Ballistic Beer Co, major Queensland craft beer company, collapses

A well-known craft beer company has plunged into voluntary administration after just six years in business. 

Ballistic Beer Co appointed administrators PFK Melbourne on Tuesday, according to documents with the financial regulator ASIC. 

Co-founder David Kitchen told boutique beer newsletter The Crafty Pint the company’s directors and shareholders are restructuring the business. 

A creditors meeting is listed for February 26. The Queensland company’s beers are still for sale online. 

The business launched in 2017 and its tinnies have taken home a swag of accolades. 

They include a series of medals from the 2021 Australian International Beer Awards – the largest beer contest in the world. 

Ballistic Beer runs a series of breweries in Queensland, including in the Whitsundays, Salisbury and Springfield, as well as producing its own craft beer lines. 

The independent Queensland brewer is highly regarded – boasting a swag of industry awards

The beers were also on sale through 2,800 national bottle shops including Dan Murphy’s

The company was formed in April 2017 by two mates who played rugby together in Hong Kong two decades before, and rapidly expanded in the years that followed.

Award-winning beers 

The company’s beers won four gold medals within months of its launch, and went on to win many more.

In the last five years, Ballistic has won almost 100 gold, silver and bronze medals at various national and international competitions. 

Its website boasts they have won three trophies as best beer in class, been named Champion Large Brewery, and was awarded Champion Queensland Beer for its Coupe de Grace barrel-aged Stout. 

Co-founder David Kitchen ran a chain of home brew stores before launching Ballistic beer with head brewer Lachy Crothers, who was working in London at the time but keen to return to Australia.

The pair moved into a World War II munitions factory in Brisbane’s industrial suburb of Salisbury and converted it into the brand’s first brewery.

Bolstering the craft beers with food trucks and live music, the family-friendly concept soon proved a hit and was renamed Ballistic Brewery, with up to 12 beers on tap.

As well as stalwarts like Australian Psycho IPA, Dirty Word Lager, Ballistic Pale Ale, Pilot Light Table Beer, and an English style old ale called the Grandfather, the team also produced more adventurous short-run specials.

One included the wine-strength Coup De Grace Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout which was 13.9 per cent alcohol and aged in rum barrels for six months. 

Over the next five years the firm opened a further four outlets, with three more breweries attached, in Brisbane’s West End, Springfield south of Brisbane, Bundaberg and Airlie Beach.

The beers were also on sale through 2,800 national bottle shops including Dan Murphy’s.

‘We are focussing on aggressive growth, but in a structured way,’ Kitchen said in 2020. 

‘We are looking at “10 times” growth over the next five years, and two years before going international.’

He added: ‘I’m risk averse in many ways, but most small businesses are run by optimists who don’t always see things as being as risky as they might be. 

‘If you don’t plan, then plan to fail! I’m not one for reviewing the business plan every quarter, but I’m certainly always working towards it subconsciously. 

‘The clearer you make your plan, the easier it is to move forward.’