First brewed in 1958 there has been much confusion around the legendary ale’s name ever since.
Does it stand for Special Ale? Or Samuel Arthur? Or is it Skull Attack? And to be honest its true meaning is so lost in myth and mystery that we aren’t quite sure anymore.
Back in the day, SA was seen as a much stronger alternative to the other brews on offer which gave it a certain reputation, yet despite its full flavour, it’s surprisingly session-able!
Over time SA has become the toast of the Welsh nation. Our renowned premium bitter ale is copper coloured and has a nutty richness derived from Pale and Crystal malts and three hops; Challenger, Goldings and Fuggles.
Does it stand for Special Ale? Or Samuel Arthur? Or is it Skull Attack? And to be honest its true meaning is so lost in myth and mystery that we aren’t quite sure anymore.
Back in the day, SA was seen as a much stronger alternative to the other brews on offer which gave it a certain reputation, yet despite its full flavour, it’s surprisingly session-able!
Over time SA has become the toast of the Welsh nation. Our renowned premium bitter ale is copper coloured and has a nutty richness derived from Pale and Crystal malts and three hops; Challenger, Goldings and Fuggles.
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6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
From cask. Pours golden dark amber with a creamy dense and off-white head. Aroma is malty, vague butterish. Dark breadish. Dark roasted malty flavoured. Subdued bitterness to a fruity ad rather malty base into the finish.
Tried
from Cask
on 09 Aug 2010
at 00:35
6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 6
Can, 13C. Almost clear amber with a thick honey-cream head. Butterscotch nose with some apples and grass. Smooth mouthfeel. Tastes pretty caramel sweet with a little finishing bitterness. There are hints of sophistication in the malt, but it lacks character in the usual bottled bitter way.
Tried
from Can
on 02 Mar 2010
at 02:18
5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 4
Flavor 4
Texture 6
Overall 5
Cask at the Colombia Press (JDW), Watford Rather unpleasant. Looks good, gold with a thin white head, but it’s downhill from there. Thin in body with sweet malts and some red fruit; then a finish that’s dry with a metallic bitterness. Perhaps this doesn’t travel well and it’s fine in Wales?
Tried
from Cask
on 15 Jan 2010
at 01:23
5.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 6
Can (thanx to Quack-Duck!) Amber coloured, smaller, but quite stable beige head; caramelly-sweet nose with a fruity-hoppy background; mild sweetish-bitter flavour, relatively light bodied; slightly lingering fruity-malty finish with a light hoppiness. Not bad, but only a shadow of the cask version.........
Tried
from Can
on 07 Oct 2009
at 08:53
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
5 litre mini cask from a supermarket in Brynbuga/Usk. Clear amber colour, slightly red, with a head of considerable size. Fruity-hoppy nose with a hint of baking yeast. Malty with caramel, resiny hops and a touch of fruit, hints of cinnamon and marzipane. Well-balanced and quaffable.
Tried
from Cask
on 05 Sep 2009
at 08:50
6.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Cask (handpump) @ Wenlock Arms, 26 Wenlock Road, London, Greater London England N1 7TA.Clear medium amber orange color with a average, fizzy, fair lacing, fully diminishing, white to off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, toffee. Flavor is moderate sweet and light bitter with a average duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft to flat. [20081228]
Tried
from Cask
on 17 Mar 2009
at 13:45
5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 5
Cask (Gatekeeper JDW,Cardiff) - Copper coloured with a slight haze. Lightly fruity aroma with some malt. Lightly tart taste with fruity hints. This could be on the turn so I think I will rate it again in future. Judging from DruncanVeasey’s comments below, this could’ve been a bad batch as I remember it being much better when I tried it before.
Tried
from Cask
on 05 Sep 2008
at 03:43