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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4/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 4
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 4
[on draught at The Turks, Reading] Initially malty, then dry dirty straw flavour; aftertaste bitter with slight sour fruits. A very average British bitter, indistinguishable from so many others I’ve tasted; with so many innovative beers in Britain, it’s a shame that there’s still dull, bland bitters like this dominating the real ale market.
Tried
on 16 May 2008
at 17:00
6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
(Cask at White Horse, Parson’s Green, London, 1 Dec 2007) Dark reddish brown colour with brief head. Malty, fruity nose with notes of dried fruit, dusty hops and dark fruity hints. Malty, fruity taste with toffee, dark fruit, cherries and dusty hops in the finish. God balance. Nice session beer.
Tried
from Cask
on 16 Dec 2007
at 15:52
6.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask@The George Borrow Hotel, Ponterwyd, Wales. Amber beer with a strong white head. The aroma is lightly creamy, and the flavour is smoothly dry, creamy and slightly toffee. Overall a nice creamy, smooth and dry beer.
Tried
from Cask
on 02 Oct 2007
at 16:35
5.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5
Cask-conditioned at the Highbury Vaults, Bristol. Amber coloured with minimal head. A slightly sweet and nutty aroma followed by a fruity flavour. Sour, somewhat astringent aftertaste which wasn’t enjoyable.
Tried
from Cask
on 21 May 2007
at 14:59
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
500ml bottle from Franglais, Calais. This was my free bottle (buy 5 get one free, so I ended up with 8 scoops for €15 which I thought was a good deal). I’m not convinced that the bottled version is filtered as there is definitely some sediment in the bottom and it poured as a hazy copper colour. Thick lasting off white head. Slight yeast aroma. Some nice citrus hop too. Bit too carbonated. Nice yeast, malt, hop aroma balance. The bubbles are just too much. Quite a decent bitter, if it was on cask. I seem to remember having this at a Wetherspoons in Canterbury and liking it. Nice malts, reasonable fullness in the mouth.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Feb 2007
at 07:47
4.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 4
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 5.5
Can on the train from Cardiff to Paddington. Dark golden colour with a moderate white head. Slightly fresh hoppy smell. Rather thin mouthfeel with a flavour containing elements of nuts, fruits and caramel malts. Dry, short lived bitter ending (03.02.2007).
Tried
from Can
on 16 Feb 2007
at 02:23
5.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 4
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 6
During a few days in Cardiff I had some pints of SA on cask at different pubs (Prince of Wales, The Model Inn and The Albany). Dark amber coloured. Small white head, but great laceworks. Fresh malty aroma. Light citrus fruits in flavour ending with a bitter touch. Very smooth (02 and 03.02.2007).
Tried
from Cask
on 13 Feb 2007
at 05:50