[4] Its pale ale was exported throughout the British Empire, and the company's red triangle became the UK's first registered trade mark.

[2] The brewing operations of the company were bought by Interbrew (now Anheuser-Busch InBev) in 2000, while the retail side (hotels and pubs) was renamed Six Continents plc.

Because at the time Interbrew controlled a large portion of the UK beer market, the Competition Commission instructed Interbrew to sell the Bass brewery along with certain brands to Coors (now Molson Coors), while retaining the rights to the Bass brand.

[13] Early in the company's history, Bass was exporting bottled beer around the world, serving the Baltic region through the port of Hull.

Growing demand led his son Michael Thomas Bass (1760–1827), to build a second brewery in Burton in 1799 in partnership with John Ratcliff.

The annual Bass excursions, laid on by the firm for its employees, were the largest operation of its type in the world by a private company.

Bass had been reliant on railways to distribute its beer from Burton, and owned the country's largest private rail network within the town linking its various premises.

The switch to road haulage required local transport depots, and in many places small independent breweries were bought and repurposed as such.

At that time, along with the other major brewers which now dominated the industry, Bass were moving away from the production of traditional ales in favour of keg beer and particularly Carling lager at Warrington, ignoring opposition from CAMRA.

[23] The report made recommendations to break up a "complex monopoly" among beer brewing and sales between the UK's "Big Six" (Allied, Bass, Courage, Grand Metropolitan, Scottish & Newcastle, and Whitbread), which at that time accounted for "75% of beer production, 74% of the brewer-owned retail estate, and 86% of loan ties.

[23] Following decades of closures, consolidation, and the effects of the Beer Orders, Bass was left by the end of the 20th century as one of only two large remaining breweries in Burton.

The UK government's Competition Commission again raised concerns about the monopoly implications arising from the deal[24] and instructed Interbrew to dispose of the Bass brewery facility in Burton along with the Carling and Worthington brands, which were all sold to Coors (later Molson Coors).

[9] The former Bass brewery in Burton, under Molson Coors ownership, underwent renovations in the early 21st century,[31] and as of 2021 brews Carling and other beers for the UK and European market.

A steering group was established to investigate re-opening,[34][35] and the museum was relaunched in May 2010 as the National Brewery Centre.

[38] The blue triangle was briefly revived after World War II for Pale Ale that was not bottle conditioned.

[39] The Act came into effect on 1 January 1876 and legend has it that a Bass employee queued overnight outside the registrar's office on New Year's Eve in order to be the first in line to register a trade mark the next morning.

[44][45][46] In the "Oxen of the Sun" episode of James Joyce's Ulysses, Bloom observes the Bass logo.

Most prevalent near its Burton upon Trent and Derbyshire heartlands,[1] it is brewed by Marston's in Burton in Yorkshire Squares using English hops and dry hopping[52] and is described as "a classic ale with a malty, fruity, nutty aroma and a complex, satisfying flavour".