In regional Australia, the pub has always been more than a place for a cold one — it’s where stories are shared and mates check in. Merinda Village Hotel has partnered with Boiling Pot Brewing Co in Noosa to launch a beer designed to do more than refresh.
Each can features a QR code that connects instantly to Lifeline’s 24/7 online crisis support chat. No searching. No barriers. Just one scan.
Boiling Pot Brewing Co spokesman Adam Harriden said the initiative forms part of ‘Legends of the Yarn’ — a community-driven movement built around the belief that real conversations over a beer can change outcomes.
“Legends of the Yarn was prompted by something deeper than just celebrating good pub stories. While it honours the characters and coastal culture we all know and love, at its heart the initiative is about encouraging blokes — and the broader community — to check in on their mates,” he said.
“It’s designed as an ongoing initiative, with different legends and stories featured over time, all reinforcing the idea of connection and checking in.
“The ‘yarn’ isn’t just a story. It’s a conversation. And we know conversations save lives.
“The can also carries simple prompts encouraging mates to start a yarn and check in with one another. Men in regional Australia are disproportionately affected by mental health challenges. This brew is about removing friction to support, while staying authentic to pub culture and community. If scanning that code helps one person reach out when they need it most — then it’s done its job.”
The beer which is being produced in collaboration with Boiling Pot Brewing Co is available in Noosa and also in Merinda, where the region has experienced a confronting number of suicides in recent years, Adam said.
“Extending the initiative there is intentional — it’s about taking the message to communities that need stronger reminders that it’s okay to talk,” he said.
If this story has raised any issues phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au
