ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
As temperatures in the wider Diamantina begin to drop, a curious transformation is taking place at the town’s beloved watering hole, The Dapper Platypus. Local office worker, Tom Mitchell, has officially traded in his light, summery lagers for rich, robust dark beers, marking a seasonal shift that seems to sweep through Betoota every winter.
Tom, a 32-year-old financial analyst, had never considered himself a dark beer enthusiast.
“I’ve always been a pale ale guy,” he admits, recalling afternoons spent with friends at The Dapper Platypus, enjoying crisp, refreshing brews in the beer garden. Sometimes alone, sometime with friends. But with the onset of colder weather, everything changed.
“I was at the pub with some mates, and someone ordered a Guinness. I thought, ‘Fuck me, that actually looks OK,” Tom explains.
“I thought, why not give it a try?”
That decision marked the beginning of Tom’s transformation. As Betoota’s iconic chill set in, he found himself increasingly drawn to the rich flavors and warming qualities of dark beers.
“It’s like wearing a thick wool sweater for your insides,” he says. “Like having a big honk on a CBD vape.”
Regulars at The Dapper Platypus have noticed a similar trend. Pete Langford, the pub’s owner, has seen a significant uptick in sales of darker beers.
“It’s the same every year. As soon as the temperature drops, we can’t keep enough stouts and porters in stock,” Pete says.
“There’s something about a cold Betoota evening that makes people crave something heartier. Big roaring fire in the front bar. People smoking on the stoop out the front. Being rugged up is nice, especially when you’re hammered.”
Tom’s friends have been quick to notice the change, too.
“We used to give him a hard time about his mid-strength lagers,” says colleague Jess Sampson.
“We’d do the whole ‘gay wrist thing’ when he came back with a tray of Coronas or something. Now, he’s gone at got himself a flatcap, he’s growing his beard out and he looks like he’d last at least 3 minutes in bed. Not just a little bit of romcom in and out. He looks like he could absolutely jackhammer me into the fifth dimension for 180 seconds. It’s a great turn around.”
Despite the ribbing from his mates, Tom is unapologetic about his new preference.
“There’s just something about a dark beer that suits the cold weather,” he says, taking another sip.
“It’s not just about getting a drink; it’s about the whole experience. The warmth, the richness – it’s perfect for winter. I mean, that’s the whole reason why Tooheys Old exists. When it’s below 14, you move from New to Old.”
As Betoota settles into the cooler months, more locals seem to be following in Tom’s footsteps, opting for darker, more robust beers to fend off the chill. Whether it’s a seasonal fad or a genuine shift in taste, one thing is certain: Betoota’s beer scene is as dynamic and changeable as the weather itself.
More to come.
