New Brew Thursday 3rd Anniversary - Woo!

Me hanging out with Stephen (New Brew Thursday)
and Greg (OC Beer Blog) who let me use the picture

On a nice January evening the SBS crew (Scott, Steve, Ryan and Scott), Scott's wife Jennifer and I headed North to Beachwood BBQ and Brewing to celebrate the third anniversary of my favorite online show - New Brew Thursday. 

We got there just before the 7:00 pm start time to find the place already pretty packed with fellow beer geeks anxiously anticipating the bottle share and revelry that was to come. We were told the wait for a table would be about a hour, so we figured we would stash our beer filled bags and grab a drink.  I headed straight back to congratulate host Stephen Johnson on 3 growing years of NBT and was fortunate enough to score one of the last commemorative glasses.  

3rd Anniversary Glass - woo!

After grabbing a beer at the bar we hung out socializing with other party goers while we waited for our table.  As with most cultural communities you tend to run into a lot of the same people over time at various gathering.  This is actually how I got to know the SBS crew.  The first time I met the guys was at the 2011 Bruery initiation party then a few months later at another event.  Phone numbers were exchanged and we started hanging out a couple of times a month. 

It wasn't long after we got a beer that my buddies Brad (from Peace Brewing) and Greg (from OC Beer Blog) arrived with their ever lovely wives. While I was talking with them Matt Becker came up to say hi to Brad and Greg allowing me the opportunity to congratulation him on the success of the show.

About a half a hour in, just about the time we were starting to get really hungry, we scored one of the best tables in the restaurant, a big U shaped table about midway in the which also happened to be right across from the bottle share.  To make things even better within minutes of getting seated the bottle share started! We quickly ordered dinner and started to hit up the share.  I bumped into another acquaintance Chris (beachstrength49) who hooked us up with some of the best beers of the night.

He's a rundown of the fantastic beers I got to try that night

• Alpha Supreme by Beachwood Brewing <Brewed For NBT>
• Fantôme Saison D'Erezée - Printemps by Brasserie Fantôme
• DBA Unfiltered 100% Barrel Aged Cask by Firestone Walker Brewing Company
• Ode to a Russian Shipwright by Olvalde Farm and Brewing Company
• 23rd Anniversary Old Ale by Karl Strauss Brewing Company
• Melange A Trois (Reserve Series, Chardonnay Barrel Aged) by Nebraska Brewing Company
• Eclipse - Elijah Craig 12 (2012) by FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
• Eclipse - Elijah Craig 18 Year (2011) by FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
• Victory At Sea (2008) by Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits
• Bolt Cutter (15th Anniversary Barley Wine) by Founders Brewing Company
• Spring 2012 Biere De Mars by Almanac Beer Co.
• Firestone 13 Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker Brewing Company
• Papier (2009) by The Bruery
• B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout by Hoppin' Frog Brewery
• Genealogy of Morals by Hill Farmstead Brewery
• Lambic by Rivertown Brewing Company
• Barrel Aged Alpha Klaus with Plum by Three Floyds Brewing Company
• Angel's Share (2009) by The Lost Abbey
• The Full Pint 5th Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker Brewing Company
• Batch #1 by Crooked Stave Brewing Company
• Bourbon County Cherry Rye by Goose Island Beer Co. (AB-InBev)
• 2011 Rum Barrel Oil of Aphrodite by Jackie O's Pub & Brewery
• Mother of all Storms (2012) by The Pelican Pub & Brewery
• Diesel #2 by Cascade Brewing Company

Best shot I had of the party - thanks crappy phone

As luck turned out Stephen spent a good portion of the evening hanging out at our table, which given its location had also become a satellite to the main share. Just like when I hung up with him at the Stone Epic Festival: The Final Chapter I had a great time and learned a lot about various subjects.

Overall it was one of the best anniversary parties I'd been to and we ended up staying deep into the evening hours (technically when we left it was the next day!) enjoying great beer, hanging out with quality people and having a fantastic time.

Cheers to another year NBT crew - woo!

-SNB