10,000 cicerones; sounds like a Tom Paxton song*

Hey, they had beer sommeliers in Pompeii

Ray Daniels predicts that his Cicerone program will 10,000th certification in a matter of weeks. And it seems like only yesterday, as opposed to 79 AD in Pompeii (which is where this photo was taken; in 2008 rather than before Mount Vesuvius erupted). Here are the basics from a little press release:

It may seem like just yesterday that you first heard of the Cicerone Certification Program–the sommelier-like sequence for beer that tests and certifies knowledge among those who sell and serve suds for a living. But the program is now more than four years old and the number of certifications issued at the first level has skyrocketed in the past two years.

We’re writing to tell you that we’ll soon award our 10,000th certification at that first level. That’s a big event for us and for everyone involved with the program. So to celebrate, we’ll offer a unique opportunity for people to sign-up for the program at a great price — but only for a single day.

The best way to track updates is to follow Ray Daniels on Twitter.

* But perhaps we can all agree we like cicerones better than laywers. And, yes, I know passing the first level test doesn’t make a person a “cicerone.” There are Certified Beer Servers, Certified Cicerones and Master Cicerones, but don’t begrudge me Tom Paxton reference.