Butcombe’s Original Ale will be available in the Cotswolds-based country pub from this week while a selection of Butcombe managed sites will stock Hawkstone’s Premium bottled lager.
Butcombe Group COO Jayson Perfect said: “We met with Jeremy Clarkson’s team a while ago to help advise them before they opened the Farmer’s Dog last summer and obviously got chatting about beers and what customers love to drink.
“With our Butcombe Original officially the south-west’s favourite beer, they were keen to get it pouring so now customers will be able to enjoy it in this fantastic pub as one of their guest ales.”
Quintessentially British
He added: “Seeing as our Butcombe Original is going to be enjoyed in the Farmer’s Dog, we wanted to repay the compliment so we’ll be stocking bottles of Hawkstone’s Premium Lager in a number of our managed houses so our guests can get a taste of the great work they’re doing over at the brewery in Bourton on the Water.”
The Farmer’s Dog, near Burford, Oxfordshire, opened in August 2024. In his TV series Clarkson’s Farm, where the site had a starring role, the presenter-turned-farmer-turned-pub operator admitted opening weekend was an “absolute disaster”.
On the collaboration with Butcombe, the Farmer’s Dog operations manager Chris Archer said: “We’re pleased to be pouring Butcombe Original alongside Hawkstone’s full product range.
“No British pub would be complete without a cask ale - it’s quintessentially British.
“Butcombe Original, with its balance of malt sweetness, hoppy bitterness and satisfyingly moreish finish, is the perfect choice for our pub.”
Positive results
Last month (July), Clarkson held a ‘summer party’ at the pub, in a bid to show his gratitude to those who had supported Hawkstone since it launched in 2021.
Speaking at the event, he said: “We’re trying to back British farming and that’s why we want to thank all of you who are selling so much Hawkstone, because you are backing British farming.”
Meanwhile, Butcombe Group recently reported strong sales for the first half of the year despite weak consumer confidence.
Like-for-like sales saw growth of 9.8% across its managed division with Butcombe Pubs & Inns performing at 11.9%.
