Rooster’s Unveils New Look for Flagship IPA

Rooster’s Brewing Co. has unveiled a new look for Baby-Faced Assassin, the Harrogate-based brewery’s flagship American-style IPA. Hand drawn by Manchester-based artist David Bailey, the new design is the second Assassin-related artwork Rooster’s and the industry-renowned illustrator have collaborated on following the successful launch of Hazy Faced Assassin in May. 

One of the first beers to be canned by an independent craft brewery in the UK back in December 2014, Baby-Faced Assassin has gone on to become synonymous with the Rooster’s brand, collecting an enviable range of awards along the way; a gold medal in the small pack at the 2017 International Brewing Awards being chief among them.

Brewed with 100% Citra hops, Baby-Faced Assassin was first conceived as a homebrew recipe in 2011, inspired by the bold, hop-forward IPAs coming out of the US at the time. It has since become Rooster’s biggest-selling small pack product and is currently stocked in Yorkshire and the North East by Sainsbury’s and nationally by Morrisons and ASDA in 440ml cans, with ASDA also stocking the beer in 330ml fourpacks since April 2024.

Speaking of the collaboration, David Bailey said: “It's a huge honour to design the artwork for this seminal IPA. I've been drinking Baby-Faced Assassin since Rooster's started brewing it and it's one of those rare higher realm UK beers that are buy-on-sight whenever you see them. This is a dream commission for me and I hope Rooster's drinkers enjoy the new artwork.”

In world seemingly being driven by the rise in AI content, design and marketing materials, Rooster’s purposefully set out to achieve an eye-catching and bespoke re-design of Baby-Faced Assassin with the help of a skilled, independent artists who was able to create a unique and tailored new look for a beer and brand that still thrives in an ever-changing market that champions change at a relentless pace.

Tom Fozard, Rooster’s Operations Director, said: “I never could have imagined the scope of success BabyFaced Assassin would go on to achieve when I first brewed it on a ramshackle homebrew kit all those years ago and, while the beer has gone on to become the flagship brand it has for Rooster’s, it’s fair to say it properly looks the part now too. Working with David has been great fun, with more to come in in the future.”

The revamped design is the latest evolution in the Assassin brand’s journey. What began as a cultfavourite single hop beer has grown into a wider family of styles and sub-brands, including Hazy Faced Assassin, a 5.7% hazy IPA, and Easy-Going Assassin, a 4.3% American-style session IPA that’s a scaled down version of its namesake. Both beers form part of Rooster’s core range alongside Baby-Faced Assassin, with other limited release beers having been brewed previously and further additions planned for future release.

The new-look Baby-Faced Assassin will begin to be rolled out across trade and retail channels from early July.

Ends

For further information, please contact Tom Fozard on tom@roosters.co.uk

Rooster’s Brewing Co. www.roosters.co.uk  

Notes to Editors 

About Rooster’s Brewing Company 

Rooster’s Brewing Co. has always been an independent, family-run brewery, focussed on creating quality new world pale ales, with an emphasis on flavour and aroma.

It was established in 1993 by the pioneering brewer Sean Franklin, who developed a new style of beer that had, up to that point, never been tried in the UK before. At a time when most breweries were taking flavour out, Sean was trying to put more in, using imported flavourful hops from the west coast of America.

His pioneering and innovative approach began to turn heads, with Rooster’s flavour-packed beers standing out in a sea of brown beer - with its flagship pale ale, Yankee, leading the way. The awards began to pour in, with Rooster’s beers winning gold medals at the biggest and most renowned international and national beer awards.

Having won pretty much everything there was to win, in 2011 Sean decided to retire and chose to sell the brewery to Ian Fozard and his sons, Tom and Oliver, in a move that ensured Rooster’s would remain a family-owned brewery.

Ian has had an affinity with beer for over forty years, having been an active member of CAMRA since the 1970s and the founder of Market Town Taverns, which grew into a portfolio of 15 bars and pubs across Yorkshire. 

Oliver, who has been brewing professionally since 2000, became the head brewer at Rooster’s, and Tom, also an active brewer, became the company’s commercial director. Oliver was awarded Brewer of the Year in December 2020 by the British Guild of Beer Writers.

In 2018, it became clear that Rooster’s was rapidly outgrowing its site in Knaresborough and in 2019 the decision was made to invest in a new state-of-the-art brewery and taproom. Finding the right location, that offered Rooster’s the opportunity to become part of the fabric of the local community wasn’t easy, but the team were delighted when the perfect space became available at Hornbeam Park in Harrogate. Over the course of 2019 and the early part of January 2020, the company created a bespoke, state-ofthe-art facility that it now calls home, in a move that saw it return to the town where Rooster’s was first started some twenty-seven years earlier.

For further information, please contact Tom Fozard on tom@roosters.co.uk

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