Bottoms up for the Darwin Stubby

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Feldon

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For some reason I thought the days of the Darwin stubby ended years ago, but apparently not.

Darwin stubby.jpg


Darwin Stubby wake held in Alice Springs as Carlton United Breweries pulls pin on production

ABC News 29 May 2015

A devoted gathering of beer drinkers is bidding farewell to the Darwin Stubby - a huge and, in the Top End at least, iconic bottle that is going out of production - at a wake held in an Alice Springs steakhouse.

The Darwin Stubby was created by Carlton United Breweries when it began brewing NT Draught in 1957.

While more recently made Darwin Stubbies hold a mere two litres of beer, they originally held the equivalent of six regular-size stubbies.

The company's website said the oversize bottle was used because of the logistics of shipping bottles such large distances.

The brewer has since decided to stop producing it.

The wake commemorating the life and times of the Darwin Stubby was held, paradoxically, at an Alice Springs steak house.

Restaurant owner Wayne Kraft he was holding the event because, "Darwin is still in mourning".

Mr Kraft said he was encouraged to hold the wake by former Northern Territory administrator Ted Egan, who is famous for turning empty beer boxes into musical instruments.

"It is a sad day so we'll shed a tear in our beer, and Ted's going to reminisce and maybe sing a few songs," Mr Kraft said.

Mr Egan said the Darwin Stubby was a great tourism device, and he often took one along on official visits to promote the Territory.

"It's sad that it's gone but life goes on, and it was one of the great means of attracting people to the Territory," he said.

"It was all about just slow drinking and a lot of chats.

"Drinking is really supposed to be convivial, with lots of food and laughter. That's the old style."

A slow cooked 43-kilogram leg of central Australian camel was being served with the last remaining bottles of NT Draught.

[SIZE=11pt]more at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-29/darwin-stubby-wake-held-as-carlton-united-stops-production/6508116 [/SIZE]
 
There has been no Darwin brewed beer for decades. The contents of the bottle would have been VB or something similar brewed at Yatala QLD.
 
Always wanted to get one for display,my son has one he bought back from the NT but he won't let me near it.
An Aussie icon for sure.
 
If the brewery is not bottling in Darwin stubbies any more, I wonder what is going to happen to the dies (or molds) that are used to form the bottles?

Some enterprising LHBS should contact the brewery or glass maker company and see if they could be bought.

Then contract out a short production run every now and then to make the bottles so as to sell them to homebrewers.
 
I've still got a couple of unopened 15-20 yr old Darwin stubbies ageing in the garden shed. Another couple of Melbourne summers should mature them nicely.
 
I have one of the later 2.25 litre ones with RIS that's now 4 years old. There are a few around in the secondhand joints but fairly expensive.
 
Where do you get the full size bottles stubby is small size.
 
I've got an empty one somewhere. Bought it while visiting the prospective (and eventual) father-in-law in the Alice during the 90s.
I recall not really enjoying the beer, glad to have not really enjoyed it in the NT though.
 
Mine gets the odd rotation in the brewing schedule- You're committed to having a few when you crack the top though.

Cheers,
RB

PS. Capping it is a pain- no chance with my bench capper....
 
Drifting a little OT, but the Darwin stubby also got a mention in this amusing NT News story: 'Top five reasons Darwin is vastly superior to dull old Townsville'.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/only-in-the-territory/top-five-reasons-darwin-is-vastly-superior-to-dull-old-townsville/story-fnk2tg5d-1227250217979

The story seems to have been inspired by Prince Harry's snub to Darwin choosing to visit Townsville instead.

Some funny in-story links to other Darwin news - eg. 'Feral, bogan sheilas roaming the streets of Darwin upsets local man'.

David Nichols says his mate can’t even get lucky at the Christian Church, which was once a good hunting ground for a man seeking a fine lady.
“In the old days they used to be good, pick-up joints,” he said. “It’s a social gathering. “Women dress up at church, look after themselves a bit.”
 
Typical... the one thing we've got to be proud of up here and they take it away from us!
 
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