Tonight at 9PM ET we'll be getting together with Francisco Olachea, Elba Copado, Frederick Rodriguez and Andrés Torres, with surprise guest Raul de la Garza. Francisco, Elba and Frederick are the organizers of the Copa Hidromiel México, a BJCP competition in Mexico City. Between them they've an impressive collection of education and experience. We will also have Bob Slanzi, US Mead Ambassador to Mexico. Copa Hidromiel México 2024 is a mead competition organized with the purpose of supporting, disseminating and promoting the production and consumption of artisanal drinks made from bee honey. The competition is endorsed by the BJCP organization based on its official guidelines, widely recognized internationally.The direction and coordination of the 2024 Mexico Hidromiel Cup will be carried out by NINKASI/IBQ. Francisco J. Olachea M. and PHOCAL/Frederick Rodriguez and as Judge Director Elba Copado, with the objective of disseminating the culture of mead. The 2024 Mexico Hidromiel Cup will take place in Mexico City on Tuesday, September 10, Wednesday, September 11, and Thursday, September 12, 2024 and will have both home and commercial entries. The winners will be notified on Saturday, September 14, 2024 on social networks. You can see the 2023 highlights of the Copa Hidromiel México here: Francisco Olachea is a biochemical Engineer, and holds general Certificate in Brewing and Spirits by the IBD, is a Certified BJCP judge, Certified Cicerone®, and a Mead BJCP judge, Cider BJCP judge, Unionbirrai Beer Taster, Master Mezcalier, Cigar Sommelier and Sommelier member of the Mexican Sommeliers Association. He is also an instructor at the Mexican Academy of Sommeliers. Finally, he is CEO at I+D CERVEZA SA de CV since 2011. Elba Copado is a Graduate in Chemistry from the University of Guadalajara and a Graduate of Siebel Institute of technology WBA (concise course in brewing technology / Brewing Microbiology). She has also taken the Specialist Course in Beer by the University of Alicante. Elba is a pioneer in homebrew in Mexico, and is a  commercial beer (2003), mead (2014) and cider (2021) producer. She is a BJCP judge of beer, mead and cider and is a Certified beer server of Cicerone’s program. She is President of Ceryder A.C and Founder of Cup San Arnulfo.And she is Adiministrator of BJCP exams of beer, mead and cider in Mexico. Elba is also owner of the Beer Lounge in Tlaquepaque, Mexico, where she and her husband Aguirre sling her unique beers. Imbibe tells her story well here. Frederick Rodriguez is a photographer, producer and director with more than 30 years of experience in the audiovisual industry.  He has produced, photographed and carried out various feature film, short film, video clips, corporate, institutional and documentary projects.  In 2012 he edited and post-produced the documentary series “Hallazgos” of the INAH, Partner and founder of La Valija Industriarte, obtaining the PACMyC award for the development of the documentary “Los paths that van” 2014 as director and photographer, In 2012 with the company Museum he developed a 360º mural for the Museum of Music in Puerto Rico and from 2015 to 2017 he developed an interactive table for the exhibition of the Constitution in the National Palace at the same time he developed 2 video walls for the Museum of Constitutions of the UNAM, since 2022 he documents the "Copa Hidromiel México", creator of the documentary "Fermentos Ancestrales"  (watch the trailer) in which he focuses on mead and pre-Hispanic ferments of Mexic...