours.
Is It Worth the Money? So, is the certification worth it?
If you’re an industry professional, I can see the value in getting certified. But for the average bourbon drinker? It’s not exactly necessary.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and learning more about the drink we all love. And let’s be honest—I absolutely added “Certified Bourbon Steward” to every bio I have!
At the end of the day, it’s your money. If spending $100.16 to call yourself a Bourbon Steward sounds worth it, go for it! I did, and now I’m a proud member of the Stave & Thief Society.
Final Thoughts
Will you be signing up for the certification? Or do you think it’s just another gimmick?
These are the important questions in life. But at the end of the day, we all know the answer is always… To Cigar.
Logan Huddleston
Hello, my name is Logan Huddleston. I own and operate To Cigar, which provides cigar and alcohol content on all major social media platforms. My goal is to connect with and engage other GenZers to help them fall in love with cigars and cigar culture. I do reviews, memes, recipes, pairings, pretty much anything that connects with my audience. Most nights, I can be found with a cigar in one hand and a good drink in the other. Life brings us many questions, but I’m fond of saying, the answer is always To Cigar!
