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George Bateman & Son Ltd
by Tom Cannavan, 08/07
Batemans' Lincolnshire brewery is based in an old windmill, dating back two centuries, that overlooks the River Steeping. Chairman until his death in June 2007 was
George Bateman, whose daugher Jaclyn is Marketing Director and son Stuart is Managing Director. As one of the country's oldest family breweries, and a rare example of a sizeable independent brewery that is not only
surviving, but thriving, there is plenty to celebrate about the success of Batemans.
But the picture did not always look so rosy. In 1985, the three family shareholders - George with 40% of the business and his brother John and sister Helen in control of 60% - came to an impasse, when John and Helen wanted to
sell the business. Life had been very tough for smaller brewers, with many being taken over by larger concerns, and a swing away from cask beer to keg. The future must have looked gloomy. But George was detemnined to retain the business and after
two years of negotiation and struggle, finally secured the funds to buy-out his siblings in 1987.
Ironically, that was just as the tide begam to change for Batemans and other family brewers. CAMRA led a revival of interest in cask beers, and Batemans' Premium Ale, XXXB, was judged 'Beer of the Year'. In
1998 Carlsberg Tetley purchased their freetrade, which allowed them to develop as small pub estate of their own.
Today Batemans is a thriving business, with its bottled beers in wide distribution and a busy visitor centre in Licolnshire welcoming beer enthusiasts for tours and to enjoy local food with a pint or two in its busy
Windmill Bar. Its array of cask and bottled beers is impressive, with five core brands in cask, and nine regular and seasonal ales in bottle, all approved by the Vegetarian and Vegan societies.
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Batemans beers
There's plenty of interest in this range, with a variety of malts and hops being used in the brewing, including a couple of beers that are multigrain, using oats, wheat and rye as well as barley malt, and American
Liberty hops as well as English Goldings and Challenger. The overall standard is exceptional, with excellent bitterness in very 'grown-up' beers. The fact that many are widely available in supermarkets and
multiple grocers, as well as specialist beer retailers, is a real bonus.
Batemans, Autumn Fall (England) 
Like Batemans Combined Harvest, this is a multigrain beer brewed with Goldings and Challenger hops, and a combination of Maris Otter, Optic and Crystal barley malts, plus oats, wheat and rye. It pours a rich ruby/amber colour with a thick cream-coloured head. It has a lovely dense maltiness on the nose, with vinous character suggesting red fruits and leathery, spicy and tobacco tones. In the mouth it is full-textured and creamy, with lovely hop bitterness giving it real bite and chewy density. It has a bit of steel about it too, and stays very focused and sharp even though there's plenty of biscuit and chocolaty flavour. Another terrific beer from Batemans. 4.2% ABV, 50cl, Beersofeurope.  |  |
Batemans, Combined Harvest Multigrain (England)
For me this is one of the stars of the range I've tasted from Bateman's. As well as barley, this beer is brewed from wheat, rye and oats, and perhaps that adds to its fine complexity. The colour is a deep, glowing bronze/gold, with a tight, white head. There's a lot of toast and a spectrum of malted, puffed wheat grainy aromas on the nose. On the palate it is smooth and full with an immediate sensation of extreme sweetness, that is quickly overtaken by a dry, hoppy acidity and slightly bitter, burnt flavour that adds lots of contrast. It is quite a dense, chewy mouthful of beer, with a crisp fruity acidity in the long finish. I thought this was lovely, and almost worth that extra half star. 4.7% ABV, 50cl, £1.19, Aldi, Booth's.  |  |
Batemans, Dark Lord (England)
