Batemans Bottles It

George Bateman & Son, the independent family brewer in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, is renowned for its wide range of award-winning cask beers. Many of them are now available in bottled form. This means that if you are not near a Bateman's pub you can still sample the brewery's Good Honest Ales from a supermarket or specialist beer shop.

Batemans, Spring Breeze (England) (RP) A pale gold beer brewed with Maris Otter malts and Phoenix and Target hops. It has a tempting aroma of hop resins, damson fruit and cracker biscuit maltiness. Juicy malt, tart fruit and spicy hops dominate the palate while the finish is bittersweet at first but becomes dry, hoppy and quenching but with a good balance of malt and fruit. 5.0% ABV, 50cl, �1.79, Sainsbury's.

Batemans, Valiant (England) (RP) A gold/bronze beer brewed with Maris Otter pale malt and crystal malt. The hops are Challenger and Goldings with American Liberty. The hops combine to give a tart and peppery aroma with tangy citrus fruit. There's nutty malt in the mouth to balance the spicy and citrus hop notes while the finish is malty, fruity, bitter and refreshing. 4.2% ABV, 50cl, brewery pubs.

Batemans, Dark Lord (England) (RP) A ruby red beer that has roasted malt added to Bateman's usual grist of Maris Otter pale and crystal malts. It has spicy hops, roasted grain and citrus fruit on the nose. The roasted note dominates the palate but is well balanced by peppery hops and tart fruit. The finish is long with rich dark malt notes, tangy hops, fruit and hints of liquorice and coffee. 5.0% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Asda, Booth's, Budgens, Co-op, Morrisons, Beer Paradise, Sainsbury's, Tesco.

Batemans, Victory Ale (England) (RP) A pale copper-coloured beer brewed withy Maris Otter pale malt and crystal malt, and hopped with English Goldings and American Liberty varieties. The aroma booms with peppery hops and bitter oranges, balanced by "fresh bread" maltiness. Tart fruit, spicy hop resins and rich malt dominate the palate while the finish is long, complex and richly rewarding, with deep hops, malt and fruit notes. 6.0% ABV, 50cl, �1.89, Beersofeurope.

Batemans, Combined Harvest Multigrain (England) (RP) A bronze beer with a stunning and complex character due to the use of pale and crystal malts along with malted wheat, oats and rye. It's hopped with Phoenix and Target varieties. The superb aroma is dominated by orange and lemon fruit with a bready note from the rye. There's a delicious creamy note in the mouth from the oats, balanced by meal-like grain, tart fruit and hop resins. The finish is bittersweet and finely balanced between tart fruit, bitter hops and rich grain. 4.7% ABV, 50cl, �1.29, Aldi, Booth's.

Batemans, XXXB Classic Bitter (England) (RP) Bateman's multi-award winning flagship beer is brewed with Maris Otter pale malt, crystal malt and wheat malt. The hops are Goldings and Liberty. The beer has a peppery hop, vine fruit and rich malt aroma, with chewy malt, ripe fruit and bitter, peppery hops in the mouth. The finish is long and complex, with malt, fruit and hops combining to produce a dry, refreshing and memorable end. 4.8% ABV, 50cl, �1.29, Aldi, Luvians.