The pie is usually made of beef, although there are accounts of mutton, veal, and bacon. It was unlikely to have ever been made from hare since the meat is out of season at Easter.
"Bottle-kicking" seems to be a sort of rugby, played using iron-hooped casks (the bottles) which are taken in procession from the church to Hare Pie Bank. The two teams, one from Hallaton and one from everywhere else, play between goals of a stream and a hedge. The first two casks are filled with ale, the second cask brought into play once a goal is scored. The third cask is empty and used in the event of a tie.