Ale fan toasts dream job

May 30 2007 By Steve Johnson, Birmingham Mail

FEW people can boast of having the dream job - but real ale buff Martin Birch reckons he has got it licked.

After years of supping award-winning Batham's ales, Martin has just been installed as head brewer at the brewery at Brierley Hill, near Dudley.

Father-of-two Martin has taken over from Ken Smith, who retired earlier this year after 40 years as head brewer for the family-run firm.

Martin is a Master Brewer, born in Quarry Bank, just a stone's throw from Batham's brewery in Delph Road, Brierley Hill.

He started his brewing career with Watney's in 1978 and studied for a diploma of management studies at Kingston Business School, in Surrey.

He passed his Master Brewer Examinations for the Institute of Brewing in 1984 and later became Head Brewer at Hanson's.

Martin also held several senior management positions with Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries, more commonly known as Banks's.

Until recently he worked for Unilever as a technical consultant within the brewing industry, travelling the length and breadth of the country.

Married to Lyn, the couple have a daughter, Katherine, aged 27 and a son Daniel, aged 24.

Martin still lives not far from Batham's Brewery, managing to stay close to his roots, and is a loyal Batham's customer.

Martin said: "I still have to pinch myself when I think how lucky I am to be brewing Batham's beer. It must be the dream of every man who lives locally and sups the famous Batham's ales."

Matthew Batham, director of Batham's brewery, said; "Now that Ken Smith has retired, all Batham's drinkers will be relieved to know that the brewing continies in the safe hands of a local connoisseur."

Batham's has nine pubs of its own in the West Midlands and another in north Wales.

Its beers are also stocked by many other regional outlets and Batham's beer commands fierce loyalty among its customers, winning many awards over the years.