For the first time in history, Mexico will be represented at the World Championship of Beer Sommeliers. But that’s not the biggest news for the country–Katia Niño will be the one who heads to Munich this September to join close to 100 beer sommeliers from around the world.

In 2019, winning beer sommelier Elisa Raus was a woman from Germany, however every other competition since the World Cup began in 2009 has been won by a man.

“I’m so proud to be chosen for this first selection, representing Puebla and women [in beer],” Niño said in an interview with El Sol de Puebla. Niño has her own craft beer brewery in Puebla city — Cervecería Ángeles de Zaragoza — and is a certified beer sommelier, meaning she has had to learn all there is to know about the process, production, and tasting of the beverage.

The World Cup championship participants have been chosen from over 5,000 beer sommeliers worldwide and compete among a group that is narrowed down to about 100, from different countries. The final eight will compete publicly in front of a group of expert judges and have to prove their knowledge of theoretical basics about beer and the sharpness of their sensory skills in beer tasting. The final stage of the competition will also require a little showmanship on stage and the winners will have “best presented the message of beer culture and its diversity,” according to organizers.

Niño is looking forward to highlighting Mexican beers during her time in Munich, in particular their use of endemic ingredients that give them unique flavor profiles–the country is one of the top three exports of beer in the world and one of the top five consumers.

“Beer is a thousand-year-old beverage,” says Niño, “and a lot of the time we drink it without understanding the weight of its history.”

Photo courtesy of @kattnino/Instagram