Victory Ale - George Bateman and Son Ltd. / Batemans Brewery

Dentist666

Russian Federation

4.15/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark copper with decent tan head, lingering for a long time. Sediment is detected. Hops, dried fruits and caramel in aroma. Rather sweet and well-balanced body, hidden alcohol, moderate carbonation, fruity (prunes definitely) malt transforms into excellent bitter finish. Positively drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 20:05:31 | More by Dentist666

DerekKetelaars

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%

04-22-2013 11:17:20 | More by DerekKetelaars

Beerstorian

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +7.5%

02-14-2013 16:38:46 | More by Beerstorian

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.9/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Two hand-pulled pints at The Elephant & Castle, Dawley on 27th Oct 2012.

5.9%ABV in cask form: light amber in body colour with a good head of white bubbles on top.

The nose isn't strong but you can find fruity notes and malty molasses easy enough.

The taste follows the aroma nicely, with a smooth caramel maltiness and a mixed fruit bowl sort of flavour. Fairly sweet and very easy to drink with a mild bitterness never far from the surface.

The body depth was fine and suited the alcohol content and flavours well: first time I've had this in cask form: hope we meet again one day.

Serving type: cask

11-19-2012 15:58:19 | More by BlackHaddock

pin

Australia

3/5  rDev -19.4%

11-15-2012 03:03:56 | More by pin

ceetee26

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +7.5%

10-14-2012 05:43:49 | More by ceetee26

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a small head that recedes pretty quickly but leaves a thin film and respectable lace. Colour is an amber copper.

Smell is crisp with defined malty character. Some light pear fruitiness, grassy, slightly floral.

Taste has an upfront malty character, a bit of a bitter edge, hops are there but mostly mild. Towards the end it has a bit of a confusing twist, a bit of a funkyness. Overall it shows some complexity with a range of fruity and floral characteristics, a touch of sourness. Pretty balanced.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a fair bit of carbonation. Something feels a bit off here though, body is good, and it is quite easy-drinking and refreshing.

Bitterness is overall pretty good. This is a nicely balanced EPA with some good flavour going on. I think there are better examples to try over this, but still pleasant to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 17:36:06 | More by mick303

Viceroy

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +7.5%

09-12-2012 01:08:25 | More by Viceroy

harpus

Alabama

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%

07-24-2012 12:58:11 | More by harpus

mtrain237

Florida

4/5  rDev +7.5%

06-30-2012 22:27:27 | More by mtrain237

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Orange copper colour with a still body and a thin, bubbly head that is slightly off-white in colour and stays consistently for a few minutes.

Not as strong on the nose as I would have expected from a 6% abv. beer but I can detect some light malts and a very mild mix of fruit, possibly some orange along with a hint of caramel. There is some biscuit and a touch of spice towards the end of this one but like I say, the aroma was fairly weak on this one.

Earthy malts and a blend of toffee, caramel and background fruity flavours along with a good, bitter base. There was some good spicy notes throughout along with a little bit of sweetness and some sugar from the fruits.

Medium to well carbonated with a medium body and a fair amount of spice to the beer. Quite a wet feel to the beer and as expected, plenty of bitterness as well.

Quite a nice pale ale and one that I enjoyed although had the aroma been a stronger one then I could have easily rated this one higher, it wasn't a bad smell just a fairly weak one that was a struggle to detect. The alcohol content was pretty well hidden until the very end of the drink when it started to make itself known.

1001 Beers To Try Before You Die:
http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 09:08:48 | More by flyingpig

Manxguy

Isle of Man

4/5  rDev +7.5%

05-22-2012 20:02:17 | More by Manxguy

petluo

Finland

2.75/5  rDev -26.1%

05-08-2012 10:29:42 | More by petluo

gloveman

3/5  rDev -19.4%

03-02-2012 21:08:52 | More by gloveman

shambeano

Australia

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a pint glass.

A- Pours a clear copper, with about 1cm of bubbly head that quickly subsides to a whisper. looks pretty good.

S- malty, caramel and toffee straight up. a touch of a peppery herbal hop, and some bitterness. everything is pleasant, but a little underwhelming.

T- malty to begin with, toffee and caramel again, there is a very slight touch of alcohol heat at the back which adds a spicy character. also some peppery spicy hops near the finish, the bitterness seems underwhelming at first, but builds as you go along. i enjoyed the taste.

M- lighter to mid bodied, not much carbonation happening, the bitterness gets the back of the mouth going.

O- a tasty beer, nothing exceptional, but on an mild autumns day i could easily enjoy a couple.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 11:11:35 | More by shambeano

cdwil

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -5.9%

12-29-2011 17:32:42 | More by cdwil

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +34.4%

11-27-2011 15:38:15 | More by Rochefort10nh

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Amber to light copper colour with a nice, thin white head that disappears quite quickly.

Big biscuity malts, nice mild hops. Caramel and fruits in the nose. This comes through in the taste - nice, biscuity and caramely malts. Mild hops, decent bitterness.

