Ballistic Beer Co celebrating three years, opening new facility

Brisbane’s Ballistic Beer Co is setting up a “secret new facility” on the southside. The news comes ahead of the brewery’s third-birthday this month.

Ballistic Beer Co, which is based in Salisbury and West End, is celebrating its third birthday this month. Head brewer Lachy Crothers with brewer Aaron Payne. Photo: AAP/Renae Droop

Brisbane’s Ballistic Beer Co is setting up a “secret new facility” on the southside to brew some “amazing and very different beers”, according to owner David Kitchen.

The announcement comes ahead of the company’s third birthday on February 8.

The Salisbury-based brewery, which also has sites in Springfield and West End, is hosting a massive shindig to celebrate which will include food trucks, live entertainment and cake.

Evan Lloyd and Lachy Crothers at Ballistic Beer Co. in Salisbury. Photo: AAP/Richard Walker

Mr Kitchen said he was “very excited” about the new facility and the upcoming anniversary.

“ … Finally we will be able to produce my favourite type of beers,” Mr Kitchen said while staying tight-lipped on the specifics.

Mr Kitchen said the biggest business challenge he had faced over the past few years had been “keeping up with the growth”.

“Brewing equipment cannot be bought off the shelf, with up to six months lead time to manufacture. (Brisbane) City Council development applications take up to 12 months. Making a beer takes four weeks,” he said.

Head Brewer Lachy Crothers. Photo: AAP/Richard Walker

“(And) finding an extra 64 employees takes a lot of effort, so this is not a business where you can just turn around and respond immediately to what is happening. Managing all this growth within just three years has definitely been a challenge.”

Over the Australia Day long weekend, Ballistic’s oaked XPA was ranked 47th out of 1000 beers in Australia, making it the highest rated brewery in Brisbane.

Mr Kitchen said the company had grown from humble beginnings of just one, very skilled and passionate full-time head brewer Lachy Crothers and himself working one day a week to 66 employees.

“Ballistic beers are now available in most national chains, down the eastern seaboard, and Western Australia,” Mr Kitchen said.

From humble beginnings: Lachy Crothers and David Kitchen from Ballistic Beer Co. in Salisbury in 2016. Picture: Richard Walker

The company is hoping to open additional venues in the coming years but in the meantime a new function space, next door to the Salisbury brewery will be opened mid-February.

Mr Kitchen said he had been asked repeatedly if they could host birthdays, work events, and weddings but they’d never really had the right space to do it … until now.

“We are building that space right now and soon I hope to be regularly hosting birthdays, engagements and even weddings at the brewery in a fun, informal and quirky setting,” Mr Kitchen said.