Our Story

Jaclyn and Stuart Bateman, fourth generation family brewers

The Batemans story is one of enterprise, innovation and good, honest, human values.

Our great-grandparents George and Susannah Bateman started the Brewery in 1874 to supply the local farmers, who paid their land workers part in produce, part in money and part in beer. Why they bothered with money, we have no idea – as it seems most of it was spent on more of George’s beer!

We’ve been making well-loved beers and running great pubs to the highest standard ever since.

After four generations, we’re still independent to the bone. We fought hard for that independence and we feel it’s our duty to protect it, along with our fantastic brewery and all that it stands for. Honesty, creativity and gritty determination have all fuelled our passion for doing what’s right by people and our business.

Our beers are brewed by brewers, not accountants. That’s why people love them.

Our beers are brewed by brewers, not accountants. Rather than cut corners to save on costs, we stick to the best ingredients and brewing methods to ensure a perfect pint. It’s this approach that allows us to be adventurous in our creations. And that’s why people love our beers – to which our drinkers and awards’ cabinet are a true testament.

Standing up for fairness

In the pub industry we’ve paved the way for fairness and transparency and were the first brewery in the country to hold a fully accredited tenanted code of practice.

In everything we do, we never compromise on quality or care for our customers. And we’re proud to play our part in providing a secure and rewarding future for all the passionate, talented people we work with.

We’ve always looked forward, while remaining true to our roots. That means we’ve often found clever ways to evolve and overcome the challenges thrown at us. Our family has endured quite a few of those over the years, from the temperance movement during World War One to a takeover threat in the 1980s – and everything in-between.

While we continue to brew up new ideas, the enterprising yet human philosophy driving that innovation will never change. Not on our watch.