Fursty Ferret - Badger Brewery, Hall and Woodhouse

doktorhops

Australia

3/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Badger Brewery, Hall and Woodhouse are new to me, and intending to review every beer in the world (not really as it is an insurmountable task) I have a bevy of Badger Brewery, Hall and Woodhouse brews to review. First up is Fursty Ferret, a delightful looking English Pale Ale. As I am quite parched with anticipation let us begin.

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a nonic pint.

A: Clear tangelo hue body with a thin white head that sits firm at about 0.5cm.

S: Aroma is an even mixture of dirty/earthy hops and caramel malt base. Hint of bitter orange thrown in as well.

T: The above flavours; dirty/earthy hops, caramel malts and that hint of bitter orange. The hops are a bit floral as well, and the base is sweet, though not over-the-top sweet, it strikes a good balance in flavour but doesn't really wow with anything in particular. Slight tobacco leaf aftertaste in the hops adds a little extra dimension.

M: A bit more carbonated than expected from a traditional EPA. Body is mid to light.

D: Bit average for what you pay/get. At this price range for an EPA I want it to be moreish and highly drinkable and this brew is not even in the same class as something like Hobgoblin, it's a bit "Meh!", disappointing overall.

Food match: Beeradvocate suggests spicy Eastern cuisine for EPA's but I don't think that would mix well with this drop, it's more suited to traditional English fare; roast lamb, pork or chicken with Yorkshire pudding, heavy gravy, mash potato, steamed peas and carrots.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 08:44:23 | More by doktorhops

StJamesGate

New York

3.49/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Tan with amber hints and a tall lumpy taupe can pour head that crusts nicely.
Lots of butterscotch with iced tea undertones on the nose.
Butter sliced toasted pan with some apple sauce and wood spice hops to end.
Cinammon end and Wuther's Original linger that turns to rancid butter as you go.
Smooth, round, some chew, light to medium.

No off flavors, and solid malt-heavy version of a best bitter. But thin, lacking EKG orange, and just bringing no surprises. I can get the same amount of flavor out of some 3.8% bitters, so I'm wondering how this ends up the middle (between session and premium bitters) of the range.

Doesn't quench my furst.

Serving type: can

04-19-2013 21:00:21 | More by StJamesGate

Poserdisposer

Alberta (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +18.7%

04-13-2013 06:18:18 | More by Poserdisposer

tonton

Hong Kong

2.41/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a lagery clear yellow with some white head.

Got this out of the selection of over 60 English Ales on the recommendation of the bar staff who claimed, "All gweilos like this one." Well, I guess all the gweilos she had served thus far have bad taste, or expect a lager.

Smell is very lagery/hoppy. No sweetness or fruitiness on the nose at all. No complex spiciness, woods, or breads. Just bitter hops.

Taste follows the nose. Bitter hops.

Mouthfeel is lagery.

Aftertaste is bitter hops.

I think this is the worst English Pale I've tried. Tastes like an American IPA, without the kick or complexity.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 05:59:14 | More by tonton

Jetulio

Spain

3.45/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500 ml can poured into a Pint glass
Appearance... amber/copper beer with head colour white of 1 finger, not lasting
Aroma... grass, orange. Fresh and not strong smell with a little touch of malty aroma
Taste... citrus and bitterness appears soon but not with a classic English ale strengthens
Mouthfeel... medium body and medium/soft carbonation
Overall... a good ale, bitterness is present in a light style, refreshing beer too.

Serving type: can

04-03-2013 19:13:53 | More by Jetulio

BlackAura

Alberta (Canada)

2/5  rDev -36.7%

03-17-2013 02:24:33 | More by BlackAura

Ivanhoes_Backpack

New Brunswick (Canada)

2.75/5  rDev -13%

03-11-2013 15:08:40 | More by Ivanhoes_Backpack

rulisekmartin

Czech Republic

3.25/5  rDev +2.8%

03-09-2013 13:09:47 | More by rulisekmartin

Beerstorian

District of Columbia

3/5  rDev -5.1%

02-23-2013 15:32:53 | More by Beerstorian

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle poured into tulip 28/12/12

A clear golden copper with a short lived finger of foam that leaves some soapy lace

S some hard toffee, slightly nutty with a little fruit and earthy hops, there's something there I can't quite place, metallic notes perhaps

T much like the nose but with a little spicy hops, not a whole lot going on really but decent

M a little thin but the bubbles give it some life, toffee on the finish

O OK beer but I wouldn't bother with a second, pretty basic beer but its easy enough to drink

another English ale that could use a little something, still better then the ratings would suggest but still pretty basic

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 06:13:12 | More by wordemupg

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- Pours a light copper brown with a half finger width of creamy white head. Leaves nice lacing around the glass.

Smell- Grass, citrus (orange/lemon), sweet malts, touch of leafy hops

Taste- Same as the aroma: Sweet malts, grass, and citrus and light leafy hops. Also, there is a slight nuttiness.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Mouthfeel has a little creaminess to it.

Overall- A tasty and easy drinking EPA by Badger. There is a good balance between sweet and bitter flavours. I enjoyed the creamy body. Definitely a "furst quencher".

