Ballistic Beer Co changes beer name for mental health

A Brisbane craft brewer has changed the name of one of its most popular drops after realising it was adding to the stigma around mental health.

Lachy Crothers and Jake Harrison posing at Ballistic Beer Co, Salisbury. (AAP Image/Josh Woning)

A BRISBANE craft brewer has changed the name of one of its most popular drops after realising it was adding to the stigma around mental health.

Over the next month fans of Ballistic Beer Co’s, Australian Psycho IPA will notice it disappearing from shelves and being replaced by Revelation IPA.

Salisbury-based Ballistic Beer Co owner David Kitchen said the change was to “recognise the term ‘psycho’ can have negative connotations”.

David Kitchen at the Salisbury brewery. (AAP Image/Josh Woning)

“We want our consumers and customers to know that the beer hasn’t changed, it’s exactly the

same,” Mr Kitchen said.

“Two years ago when we launched the beer we were actually just referencing the movie “American Psycho” and as this beer uses 100 per cent Australian hops we substituted Australian for American, but recent feedback has suggested that it can sound negative in relation to mental health issues.

“At Ballistic we take mental health seriously and have worked with organisations like R U OK to support positive attitudes to mental health.

Ballistic Beer Co’s Lachy, Ev, Jake and Dan. Photo: Kristy Muir

Revelation IPA is a 100 per cent Australian hopped New World IPA featuring Enigma, Ella, and Vic Secret hops from our supplier Hop Products Australia.

The beer under its previous name achieved a gold medal at the 2018 Australian International Beer Awards.

Head brewer Lachy Crothers said: “Of all the beers we produced when we launched this was the beer I wanted to brew the most.

“I love that this beer isn’t like any other styles of IPA, big bold and unique flavours it’s a real ‘Revelation’ about how Aussie hops can be used.”

To celebrate the change one keg of Revelation IPA at both Ballistic’s brewery in Salisbury and

Ballistic West End Alehouse and Kitchen will be tapped as a karma keg (where consumers pay what they think the beer is worth as a donation, with all proceeds being donated to R U OK.