Brewed to commemorate ‘Black Tom' who fought in The Battle of Winceby, which took place in 1643, Dark Lord is a very dark, almost mahogany-coloured ale with a moderate tan-coloured head. It has a deep raisiny nose, with plenty of dried, dark fruits and malt. There's a touch of liquorice too. In the mouth this has an immediately bitter character (Bitterness EBU 48) with plenty of biting, endive-like hops giving real grip. The pillowing softness of the malt and the beer's full texture adds some softness - but no sweetness - through the mid-palate, before a dry, very satisfying finish. Fine stuff again from Batemans. 5.0% ABV, 50cl, £1.89, Asda, Booth's, Budgens, Co-op, Morrisons, Beer Paradise, Sainsbury's, Tesco. |  |
Batemans, Rosey Nosey (England)
Batemans' seasonal Christmas Ale is very popular, hopped with Goldings, Challenger and American Liberty, and available in November and December each year. It pours a lovely dark ruby/copper, with a moderate cream-coloured head. On the nose there's just a delicate touch of spice (nothing overtly spicy) and dried fruit suggesting raisins and prunes, along with a little chocolaty note. On the palate this is a silky-textured beer, with an instant hit of very grown-up bitterness (Bitterness EBU 35) but softened by a creaminess to the flavour and texture, and plenty of vinous, black fruit flavour. The chocolate and bunt toffee richness of the malt comes through too, in a very enjoyable ale. 4.9% ABV, 50cl, £1.89, Beersofeurope, Beerritz. |  |
Batemans, Spring Breeze (England)
Batemans seasonal ale, Spring Breeze, is a golden, malty and crisp pale ale, that carries the image of the Goddess of Spring and Fertility, Demeter, on the label. Whilst the cask version has an ABV of 4.2%, the bottled Spring Breeze is a stronger 5.0% ABV “to ensure that the flowery aroma and dry, fruity, hoppy flavours of this refreshing beer is maintained.” This beer pours a coppery colour with a fluffy white head. It has an immediately evocative nose, reminiscent of nettles and early summer meadows, with almonds, toffee and a hint of honey beneath. On the palate it is quite full and rich, with a little hint of honeysuckle sweetness soon overtaken by good hops levels and a biscuity malt character. A lovely drop this.
5.0% ABV, 50cl, £1.65, Sainsbury's. |  |
Batemans, Summer Swallow (England)
Nice, deep golden/amber colour. Head quite short-lived. Quite soft, hoppy nose with a touch of burnt toast. Really very nice as it strikes the palate; quite broad and creamy, with a dry, nettle and hop bitterness and undertow of hedgerow fruit. Stays quite fat in the mouth through to a long finish, with hints of caramel sweetness. Light enough to be a good session beer, but some good personality too at a very fair price. 4.2% ABV, 50cl, £1.19, Aldi, Booth's. |  |
Batemans, Victory Ale (England)
This strong beer is brewed to commemorate the victories of Admiral Nelson, and is brewed with Goldings and Liberty hops. It pours a bold, dark, ruby colour with quite a thick cream-coloured head. It has a very striking nose, with marmalade oranges and plenty of peppery punch, all underpinned by a biscuity malt and real impression of juiciness. In the mouth it is sumptuous and rich, flooded with bittersweet flavours with that juicy, fruity character playing against a really nice hoppy bite. Powerful and long, this maintains its grippy presence to the last drop. Very fine beer. 6.0% ABV, 50cl, £1.89, Beersofeurope. |  |
Batemans, XXXB Classic Bitter (England)
This beer from Batemans has won numerous awards for its cask version, and I have to say I really enjoyed it from bottle too. It has quite a deep bronze colour and tight, off-white head. On the nose it is quite malty and toasty, with a honeyed sense of limpid richness, and soft, elegant fruit. On the palate it is smooth and full, with a nice interplay between grassy hops and a lemony crispness, and plenty of malty, smooth and svelte character kicking in. It is long and flavourful, with a dry finish. A really nice beer, and worth four stars at Aldi's low price. 4.8% ABV, 50cl, £1.19, Aldi, Luvians. |  |
George Bateman & Son Ltd
www.bateman.co.uk
Salem Bridge Brewery
Mill Lane, Wainfleet
Lincolnshire
PE24 4JE
T: 01754 880317
F: 01754 880939
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