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 03:42:01 | More by leaddog

Daredevil

Switzerland

3.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

appearance: tawny, light golden brown color, not very firm head ....

smell: orange zest paired with tar and charcoal ... rather weird I'd say ...

palate: toffee, toffee, bitter orange, gingerbread, whipped cream, did I mention toffee? ... quite carbonic

a very sweet brew, tastes like melted toffee .... the combination of toffee and carbonic acid is a rather perturbing combination, thus the brew lacks a bit of smartness

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 22:45:53 | More by Daredevil

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.03/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Pours deep amber with a small, fading white head.
Nose shows caramel, toffee, butterscotch and some skunky notes.
Similar flavours; butterscotch and toffee mainly. A fair bit of diacetyl too. Seems to fall short rather quickly.
Too much carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 09:16:11 | More by CrazyDavros

Heminoolo

Estonia

2.5/5  rDev -20.9%

09-23-2012 12:37:33 | More by Heminoolo

Pelicanrocks

United Kingdom (England)

3/5  rDev -5.1%

09-10-2012 21:58:44 | More by Pelicanrocks

Wantedandlisted

3.75/5  rDev +18.7%

08-31-2012 17:23:49 | More by Wantedandlisted

mungus

Australia

3.5/5  rDev +10.8%

07-16-2012 11:08:03 | More by mungus

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +10.8%

07-11-2012 03:14:09 | More by rolltide8425

SmashPants

Australia

2.85/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle: clear 500mL bottle with okay label. The Badger is cute. Bit of a worry that the bottle is clear, coming from England to Aus.

Appearance: nice light orange pale ale. A good two fingers of head. Settles to a thin film, with reasonable lacing.

Aroma: sweetness from some biscuit malts, big floral / citric flavours - orange peel.

Taste: the sweetness continues in the mouth, but the major flavour is certainly the low-hop floral citrus.

Aftertaste: tiny bit of hops in the aftertaste, with a bit of caramel. Overall, far too soft flavours - not much to it.

Mouth feel: very low carbonation creastes a smooth feel. Medium body.

Overall: an expensive English ale. Faint flavours don't help too much - perhaps not my sort of thing. Certainly sessional, but at this price that is not necessarily a good thing. Don't get me wrong - it is not a terrible beer, but all told, not worth it.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 00:57:32 | More by SmashPants

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle, a new arrival to Alberta's already British-heavy beer shelves. Definitely a talking point of a name on this one - cute ferret/beer theme, and a play on the North American perception of certain English enunciation, I fink.

This beer pours a crystal clear, medium-light golden amber hue, with two fingers of bubbling foamy ecru head, which leaves a thoroughly consistent, and rather attractive, pattern of dense cobweb lace around the glass as it evenly subsides.

It smells of sweet biscuity malt, some middling drupe fruitiness, and somewhat bitter floral, leafy hops. The taste is sharp biscuit, somewhat husky and grainy malt, more fruitiness, but this time with a dull citrus twinge, and feebly bitter, kind of ashy, green leafy hops.

The bubbles are fairly sedate, but adequate to their task, the body medium light in weight, and a bit too raspy in its smoothness. It finishes on a nicely balanced note, low and safe, as the malt retains its biscuity graininess, and the hops are just the right frequency to keep things mellow.

A decent enough pale ale, English-style, which of course means reserved, drinkable, and well, more drinkable, without any further blathering about the damned beer. Maybe I get it, maybe I don't.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 04:47:09 | More by biboergosum

MEP

4/5  rDev +26.6%

06-21-2012 19:08:55 | More by MEP

pin

Australia

3.5/5  rDev +10.8%

06-05-2012 04:05:11 | More by pin

cervezango

Bolivia

3.75/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

nice amber to light orange pale ale. two fingers of head. rings left on glass.

hops aroma and caramel.

sweet malt , and a little fryed onion rings, a nice portion of hops bite as well, this beer is primarily a sweet beer, but very refreshing,

water and sticky sweet after taste.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 23:02:54 | More by cervezango

EmperorBevis

United Kingdom (England)

3.73/5  rDev +18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Amber body nice thick white head.

Very malty aroma, caramel and ginger cake.

Taste is sweet and well balanced hop notes combined with a crunchy maltiness.

Toffee start the flavours then the hops kick in bringing up floral notes and pepper hints.

Nice chewy mouthfeel and great carbonation.

decent enough EPA for when you feel like something slightly sweet

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 20:52:55 | More by EmperorBevis

thepeter

United Kingdom (England)

3.18/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pale golden pour with small head and little lacing
S - pale malt gives it some sweetness, orange blossoms give it a floural presence. Something that is slightly bitter is present but very mild and not a great addition
T - Mild Pale malt and decent floural character, not so much orange but decent. A low hop presence for the style was a dissapointment but still this goes very well with food and is so easy to drink. A great sessionable beer
M - Thin for the style but that makes it quaffable and very refreshing.
O- Better than the sum of its parts. Easy to find and unpretentious, great with any meal as well!

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 23:30:03 | More by thepeter