Dorset Food & Drink Guide 2016 | Page 16

Hall & Woodhouse H all & Woodhouse have been brewing in the heart of the Dorset countryside since 1777, when an enterprising Charles Hall started brewing beer for the troops stationed in Weymouth while they waited to face Napoleon! Today, Hall & Woodhouse is one of the UK’s leading independent brewers, well known for its range of award-winning ales brewed under the Badger brand and its network of more than 200 public houses throughout the south of England. The Brewery in Blandford is now managed by the seventh generation of the Woodhouse family, and the company is proud of the quality of its ales, brewed with Dorset spring water filtered through the Cretaceous chalk downs and drawn up 120 feet from the Brewery’s own wells. Hall of Fame We talk to Mark Woodhouse, Chairman of Hall & Woodhouse… Tell us a bit about your Dorset roots… Founded 1777 Ansty. What do you love about living and working in Dorset? It’s where we were born and brought up. local producers? The meat on our menu comes from the West Country and all our malt from the UK. Who are your favourite Dorset producers? Dorset Blue Vinny. What are some of your favourite places to visit in Dorset? Bulbarrow, Poole Harbour. What’s the one item of Dorset food and drink we have to try? Badger Ale! Why do you think it’s important to shop locally, seasonally and sustainably for food and drink? The seasons are great, they bring new fresh foods. Parochiallity has its place only when quality justifies the reason to buy. What are you favourite places to eat and drink in Dorset? Olive Branch, Wimborne. How do you source your ingredients and find How do you support Dorset’s local producers? Buy from them when quality and the opportunity occurs. 16