Carbonation is a bit high - this seems really "bright" on the tongue. Not a bad beer though, a good beer to sit and sip.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 19:27:37 | More by BDTyre

EmperorBevis

United Kingdom (England)

3.4/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip glass while Ziggy played guitar.

Not much of an aroma, had to stick my nose right into the foamy sporadic white big bubbled head but when it hit the notes were of orange peel, mango and candy floss.

High carbonisation fuels a bitter sweet caramel apple and potato peel mix taste with hops bringing up the rear.

Not quite the victory of Trafalgar mixed but heroic like the raid on St. Nazaire, plucky and defiant but still a long way to go.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 23:46:59 | More by EmperorBevis

StJamesGate

New York

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Rusty gold with loose white foam of big bubbles that fades but clings and rings. Nose English hops - wood and orange - with white bread dough, mango, bark and spice.
Malts of toffee, poached pear, golden syrup, and apricot, then cedar oil, citronella, ginger and nutmeg hops.
Medium to full, round and creamy, a bit of chew.

Big ale! Very sweet, but some aggressive hops to balance. A solid entry from a good brewer.

*from notes

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 16:02:32 | More by StJamesGate

laituegonflable

Australia

3.58/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a burnished copper colour with big bubbled head that doesn't hang around. Fair bead, decent lace. Bit fizzy, nice colour though.

Smells malty more than anything. Sweet, with English toffee, vanilla, creme brulée and a touch of grass and phenol lingering behind. Pleasant, malty and nice and mild otherwise.

Tastes very English, but without a lot of that toffee. Mild malty undertones quickly develops bitterness from the mid with grassy notes, and medicinal touches from black tea and some Asian greens. Mellows out nicely by the finish, in an English malty kind of way. Ultimately very mild for 6% and enjoyable enough.

Full body, with a slight sharp top to it, with a bit of fizz. Warm enough, not hot.

Pleasant English ale; there's a slight sour edge to the palate which is quite likeable. Mild bitterness, nice malty balance.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 01:46:34 | More by laituegonflable

woosterbill

Connecticut

2.85/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Handpump half-pint at the Southwark Tavern.

A: Hazy reddish-amber body with a thin cap of off-whtie foam. Mediocre retention, very light lace. Meh.

S: Fruity, boozy, sweet. Toffee, caramel, candied apple. Intense, but more than a little unbalanced.

T: Sweet, sweet, sweet. Rotten fruit, melted caramel, toffee, creme brulee, and tons of candy apple. Rather oppressive.

M: Soft, sticky, well-carbonated. Good for what it is.

O: This beer was simply not enjoyable, but I have to give it some credit for at least being forcefully flavorful. At least it wasn't boring.

Cheers!

Serving type: cask

06-19-2011 17:24:52 | More by woosterbill

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.6/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A 500ml bottle with a BB of Feb 2011, so it's a few months out of date. It's been quietly maturing in my garage and hopefully hasn't suffered too much.

Poured into a Sam Smith's pint glass. A hazy coppery-amber colour with good carbonation, though this slackens off after a while. Yields a large frothy head of tan foam that disappears rapidly. Complex, sweetish aroma of malt with notes of yeast, fruit esters, caramel, toffee, bread and faint stewed leaves. Also a whiff of solvent/alcohol.

Tastes of sweet malt with a dry, fruity finish. Notes of caramel, yeast, esters and bread. A mild flavour of stewed hops but no hoppy aroma and little bitterness to speak of. The alcohol is discernible and adds a warming note. Mouthfeel is silky smooth and slightly dry on the palate. Aftertaste of rich, fruity malt and yeast esters.

A well-crafted strong ale with a complex blend of flavours. A bit too sweet for my liking and lacking in hop character, but the yeasty notes are pretty good. I wonder if the age of the bottle impacted on the hop flavours, but it didn't seem to deteriorate too badly. Worth seeking out to try.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 01:08:57 | More by jazzyjeff13

ivanwatling

United Kingdom (England)

4.13/5  rDev +11%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A delicious, smooth strong ale

Appearance: No much of a head, very clear amber colour

Smell: Slightly hoppy aroma, but really not much going on

Taste: This is where it gets good. Wonderful balance of hops and malt, smoothly blending together in a delicious dance.

Mouthfeel: Warming from the highish alcohol content, lingering delicate bitterness and a coating of sweetness. Restrained carbonation

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 16:55:07 | More by ivanwatling

Brabander

Netherlands

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I got this bottle Victory ale from Blackhaddock when we met at the Christmas beer festival in Essen, Belgium. Had it all the time in my fridge and today, on my birthday, opened it for a UK beer tasting.

Poured in my La Trappe small tasting glass the beer has an ambercoloured fluid. Not too big head which was gone very fast.

Not the highlight of the day but a normal ale with a good mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 21:28:11 | More by Brabander