Wales - Breweries

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). 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. In 2012 the brewery opened Brains Craft Brewery which allowed them to brew in smaller batches and be more experimental with flavours, the Craft Brewery has become an integral part of the Brains beer range.
Some of the Brewery's Range
Brains SA - The company's flagship brand first brewed in 1958.
Brains Dark - Originally named 'Red Dragon'
Brains Bitter -
Brains IPA -
SA Gold - Launched in June 2006.
45 - Launched in 2006 as a competitor to strong lagers such as Stella Artois. It was discontinued in 2011.
Brains Black - Launched on St David's Day 2010.
The Crown Buckley brands brewed by Brains since 1997
Buckley's Bitter -
Buckley's IPA -
The Rev. James - (Reverend James)
The Hancock brands brewed by Brains since 1999
Hancocks HB -

Over the years the brand identity is updated and re-launched with subtle changes, a change of Logo or a new font.
Sometimes this brand update is done by the new owners after a brewery has been sold, other times just to give the brand a fresh new look on the ever growing market.

Below are some notes to help identify some of these changes and an aid to reference the year of the glass.