Batemans Go "Loopy Loo"
We spoke to Eliza-Lili Bateman about the brewing of Loopy Loo and how it came about…
Give us a bit of backstory behind how the brew came about…
My name is Eliza-Lili Bateman and I am proud to be one of the three members of the fifth generation of Batemans, alongside my two older brothers, Edward and Harri. Towards the end of last year, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to create my own beer for the Wetherspoons Spring Beer Festival which is celebrating female brewers. Interestingly, brewing was once a craft predominantly done by women, known as ‘Brewsters’.
It was an absolute pleasure to receive this news, and I was excited to get stuck into the process, from choosing the hops to designing the pump clip… and it meant I was the first member of the fifth generation to create their own beer, which I think is quite cool!
How did you choose the taste of the beer?
I wanted the ale to be citrusy, light, and easy to drink, or quaffable if I’m being technical. One afternoon, I sat down with the Head Brewer for a hop tasting session, exploring different varieties to help narrow down what I liked (and didn’t like). Needless to say, it turned out to be a pretty enjoyable afternoon at work!
How did the name come about?
Choosing the right name was surprisingly tricky – what seemed like the easiest part ended up taking the longest! After speaking with dad, who’s become somewhat of an expert at naming beers, he gave me some solid advice: the name needed to roll off the tongue. “Imagine someone ordering it at the bar – it has to be catchy,” said Stuart Bateman.
That’s when ‘Loopy Loo’ came to mind, inspired by my childhood nickname, ‘Loopy Loo Laa’. I could instantly picture the pump clip—a girl zooming around on a little moped, which felt particularly fitting after my recent travels through Southeast Asia. I’d spent a lot of time on mopeds there, especially during my four-day motorbike tour in Vietnam, known as the Ha Giang Loop. And just like that, the name came together, with several personal connections to ‘Loopy Loo’.
What did you think when you first tasted it?
I actually first tasted Loopy Loo alongside the wonderful brewers of Birra Perugia, who are also part of the Wetherspoons Spring Festival with their delicious Chocolate Porter. They had flown in from Italy to craft their Spring Festival Ale at Batemans Brewery, and it just so happened that Loopy Loo was ready to be sampled. It was a truly special moment—raising a glass in the historic brewhouse, celebrating my first brew with fellow brewers… and thankfully, it tasted absolutely fantastic!
So, where and when can you sample Loopy Loo?
Loopy Loo will be available in selected Wetherspoons across the UK between Wednesday 5th March and Sunday 16th March. After this time, you may be able to find it in our pubs if you’re lucky!
If you do get the chance to try Loopy Loo, let us know your thoughts, send up a picture with your pint… we’d love to know what you think!
