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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chrisv10 (24620) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 13 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Bottle, 4.2%. Clear amber with small off-white head. Aroma is malt, fruit, caramel and hop. Flavour is malt, fruit, hop, caramel, little sweet and medium bitter.
Rasmus40 (37098) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 13 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
DØE. Clear amber with an off-white head. Aroma is sweet, malty, light caramel and light grainy. Flavor is medium sweet and moderate bitter. Dry and moderate bitter finish. 100512
yespr (55573) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 13 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Pours clear and golden amber with a fully gone head. Aroma is smooth toasted malty and light caramelish. Toasted and caramelish. Bitter and toasted malty. Roasted and breadish.
HenrikSoegaard (22027) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 13 years ago
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5
Bottle. Frothy white fair mostly deminishing head. Yellow colour. Moderate malty and hoppy aroma. Moderate bitter flavor. Average moderate bitter finish. oily palate.
MiP (20379) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 13 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Bottle, 4.2% at KØ12. Weak fruity aroma. Clear amber colour. Very small white head. The flavour is fruity and OK grainy with a little green apple. Has a little liquorice and nut, very subtle. Medium bitterness.
CloakedDagger (37568) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 13 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5
Bottle 50 cl. Pours a clear deep golden with a small off-white head. Very discreet crystal malts in the nose. Light body, a little caramel and nuts and some subtle - fortunately - British hops. Ends dry. 110512
Tommann (7675) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 13 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
500ml bottle. Pours dark orange with a medium head. Aroma is caramel malt, bread and dried fruits. Taste is bready throughout with dried fruit and a bitter finish.
BlackHaddock (17491) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 13 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Oct 2009: Clear 500ml bottle poured into a normal UK sleeved pint glass. The beer was a reddy, amber colour, clear and clean looking. On top sat a bubbly head, off-white almost a cream colour. The aroma was of hops and yeast with a hint of caramels and molasses. Challenger, Goldings and Fuggles are all used in the brew, the blend of thses hops produces a well balanced and pleasant tasting beer. There is an overiding mini sweetness throughout the drink, the aroma starts it off and the aftertaste reminds you. I very drinkable beer, even better when on cask and kept well.
Idiosynkrasie (18028) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 14 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5
500ml bottle. Clear dark amber with small frothy off-white head. Dark malt aroma, dark fruit, bitter hop. Taste is like sucking on an ice cube, it’s not pure water, but less a taste than a kind of mouthfeel, metallic and dry. Not bad, but extremely faint.
Leighton (35102) reviewed SA (Bottle, Can & Keg) from Brains 15 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle at home. Clear, light orange pour with a small, white head. Lots of that distinctive pasteurization odor on the nose, along with some cereal malts. Nice flavor, sweet and lightly doughy with some leaves, toast, light earth and resin. Mild bitters. Light bodied with average carbonation. Crisp, fairly sweet finish with touches of dry hops, slightly earthy.