A TV star has tackled criticism by changing the offerings at his countryside pub in Oxfordshire.
The site in Asthall, formerly known as The Windmill, was purchased by the former Top Gear host for roughly one million pounds.
Last summer, the establishment reopened under The Farmer’s Dog banner and has attracted customers wanting to try Hawkstone beer.
From the beginning, the presenter pledged to stock and serve only British-made goods, meaning no ketchup or cola can be found there.
The 66-year-old broadcaster previously stated that if something is not grown and reared in Britain, they will not sell it, and that was their final position on the matter.
This stance has produced differing opinions from certain patrons over the past couple of years who have remarked on the unavailability of particular products.
Although the venue provides a wide selection of alcoholic drinks including lager, stout, cider, vodka, wine and gin, one important spirit had been absent until recently.
Generally, rum is crafted from molasses, a waste product from the sugar cane industry, which is fermented and matured before bottling.
This presented a challenge for the presenter, given that sugar cane cannot be grown in Britain’s cooler climate.
Even though several rum distilleries have appeared in the UK in recent years, the issue persists as some form of sugar cane must be imported to produce rum.
This missing spirit situation at the venue has now been addressed through the introduction of Alkemy, which creates a domestically cultivated rum.
After years of producing rum overseas, brothers Will and Rob Tapster founded the distillery in Suffolk in 2021 with the aim of providing a fresh perspective on the classic spirit.
Alkemy uses molasses from British sugar beet rather than imported sugar cane to make their rum.
This produces an authentically British spirit. Co-founder Rob Tapster explained that Alkemy is made in the same way as rum, but by using sugar beet, they end up with a different flavour profile. He noted that this means the spirit has less of the more challenging flavours typically associated with rum, and consequently doesn’t require additional sugar to make it palatable. According to him, this makes the spirit more accessible while retaining the enjoyable characteristics of rum.
He also stated that they believe what Jeremy and the team at The Farmer’s Dog are doing holds significant value. He added that it has prompted consumers to consider more carefully where their food originates and how it’s produced. In his view, British agriculture has many positive aspects, and he thinks we can all acknowledge it deserves whatever support we can provide.