Ahead of its multi-million-pound new brewery opening in May, Bath Ales has unveiled new-look bottles. The West Country brewer will start to roll-out new designs across its permanent range of bottled beers from this month.

The range will carry a vibrant new colour palette, but the brand’s iconic leaping hare will remain a key feature on the new-look labels, which will be on taller 500ml bottles.

New Bath Ales Lansdown IPA (named after Lansdown Hill which overlooks Bath) will be the first in the portfolio to launch in the new bottle livery. Thanks to five hop varieties, the West Coast IPA boasts a big flavour profile. Amber coloured, the 5% ABV brew has notes of tropical fruit, lime zest and pine forest. The new beer will launch in Tesco this month.

Bath Ales’ flagship beer, Gem, will follow in its new-look bottle from May, along with other bottled beers in the core range, including Wild Hare and Golden Hare.

In the same month, Bath Ales will open its new state-of-the-art brew house. Hare Brewery is opening on the site of the west country brewer’s head office in Warmley, between Bath and Bristol.

Darren James, senior brewer at Bath Ales, said: “In honour of our West Country roots, the new-look bottles are inspired by the unique and wonderful city that gives our brewery its name. We hope our loyal beer drinkers will enjoy discovering the bottles in their new guise as they gradually start appearing in supermarkets and pub fridges.”

In addition to the bottle refresh, Bath Ales will also be launching a new website. Due to launch in early April the site will showcase Bath Ales’ growing beer range, the state-of-the-art new brewery and its pub collection.