Welsh dragon breathing fire

Welsh brewer Brains combines a thoroughly modern approach to its business with the very best of traditions. Glynn Davis reports

It might be about to enter its 125th year as a brewer in the centre of Cardiff but Brains is a thoroughly modern-thinking company with family owners who continue to ensure that their charge has fire in its belly.

From its award-winning marketing campaigns, innovative development of beers and inspired sponsorship of both the Wales rugby team and Millennium Stadium this is a company that continues to adapt to the changing marketplace.

As you take a stroll down the wood-panelled corridor of the directors’ offices and cast a glance through the window at the tall chimney stack emblazoned with large lettering spelling out ‘BRAINS’ it would be easy to conclude that this is a typical Victorian brewery, a scene of mashing for tons of years.

But this would be a mistake, according to Richard Davies, sales and marketing director of SA Brain & Co, since the brewery is a shiny modern affair with few visible remnants of the founding fathers of this great brewing family.

“There are no oak vats, it’s all stainless steel,” he says.

The reason for the lack of Victoriana around the place is that Brains moved from its old brewery site – that it had occupied since 1882 – to its existing location across town in the late 1990s having bought the site from Bass.

It had previously been owned by Welsh Brewers until Bass took it over and began brewing Toby and Worthington’s keg beers.

After a good cleaning of the kit, Brains ales began pumping through the plant’s equipment.

Its move had been prom.....

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By Glynn Davis

Section : Regional Focus

Page number : 24