Coloradoan becomes a master cicerone, a rare beer title held by just 28 people in the world

There are a lot of beer drinkers in Colorado, but none has quite as much expertise as Patrick Combs — and now, he has the credentials to prove it.

In November, Combs, who is the “director of liquids” at Stem Ciders, became a master cicerone, the highest level of certification a beer professional can achieve, and a distinction that is similar to a master sommelier for wine. He’s now one of just 28 master cicerones in the world.

Founded in early 2008, the Cicerone Certification Program includes four increasingly difficult levels, each involving tough tests: certified beer server, certified cicerone, advanced cicerone and master cicerone. Roughly 150,000 people are certified beer servers and more than 4,600 are certified cicerones, while fewer than 200 individuals are advanced cicerones.

To get to the final level, candidates must have an “encyc...