Dorset-based independent family brewer Badger Brewery is adding a new beer to its successful Premium Bottled Ales (PBA) range: Iron Hart, a 5.2% ABV Pale Ale.
Billed as a ‘beer with backbone’, Iron Hart is brewed with a firm malt base and a bold blend of Cascade and Amarillo hops, offering fresh citrus aromas and a dry, bitter finish. At 5.2% it taps into consumers’ growing thirst for PBAs with a higher ABV, while staying within the Pale Ale taste and cues expected by drinkers.
Iron Hart introduces a new character – a white hart – to the collection of quirky Dorset wildlife featured across the Badger PBA range, which lend it a distinctive personality and strong on-shelf standout. It has an RRP of £2.35 for a 500ml bottle and will be distributed in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda and Morrisons
Badger Brewery head of retail marketing Giles Mountford says: “Higher ABV Pale Ales are currently one of the most vibrant sectors of the PBA category, as drinkers look for more intense flavours within the style they know and love.
“Iron Hart was created to meet that shift in consumer preference head on, bringing a bigger ABV punch to a style more traditionally associated with mid-strength beers. We’re confident it will appeal to craft beer drinkers and PBA drinkers attracted by a Pale Ale with more substance, flavour and bite.”
The launch comes at a time when Neilsen data shows the Badger single bottle range is significantly outperforming the overall single bottle PBA market (Neilsen 52 w/e 24/01/26 value). At 5.2% ABV, Iron Hart sits well above the traditional 4-4.4% strength of most PBAs, meaning it will add further incremental value to the category for retailers. It bridges the gap between classic sessionable Pale Ales and more overtly craft styles.
Badger Brewery’s successful PBA range comprises 10 beers, including long-established brands such as Fursty Ferret, Golden Champion and Tangle Foot as well as newer additions such as Master Stoat coffee stout.
Badger beers have national off-trade distribution, with listings in all major supermarkets and in thousands of independent grocery and specialist drinks stores, as well as with leading wholesalers and cash & carry outlets. They are also stocked on draught and in bottle across the 180-strong Hall & Woodhouse pub estate.
Iron Hart: tasting notes
- 2% modern Pale Ale: pale, full-bodied, bold and approachable
- Brewed with Extra Pale malt and Cascade and Amarillo hops, delivering fresh, fresh citrus notes and a dry, bitter finish.
- Pairs well with roast beef, aged cheddar and other full-flavoured foods
