Batemans beer

Batemans beer is one of the best beers that I know. It comes from a small town in the deepest darkest part of rural Lincolnshire. Well not the darkest but it is pretty flat. That is to say the country side around the brewery is flat and not the beer, as it originates form the fens.
Thousands of people every year go to Skegness and sit on the sand walk the promenade and do what ever it is you do on a day at the sea side. The smell of fish and chips, kiss me quick hats and all of that kind of thing are what you would find at Skegness.
Or just down the road some come from miles around to see the birds at Gibraltar Point. Before the land and the sea mix in to what is called the Wash.
The Wash is a strange and also enchanting place, were not a lot happens. The lands around looks like you are in the Netherlands but you are indeed in rural Lincolnshire. And occasionally you see the signs that perhaps the people around the area have affection for all things confederate and the deep south of America.
The soil around is jet black and more recently the voices of the people working that land have been from Eastern Europe. It is an area of the British Isles that has not been much touched, to the outsider but is, and always has been at the cutting edge of all things arable in the farming world. And it is in this part of the world that you find a small town call Wainfleet.
By and large you would not pay much attention to the place if you did not know what was there. The small market place has a selection of brick built hoses surrounding it and in the centre of all of them is the market clock. Rather like a metal clock it stands in the centre of the town, proud of its traditions of a market town.
And one of the things that wainfleet can be proud of is its tradition for brewing a good beer like Batemans beer. In 1874 George Bateman and son started to brew beer in the Salem Bridge brewery and still do to this day making a grate range of good draft and bottled beers. You can tell there beers by the little red wind mill on the bottles or pumps. It is a iconic brand that call to mind any one who has been to the town and seen the brewery will know that the wind mill tower over it looking down on the sight.
They have four main draft beers. The XB bitter, XXXB bitter, dark mild and Salem porter. All of them are excellent I can say.
The two bitters, XB and XXXB are both good traditional beers. The XB the lighter of the two in gravity but not so much in colure. Very refreshing and dry to the taste.
The XXXB is a little darker and malty to the taste. The mild is a nice fruity beer and the Salem porter is not as wicked as you might think but does have a good rich malty full flavour to it. All the beers have a traditional taste and feel about them. No tricks or gimmicks to pull you in and make you feel that you have been sort changed. They are perfect examples of a good honest stable of draft beers that you would expect from a good honest brewer. Evan the names tell you what is strongest by calling them XB and XXXB.
It reminds me of a friend who once remarked that after a visit to Lincolnshire with me that "People really call things what they are around here don't they." I had to ask what he meant and after pointing out that a very steep hill in Lincoln it self was called just the Steep Hill. The famous Cinema in the woods at Wood Hall Spa was a cinema in the woods. I had to admit they yes they do.
Then you come to there bottled beers. Now I have not tasted all of them I do have to admit and if they are like any of the ones that I have tasted then you are in for a treat.
Batemans Victory ale is a strong pale ale I think one of the strongest they do alcohol wise. It is perfect blend of fruity, hoppy, malt character that you would want from a good beer.
Spring Breeze is lighter and brighter beer light pale ale of a slight citrus even fresh lemon back notes to it. And the other bottle beer of the range that I have tried is the Autumn Fall, lovely and red. Moving nicely in the range of seasonal beers that they produce as well.
It is good to see a small and very independent brewer still producing good and honest products that have and will still do so stand the test of time . So when you are next in the shop and looking for a beer to try look for the name Batemans and the red wind mill and you will be in for a treat.