Brewery scraps ‘Suicider’ cider after complaint

A brewery has removed a cider called ‘Suicider’ from its line-up after a volunteer at a festival where it was being sold branded it insensitive.

Credit: Daniel Hillier/Twitter

Suicider, brewed by Wiscombe Cider, was being sold at Beautiful Days festival in Ottery St Mary, East Devon, by Otter Brewery.

Daniel Hillier, who volunteers with the Samaritan, had been a volunteer at the brewery’s bar at the festival, but resigned from his position upon discovering the cider, saying its name was grossly “inappropriate” and “insensitive” due to its links to mental health issues.

Posting to his Twitter on the first day of the festival, Hiller said he had resigned as a volunteer for the brewer because he couldn’t work for a company that “so culturally insensitive to mental health issues”.

Tim Chichester, from Wiscombe Cider, said in 40 years Hillier’s complaint was the first he has had about the cider, as reported by the BBC.

However the Otter Brewery later confirmed it would not sell the 7% abv cider under that name in the future.

Otter Brewing’s Managing Director, Patrick McCaig, said: “Quite simply, we won’t be selling that brand at the festival again. We will take action straight away to make sure it’s not seen and therefore doesn’t upset anyone in the future.

“Perhaps it was acceptable in the old days. It’s not now, so we all need to move on.”