Batemans Brewery of Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, England recently returned to the USA export market with a selection of its flagship brands and has taken top honors and gold medals at the prestigious World Beer Championships. Gold medal winners include, Combined Harvest (91 points), in the Bitter Ale category and XXXB (Triple XB) (90 points) in the British Style Pale Ale category. Conducted by the Beverage Testing Institute, The World Beer Championships, founded in 1994, is America’s oldest international beer competition.

Both these beers are no strangers to accolades. XXXB in cask, has won CAMRA’s Premium Beer of the Year five times as well as winning the Gold medal in the Premium Ale category of the British Bottled Beer Institute in 2006. Combined Harvest was awarded the gold medal in the 2007 World Beer Awards held in association with Beers of the World Magazine.

“This is fantastic recognition of a great British brand which has only recently re-entered the US Market. It has been a very welcome addition to the SBS Portfolio” noted SBS Founder and President, Alan Shapiro.

Jaclyn Bateman, Batemans marketing and export director added: “This is excellent news for us as the World Beer Championships are respected internationally. Winning two gold medals is a huge boost and very rewarding for all of the Batemans team.”

Batemans XXXB and Combined Harvest are sold in cases of 12-16.9 ounce proprietary bottles with a suggested retail price of $4.99. Information on product availability can be found at: www.sbs-imports.com/distribution.php.

Founded in 1874, Batemans is one of the few remaining multi-generational family brewers in England. Now under the guidance of the fourth-generation family management, the Brewery has prospered not only on the strength of its flagship Triple XB (XXXB) but also by an imaginative expansion of the range of bottled ales. Visit: www.bateman.co.uk.

SBS Imports was created in 2003 by specialty beer industry veteran Alan Shapiro. In addition to Batemans, SBS represents Aspall English Cyders from Suffolk, England and the De Proef Brewmaster’s Collection from Lochristi, Belgium. SBS is also as a partner in Reunion – A Beer for Hope, which raises funds for the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research. More information is available at www.sbs-imports.com.