Sunday History Photo / NT

Back in 1957, Carlton and United Breweries set up shop in Darwin. Within a year of brewing NT Draught, they realised that shipping normal sized stubbies around the NT was a logistical pain in the backside so in April 1958, the 2.27LDarwin Stubby was born. The current version contains two litres. Its aims were to minimise the high handling costs associated with bottling and to cater to big Territory thirsts. There are legends about a beer-drinking Brahman bull named Norman, who supposedly was a regular Darwin Stubby drinker at the Humpty Doo hotel
DARWIN'S most famous export - the iconic Darwin Stubby - had celebrated its 50th birthday in 2008.




As Territorian as Uluru and arguably just as well known, the giant beer continues to capture the attention of guzzlers with eyes bigger than their bellies the world over.
The 2.25L Darwin Stubby was conceived by Carlton and United Brewery in 1958 to satisfy the hearty appetite of Territory beer drinkers, whose love of the amber fluid could not be confined to 750ml, the largest grog vessel at the time.
It quickly became the drink of choice for thirsty locals and tourists alike who were quick to get on board.
Although the NT Draught Darwin Stubby has had many incarnations over the years, it continues to be a much sought-after product and sells around 24,000 bottles each year.
"The Darwin Stubby gives us a presence around the world, everyone knows about it. No one else has anything that big - it's as big as the Territory and everyone mentions it wherever you go, and it's the best doorstop on the planet.'
Although no longer brewed in the Territory, many old-time Darwin locals can remember the days when the old Bishop St site pumped out hangovers as big as the bottle - by the dozen.
Even ex Chief Minister Paul Henderson admitted to enjoying the odd "lock-in'' at the brewery in the 1980s when he joined in the birthday celebrations for the Darwin Stubby.




It might have been the 50th birthday of the Darwin Stubby in 2008 but it was the story of a beer-drinking bull from Humpty Doo which stole the show.
Without doubt the most famous Darwin Stubby drinker is Norm the Brahman bull, who smashed the world record for downing the quickest one at the Humpty Doo Hotel in the 1980s. Norm later died of, er, liver disease.
Howard Springs IT specialist Brian Holm remembers his first NT Draught.
The yarn emerged at a birthday party in Darwin today for the Darwin Stubby, the two-litre beer bottle that has helped forge the Northern Territory's hard-drinking reputation.
Former owner of the Humpty Doo Hotel, Don Parmenter, recalled when a 600kg Brahman bull named Norman became a regular patron at his Darwin pub in the 1980s. Norman would happily throw down half a dozen cans or two Darwin Stubbies in a session. they had a Darwin Stubby drinking contest down there - he won it every year.



"He'd never get drunk but you'd have to get out the shovel and hose after he left."
Norman belonged to the owner of the Humpty Doo Hotel back in the 1980s and his beer drinking efforts made him a bit of a legend. Weighing in at over 600kg, Norman could suck down a Darwin Stubby in 47 seconds – no bull!
On hand to cut the birthday cake,the then Chief Minister Paul Henderson also remembered sharing a lazy beer with the bull.
These days, NT Draught is brewed down in Victoria before being carted across the country for exclusive sale in the Northern Territory! Essentially, it’s just a tourist gimmick because of the two litre bottle, but is it the beer actually any good?

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