Brewery slams 'violent and aggressive' alcohol watchdog ruling on Psycho beer

The Cumbrian brewer has withdrawn the name of its Psycho range of beers after the Portman Group decided Eden had broken its code on responsible beer labelling.

Eden Brewery managing director Jason Hill said: “We launched the range last year and since then we have sold thousands of bottles of the product, which has been very well received and highly popular."

'Just one complaint'

“Now, on the grounds of just one complaint, we have been put in a position where we have to go through the costly and time-consuming process of redesigning and rethinking the whole brand.”

The beer’s branding was chosen to represent how the range “could expand your horizons and change your perceptions about how exciting and tasty beer could be,” he asserted, rather than to appeal to those looking to get drunk, aggressive or violent.

Advisory

The Portman Group’s rulings are advisory, meaning Eden Brewery will not be compelled to change the name of the beer.

However, Hill said: “They will send a notification to all our retailers telling them not to stock the product. As a small business we have little choice and can’t take the risk of the negative effects on sales.”

Eden Brewery welcomed feedback on its products and was “happy to accept” differing opinions about what is and isn’t acceptable, he added.

“I do think there are legitimate questions to be asked about the fairness of an organisation that can put small businesses like ours in the position of having to make costly and time-consuming changes on the strength of just one complaint.”