Batemans XXXB - George Bateman and Son Ltd. / Batemans Brewery

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

If you can't get it draught, a bottle will have to do!

4 Pint bottles for £5.00 in my local Morrison's supermarket, damn good value for such a fine beer.

My scores are not as high, as my cask review, but this beer is so good, a dead bottled version is still a fantastic beer and enables less fortunate people (who can't get it cask conditioned) a chance to try a truely great English Bitter.

Still looks good, but the head is not the same, not as natural as the cask head.

Aroma slightly below the fresh hoppy wiff, the taste is almost there, as is the mouthfeel. It is still very, very drinkable.

Get some.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2006 14:45:56 | More by BlackHaddock

Pelicanrocks

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

04-09-2013 08:30:23 | More by Pelicanrocks

spycow

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

03-10-2013 20:15:41 | More by spycow

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -22.7%

03-09-2013 23:39:34 | More by ejimhof

weerezboy

Washington

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-06-2013 22:06:27 | More by weerezboy

scarnold8

Indiana

2.25/5  rDev -42%

01-13-2013 19:41:21 | More by scarnold8

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.3/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Orange amber colour with a thin head about a centimetre tall and slightly frothy. It settles to a fine lacing after about thirty seconds though.

Mix of sweetness and biscuit malts along with some vanilla and a hint of fruit and berries. There is an earthy hop aroma.

Some sweet malts in the taste along with some vanilla and a little honey. The beer taste quite sweet with a lot of fruits bended throughout and a bit of biscuit that is rounded of with a creamy and bitter finish.

Quite creamy with a medium to full body and some sweet and earthy notes mixed together and low carbonation.

Not a bad beer really, good and creamy with nice vanilla and even some honey in there. It is a good example of a pale ale & one that went down well.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 11:04:45 | More by flyingpig

sneaks2210

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

11-14-2012 21:41:23 | More by sneaks2210

EPortJake

United Kingdom (England)

4.35/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - rusty copper with a thin clinging head
S - sweet malt biscuit. Bizzarely, I get a hint of throat lozenge
T - malt biscuit, caramel with molases. Moderately hopped, but the farewell gives a peppery hop boost.
M - medium bodied and nicely carbonated.
O - the label descibes it as a "classic premium pale ale" but I look at it as more of a premium/special bitter. A favorite english tipple of mine since first tasting. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 19:22:02 | More by EPortJake

leinie13

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

09-30-2012 02:16:10 | More by leinie13

Viceroy

United Kingdom (England)

2.75/5  rDev -29.1%

09-12-2012 01:08:16 | More by Viceroy

pin

Australia

4/5  rDev +3.1%

08-16-2012 03:57:45 | More by pin

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

3.68/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Clear amber. Off-white head.

S: Honey.

T: Lots of honey but very dry. A sour, dry tanginess which I don't like at all - common in northern style English ales. Faintest touch of marzipan.

O: Decent enough, but not my idea of perfection. Very British, but nothing like the best of what Britain has to offer.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 21:15:37 | More by Hoppsbabo

jnjander

Georgia

3/5  rDev -22.7%

07-14-2012 13:04:42 | More by jnjander

Samp01

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle. Pours a slightly hazy rust red amber with a small short lived beige head. Aroma is sweet caramel malt, yeast, dates, dark fruity esters. Taste is a rich caramel malt flavor, dried fruit, yeast and some light bitterness. Palate is a medium-full body, slightly sticky with moderate carbonation. Finish is sweet caramel malt, dark dried fruit, yeast , some dates followed by some light bitterness, ending with a lingering caramel malt and dates flavor. Overall a pleasant, tasty and enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 15:09:34 | More by Samp01

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.1/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a perfect pint.

3.0 A: This sure is a dark pale ale. Mildly hazed deep orange brown color. Two fingers of frothy tan head. Retention is average and no lacing is left behind.

3.5 S: Bready malts with caramel and toastiness. This is quite earthy with a noticeable mineral quality. Slight spicy and earthy hop character.

3.0 T: Again, bready malts, caramel, and toastiness. The mineral and iron components are quite strong and a bit offputting. It's not that bad, it just isn't my thing. I prefer cleaner brews. Anyway, earthy and spicy hop flavor with a moderate bitterness.

3.0 M: Medium body. Carbonation level is fine. However, the beer lies a bit heavy on the tongue as it lacks creaminess.

3.0 D: Not a bad brew, but it could use some refinement and some water treatment.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 20:17:05 | More by DavoleBomb

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -16.2%

04-24-2012 07:38:03 | More by ygtbsm94

BCash

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +16%

04-10-2012 01:21:37 | More by BCash

flagmantho

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 500mL bottle into a pint glass. Bottle says 5% ABV rather than the above-noted 4.8%.

Appearance: deep copper hue with a light haze and light effervescence. Head is a thick finger of frothy tan foam. I like it!

Smell: malt aroma is very heavy on the caramel and there is only a light touch of earthy hops. Not bad, but it's a bit on the sweet side.

Taste: very caramelly malt flavor with a touch of earthy hops and a mild-to-moderate bitterness. Not bad but a bit sweet.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a mild carbonation. A bit on the watery side, sad to say.

Overall: not a bad beer at all, but it's got a boring mouthfeel and isn't my favorite flavor profile. It is moderately refreshing, though, and might not make a bad session beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 19:12:12 | More by flagmantho

thepeter

United Kingdom (England)

3.23/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown pour with little head and not much lace. Pale malt, apple, wood, all in the nose. Taste is not as malty as I expected more dry and hoppy bitter with a touch of fruit, apple orchard. Feel was ok, medium light bodied and a heavy carbonatoin for the style. Overall a pretty good dark bitter but one I'd much rather have on cask.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 23:02:53 | More by thepeter

avaldivia

California

4.5/5  rDev +16%

02-05-2012 07:12:18 | More by avaldivia

Campodog

Spain

4/5  rDev +3.1%

02-01-2012 11:07:29 | More by Campodog

Sarunas7

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +22.4%

01-10-2012 02:46:21 | More by Sarunas7

samie85

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-Pours a coppery brown color with about a 1/4 finger of white head.

S-Fruity esters with rich caramel and some light, herbal hop notes.

T-Fruity and rich, dark caramel with a slight roasted quality and finishes with a light bitterness.

M-Slick and medium-full bodied with pretty low carbonation.

D-Very easy drinking... I really like the ESB style and wish I had more accessible local options that were close to what this is.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 01:54:30 | More by samie85

cdwil

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.1%

12-29-2011 20:33:22 | More by cdwil