Ballistic Beer to move into regional Queensland locations

With three outlets in the Brisbane area, craft beer success story Ballistic Beer is heading further afield.

As flagged by City Beat last week, Brisbane-based Ballistic Beer has just finalised the acquisition of two craft brewing business as part of its first push outside southeast Queensland.

In a cash and share deal totalling just under $2m, Ballistic founder and boss Dave Kitchen confirmed this week that he had picked up The Whitsunday Island Brewing Company at Airlie Beach and Bargara Brewing in Bundaberg.

The original brewery in Salisbury in Brisbane’s south. Picture: Richard Walker

Entrepreneur Dan Mcleod had the misfortune of opening his Whitsunday outpost in March last year just as COVID flared up. As a result, the business never actively traded or did much brewing.

By contrast, Jack Milbank’s Bargara venue has served up the likes of Thirsty Turtle lager and Drunk Fish pale ale since launching in 2014. Those local favourites will continue to be made.

Both McLeod and Milbank have taken an equity stake in the Ballistic business, which kicked off in 2016 and operates brewpubs in Salisbury, West End and Springfield.

Kitchen told us he plans to spruce up the Airlie Beach site and launch it at the end of the month. The Bundy pub will also close briefly for a refit after April.