About
As the No.1 Brewer in Wales, S.A. Brain & Co. Ltd are fiercely proud of their Welsh heritage and the fact that they remain family owned. Founded in 1882 by Samuel Arthur Brain and his uncle Joseph Benjamin, S.A. Brain & Co. Ltd have been brewing beer in Wales’ capital for more than 135 years.

In 2012 they opened the Brains Craft Brewery which allowed them to brew in smaller batches and be more experimental with their flavours. To date they have produced over 100 craft beers, and the Craft Brewery has become an integral part of the Brains beer range.
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Scopey (25563) reviewed
Barry Island IPA from Brains Craft Brewery
13 years ago
5.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 5 Texture 6 Overall 4.5
Bottle at ChrisO Snow Tasting, picked up at Sainsbury’s. It pours clear golden amber with a medium off-white head. The nose is faint toast, lime, citrus pith and hay. The taste is hay, straw, faint toast, pithy lime and ok bitterness with a dry finish. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Really not much to it at all. Nice idea, but pretty bland.
Tried from Bottle on 26 Jan 2013 at 05:28
Theydon_Bois (48345) reviewed
Barry Island IPA from Brains Craft Brewery
13 years ago
5.5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 6 Overall 5
Bottle at Chriso Snow Tasting, thanks to Paul for this one, 20/01/13. Clear light amber with a thin off white bubbly head that clears to the edge. Nose is pale malt, apples, frut, blandish - where’s the hop aroma? Taste follows, just as bland, pale malt, light fruit, some sugar. Medium bodied, softish carbonation, a touch of bitterness in the dry finish. Sub average!
Tried from Bottle on 21 Jan 2013 at 13:28
Leighton (35418) reviewed
Barry Island IPA from Brains Craft Brewery
13 years ago
6.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Bottle at the ChrisO Snow Tasting, London - thanks to Paul for this British IPA! Pours clear gold with a light, white foam head. White bread on the nose, some floral notes. Medium sweet flavor with mellow, dry white bread. Medium bodied with average carbonation. Somewhat dry on the finish with hay and yet more white bread. A rather uninspiring effort from the Brains.
Tried from Bottle on 21 Jan 2013 at 10:01
Harrisoni (26621) reviewed
Barry Island IPA from Brains Craft Brewery
13 years ago
6.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Bottle at Chriso Snow Tasting. Clear gold lasting white head. Earthy fruoty aroma. yes thats the best brainz beer i have had its got some hops
Tried from Bottle on 20 Jan 2013 at 08:10
Finn (18625) reviewed
Fruits of Our Labours from Brains Craft Brewery
13 years ago
6.2/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 6
Tap East, Stratford 3 Nov 12. Gyldengul. Lavt luftig skum som fester seg litt til glasset. Overraskende sur fruktaroma. På grensen til eddik. Smaken også veldig syrlig - men god. Banan. En skikkelig munnrenser.
Tried from Draft on 03 Jan 2013 at 02:19
Convair880 (7124) reviewed
Barry Island IPA from Brains Craft Brewery
13 years ago
6.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 5.5
Bottle bought at Tesco in Watford, Herts. A golden/amber coloured pour with a small white head on top. Hoppy, malty aroma. Tastes hoppy, malty, fruity with a slight bitterness. It’s OK.
Tried from Bottle on 27 Dec 2012 at 14:44
Anders37 (30296) reviewed
Barry Island IPA from Brains Craft Brewery
13 years ago
6.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Cask @ Bree Louise, Euston NW1. Pours a clear golden color with a small white head. Has a fruity malty hoppy aroma. Fruity malty hoppy citrus flavor. Has a fruity malty hoppy finish.
Tried from Cask on 01 Dec 2012 at 13:04
RuneBlix (27009) reviewed
Fruits of Our Labours from Brains Craft Brewery
13 years ago
5.2/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 4 Flavor 5 Texture 8 Overall 5
Half-pint, keg at Tap East, Stratford City. Shared with Finn. Golden-yellow in body appearance, slight haze. A few spots to the glass. Smell of tart fruits. Dry and tart fruity flavour. Very dry ending. Strange kind of an IPA. Palate cleanser. (London, 03.11.2012).
Tried from Draft on 01 Dec 2012 at 07:15
oh6gdx (52920) reviewed
Weiss Weiss Baby (5.9%) from Brains Craft Brewery
14 years ago
6.4/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Cask@GBBF2012. Goldeny orange colour, small white head. Aroma is wheat, toffee, mild yeast and some slight earthyness. Flavour is nice wheat, citrus, some spices as well as mild caramel and some herbal notes.
Tried from Cask on 20 Aug 2012 at 22:24
oh6gdx (52920) reviewed
Barry Island IPA from Brains Craft Brewery
14 years ago
6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Cask@GBBF2012. Golden colour with a small creamy white head. Aroma is bready, fruity, floral and caramelly with some sweet honeylike notes as well. Flavour is fruity, floral, sweet malts, mild crystal notes as well as some toffee. Even though the 6 % abv, it tastes more like a bitter than an IPA.
Tried from Cask on 20 Aug 2012 at 22:20