Brains Brewery
 |
|
| Industry | Alcoholic beverage |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1882 |
| Founder | Samuel Arthur Brain |
| Headquarters | Cardiff, Wales |
|
Area served
|
South and Mid Wales |
| Products | Beer |
| Owner | Chris Brain |
| Website | SA Brain |
Brains (S. A. Brain & Company Ltd) is a regional brewery founded in 1882 in Cardiff, Wales, by Samuel Arthur Brain. The company controls more than 250 pubs in South Wales (particularly in Cardiff), Mid Wales and the West Country. The company took over Crown Buckley brewery in Llanelli in 1997, and Hancock's Brewery in 1999. Brains moved to the former Hancock's brewery just south of Cardiff Central railway station in 2000. The Old Brewery, in Cardiff city centre, has been developed into a modern bar and restaurant complex.
The company produces a range of beers under the Brain's, Buckley's and Hancock's names.
Brains use shirt sponsorship for the Welsh rugby union team and the Crusaders as part of their marketing strategy.
In 1882 the Thomas brothers sold the Old Brewery in Cardiff in order to pay debts. Samuel Arthur Brain and his uncle Joseph Benjamin Brain founded their business by buying the brewery from the Thomas brothers. Part of the building dated from 1713 and it had been a brewery since at least 1822.
Brains expanded the Old Brewery was expanded in 1914 by having a new brewery built in St Mary Street.
In 1997 Brains took over Crown Buckley in Llanelli. It closed Crown Buckley's brewery and transferred production to Cardiff. In 1999 Brains bought the former Hancock's Brewery just south of Cardiff Central railway station. In 2000 it moved production there, and in 2003 the Old Brewery was redeveloped as a bar and restaurant complex.
In September 2011 the company diversified into coffee shops, buying the Cardiff-based coffee house chain, Coffee#1.
The current owner is Chris Brain.
Brains SA, the company's flagship brand, is a light-coloured malty best bitter which was colloquially known as "Skull Attack". Its formulation has undergone several revisions since the beer was launched in the early 20th century; the most recent revision was launched in early 2006 and increases the quantity of hops in the brew.
...
Wikipedia