Consult her if you need a mentor in craft beer

When Sabrina Valles, Mexican-American, first met her fiancé, he wasn’t a fan of beer. However, through their shared experiences and her infectious enthusiasm for craft beer, he gradually developed an appreciation for it. Today, as the owners of Win-Some Trading Co. Ltd., they sell craft beer online directly to consumers, and offer consulting, marketing, and promotion services to brands. While conducting this diverse range of services, they promote craft beer culture and help people discover their favorite beer.

Win-Some also partners with Brander Urstoff, a traditional German beer brand, promoting its products to local bars in Hangzhou and cities nearby. Speaking about the craft beer revolution, Sabrina notes that five years ago, the scene in Hangzhou was dominated by foreigners. Today, local interest has surged, with more Chinese people appreciating and exploring craft beers. Platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) have even organized pub crawls in Hangzhou, highlighting the increasing popularity and cultural integration of craft beer.
Sabrina believes this is an exciting time for craft beer in China, with local tastes becoming more adventurous and sophisticated. Her job is to find the best beer for each client, making craft beer enjoyable for everyone.
On a warm summer evening in Hangzhou, Sabrina grabs a notebook with a vintage beer poster on the cover and some beer samples. She heads to a local bar where young people unwind after a long day, sipping refreshing craft beer, chatting with friends and enjoying life.
Her experienced eye scans the drinks menu. “There’s a Xinjiang restaurant next door,” she suggests to the bar owner in Chinese. “You should add some malt-forward beers like Kölsch or Lager. These beers perfectly complement the spicy dishes people enjoy at that restaurant.” The bar owner agrees, and Sabrina selects some samples to send over.
After finishing her meeting with one bar owner, she proceeds to the next, carefully evaluating each establishment’s requirements. She always considers what beers would appeal to the local clientele and how she can smartly and gently persuade bar owners to place an order.

Sabrina is passionate about pairing food with beer. She explains that understanding how flavors interact is key. For example, she advises against pairing an IPA (a diverse beer style characterized by hop flavor, aroma, and various degrees of bitterness) with extremely spicy food, such as those prepared with Sichuan peppers, since IPAs make spicy food taste spicier. Understanding that salt reduces bitterness and enhances sweetness, she chooses beer and food with these tastes to create delightful combinations.
“Tasting beer is an art,” Sabrina explains. It involves engaging all your senses. Taste is composed of sweet, sour, bitter, umami, salty, and potentially fat, but much of what we consider taste is actually aroma. Sabrina advises starting with the smell and then taking a few sips to appreciate the taste and texture, including the layers of bubbles and the beer itself.

For Sabrina, drinking beer healthily is all about balance and hydration. Carrying a 2-liter water bottle to encourage frequent hydration, she emphasizes the importance of drinking water alongside beer to stay hydrated and mitigate any negative effects. Moderation is key, and she advises knowing your limits based on your body’s tolerance. “Drinking beer should never be about getting drunk,” Sabrina insists. She also recommends pairing beer with nutritious foods to maintain a balanced diet even when enjoying a night out.
Sabrina acknowledges the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry but sees it as an opportunity to create a more inclusive environment. “Flavor isn’t specific to a gender,” she asserts. She actively promotes diversity within the industry, encouraging more women to explore and enjoy craft beer without being stereotyped.
Sabrina’s passion for beer is contagious. She leads an online store and manages accounts on Little Red Book (ID: simplycravebeer) and Instagram (@simplycravebeer), sharing insights about Chinese brands of craft beer and educating others about it. Her engaging personality and deep knowledge make her a beloved figure in Hangzhou’s beer community. Thanks to her expert guidance and infectious enthusiasm, even novices can discover a beer they truly enjoy.

Sabrina is not just in the craft beer industry for business, she focuses on serving the community. Last year, she co-organized a charity event at a bar where its proceeds were donated to Shati Animal Rescue & Pet Care Center. Sabrina participated with two dogs she adopted, finding joy in these acts of kindness.
Journalist: Daria Fominykh
Editor&Chinese Translator: Chen Miaolin
Senior editor: Zhou Ji, Lizheng
Source: Hangzhoufeel