Badger beer marks key family member

Family brewers Hall & Woodhouse, famous for their Badger beers, will celebrate 250 years of brewing in Dorset in 2027.

Based in Blandford Forum, the brewery is producing a series of Founders Day beers to commemorate key people in their long history. Frank’s Integrity is the third in the series and marks the major contribution made by Frank Woodhouse. Two previous beers saluted Edward and John Woodhouse.

Frank spent close to 60 years with the brewery. He trained as a doctor before joining the family company, where he became chairman. He steered the move from the original site in Ansty to Blandford.

The family is honouring him with a rich and warming 7 per cent bottle-conditioned beer. It’s brewed with pale, crystal and chocolate malts and is hopped with Goldings, Target and Whitbread Goldings Variety (WGV): despite the name, WGV is a type of Fuggle, not a Golding.

The beer has a dark amber colour with notes of caramel and marzipan on the aroma along with spicy hops. Raisin and sultana fruit dominate the palate but they are balanced by strong hints of caramel, biscuit malt and bitter, spicy hops. The finish is long, hoppy and fruity with continuing notes of biscuit malt, dark fruit, caramel, and peppery hops.

The beer is on sale in Hall & Woodhouse pubs and is available from the online shop: www.badgerbeers.com/shop