Loyal customers of Bath Ales are being rewarded as part of the brewery’s 20th anniversary with pints of its flagship Gem bitter at its 1995 price of £1.50.
Members of its Loyal Hare Force loyalty scheme will be able to sup the cut-price beer during its Birthday Happy Hour between 5pm and 8pm next Tuesday at Bath Ales-owned venues including The Wellington in Horfield, the Graze restaurant in Queen Square and craft beer bar Beerd in Kingsdown. 
Members of the Loyal Hare Force earn loyalty points and receive monthly offers on food and drink available at all Bath Ales venues and on take-home beer from the Bath Ales brewery shop at Warmley.
The brewery has also crafted a limited edition anniversary beer to commemorate 20 years since the first pint of Gem was brewed.
MegaGem, a stronger version of the award-winning amber ale Gem, into its pubs, has been double drop fermented during the brewing process which increases its alcohol levels to 7.4% abv.
According to Bath Ales, MegaGem “takes up the space between a dark bitter and a barley wine, and boasts intense malty flavours that are more complex than your normal bitter, with a slight bitterness and fruity aromas”.
Bath Ales joint founder and managing director Roger Jones said: “Gem was the very first beer made by Bath Ales in 1995 when the hare was originally born. We were determined to create an exceptional ‘best bitter’ with a superb depth of flavour and great balance between the malt and the hops.
“Despite the influx of new breweries and more beers to compete against, Gem has continued to be highly regarded by competition judges and beer fans alike, which is testament to the quality of that original work.”
The brewery now produces 20,000 barrels annually and has its own bottling plant and brewery shop.
Over the course of 20 years, Bath Ales has secured a number of awards. Gem was victorious twice at the prestigious International Beer Challenge, winning a silver medal this year and a gold medal and highly coveted trophy for its category – the ‘Best Ale up to 5% abv’ – in 2014. The brewer has also won a number of accolades for its pubs, including the national The Publican Morning Advertiser Awards for Best Managed Pub Company (2-50 sites) last year.
Roger Jones added: “The success we’ve enjoyed is down to several key components; hard working and dedicated staff, exceptionally high quality beer, loyal fans, strong performing venues and a well-recognised brand identity.”
As well as Gem, its beer range includes Barnsey, Dark Side, Wild Hare, Special Pale Ale and Ginger Hare.
