Support Your Local Beer Maker
Lincolnshire’s Finest Brewery….
It’s been a few years since I drank bitter/real ale. In my younger days I drank it like there was no tomorrow but as I reached the age of thirty I knew I had to change. So in with the strong lager instead! My reasoning behind this was the fact that lager has more gas in it there by making it harder to drink quickly. Genius!
During my ‘reconnnection’ with my home county of Lincolnshire and all things arable and fishy I discovered that a beer which had always been well known to me was actually brewed in the county.
Batemans having been brewing beer in Wainfleet since 1874, they are one of the few family brewers left in the country and are the makers of the particularly fine Triple XB (XXXB) an award winning pale ale which would be ideal with a simple ploughman’s lunch or traditional beef pie.
I have often cooked with Batemans beer, it is particularly good in stews and makes an excellent fish batter but best of all it is enjoyed on its own after a long day, slightly chilled in a small glass to encourage ‘topping up’.
Batemans brew some excellent ‘novelty’ beers, each has their own characteristics and are sold in glass bottles with wonderful retro labelling…
Miss Saucy, a dry, hoppy beer which is sold from November onwards.
Batemans Victory ale, a strong pale ale (5.9%) avaliable from October this was conceived as a way of celebrating the end of the battle for independance back in the 1980’s.
Like XXXB this is a copper red bitter avaliable from October, 4.2% strength it is brewed with crystal, pale and amber malts.
Batemans beer is sold throughout Europe and North America so if you come across a bottle give it a go-buy two, one for you and one for the stew!
I have had Batemans, unfortunately I don’t know if it was during my beer swilling youth or on my beer swilling trips to London. I used to love bitters, and have sadly wandered away from beer to the more potent stuff. Bourbon is my drink of choice now, that and red wine - but I miss my beer drinking days. I was younger, dumber, and slimmer, but infinitely more fun. I want to love beer again - I just don’t know if I am able. If I see Batemans I will gladly buy some - being a beer drinker in NY is miserable. If you are not at a pub the cost is outrageous. Stella Artois (piss) sells for $12 / six pack, and the pubs all offer the same brews. Sad.
April 21, 2008 @ 1:57 am
Hi Dave
Great news for you. It may not be long before you are able to taste Batemans again. We are presently talking to an importer in the States.
Beer is so much better for you than your present choice!
Regards
Jaclyn Bateman
GEORGE BATEMAN & SON LTD
April 21, 2008 @ 7:29 am
Dave,
I too miss those days but we have to move on before our waistline does. I hear what you are saying about pubs, many of our old fashioned ones are being replaced with big, brash horrors for alcho-pop swigging teenagers hell bent on fighting and vomiting afterwards. Sad but true.
April 21, 2008 @ 7:29 am
Jaclyn,
Thankyou for visiting the site, commenting and continuing to produce fabulous local beer. I am sure it would be extremely welcome in the US.
Kind regards
Miles
April 21, 2008 @ 7:33 am
Miles,
Great post, although I have to reserve my alcohol drinking to non-wheat, barley, or rye beverages. I do love the artwork on the Batemans labels and your photo is wonderful (as always).
I live a stone’s throw from the Coors Brewery here in Golden, CO and am friends with some of the Coors family members. That and New Belguim Brewing Company are our (Colorado’s) claim to beer fame. New Belguim makes craft beers with wonderful labels like your Batesmans beer.
You Brits are the brew experts though!
Cheers,
Melissa
P.S. By the way, very entertaining writing and comments on this one!
March 25, 2009 @ 11:42 am