hopIQ
ENDE
Build your DNASign in

The Spanner

Hall & Woodhouse
United Kingdom·Best Bitter
Tap to rate

The Spanner is a traditional session ale at 3.8 %, a seasonal cask beer created with the broadcaster James May and brewed entirely with British ingredients. Pale, crystal and amber malts give a light auburn colour and a biscuit character. Challenger, Harlequin and Olicana hops lead to a balanced, easy-drinking finish. The beer was built to be dependable, hence the name of the tool.

ABV
3.8%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltybreadycaramel
malty
bready
caramel
Aroma
The nose opens with subtle biscuit and grain character from the pale and crystal malts, warm and inviting without intensity.
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for The Spanner

◎ Appearance

The Spanner presents a light auburn hue, clear and bright, with a fine white head that settles to a thin collar. Carbonation is gentle and persistent, appropriate for a cask-conditioned session ale. The lacing clings evenly to the glass, leaving fine traces of foam with each sip.

light auburnclear, brightfine head lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with subtle biscuit and grain character from the pale and crystal malts, warm and inviting without intensity. Challenger, Harlequin, and Olicana hops contribute a restrained floral and earthy complexity, with a gentle herbal undertone. No aggressive alcohol or yeast esters intrude; the overall impression is balanced and approachable.

biscuit maltfloral, earthy hopsrestrained, harmonious

◐ Taste

Entry is soft and bread-like, with biscuit sweetness and a light caramel note from the amber malt playing across the palate. The mid-palate remains clean and sessionable, with a modest bitterness (28 IBU) that emerges as herbal spice rather than aggressive bite. The finish transitions smoothly toward a dry, earthy conclusion without astringency.

biscuit, bread characterbalanced bitternessclean, dry finish

◑ Finish

The aftertaste is brief and clean, fading to a gentle herbal dryness that invites another sip. No residual sweetness or harsh notes linger.

short, cleandry, herbal fade
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
79
Appearance
78
Finish
77
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Food Pairing

What to eat with The Spanner

More from Badger Brewery

Badger Golden Champion
Blandford Fly
Blandford Fly
Golden Ale
5.2% · 20 IBU
Find matches →
Choc-Work Orange
Clear Horizon
Clear Horizon
Alcohol-Free Lager
0% · 22 IBU
Find matches →
Cranborne Poacher
Cranborne Poacher
Ruby Ale
5.7% · 28 IBU
Find matches →
Dead Reckoning
Dead Reckoning
West Coast IPA
5% · 60 IBU
Find matches →
East of Eden
East of Eden
Hazy IPA
6% · 50 IBU
Find matches →
Eastern Promise

About Best Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Best Bitter?

Best Bitter is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Best Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same smooth-drinking, malty, bready character as The Spanner will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →