A new lager created by leading West Country brewer Bath Ales is appearing on the shelves of Tesco stores across the UK, thanks to an exclusive deal with the supermarket.
Named after Sulis Minerva, the Roman goddess of Bath, Sulis (4.4% ABV) is the latest permanent addition to Bath Ales’ range of distinctive and authentic English beers, and has secured a listing at 550 Tesco stores across the UK.
The launch of the new lager comes ahead of the unveiling of Bath Ales’ new brew house in May as a result of a multi-million pound investment.
The new brew house is set to be the South West’s most sophisticated and technologically advanced brewery, capable of producing more than 50,000 barrels a year (more than 14.5 million pints).
Darren James, Bath Ales senior brewer, said: “Launching Sulis, our first lager, is a big moment for Bath Ales. We’ve taken the time to get this right and hope the new beer really challenges drinkers’ perception of lager.
“We’ve taken everything we’ve learned from the great lager brewers of Germany to make a classic and moreish beer, then hopped it with exciting new hop varieties to give Sulis a unique, fresh and subtle fruity flavour profile. The beer is perfectly pale and boasts a crisp and refreshing taste.”
Tesco lager buyer Dom Hill said he felt that the lager would appeal to current customer tastes.
“Consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and there is a real demand for quality products from regional breweries on the shelves of our stores,” he said.
“We have a great relationship with Bath Ales and we have worked closely with them to develop Sulis, which will be exclusive to Tesco stores.
“We are expecting Sulis to prove popular with consumers, and the fact that we are stocking it in so many UK stores from launch underlines the confidence we have in the product.”
Laura Hicks, Bath Ales’ Beer Brand Marketing Manager added: We’ve worked with Tesco for over a decade and are delighted to have collaborated with them on the development of our first lager – a milestone moment for us.
“We’re excited to finally be able to share Sulis with beer drinkers across the country.”
Alongside the Sulis launch, Bath Ales has also introduced a bold and hoppy west coast IPA into the permanent Bath Ales range – Lansdown (5% ABV).
The new 500ml bottle has begun appearing in Tesco stores across the UK and will be available on cask from May.
Sulis will also be available on draft in select pubs, bars and restaurants in south west England from mid-May.
