Thirsty Moose Tap House Opens [VIDEO]

Shortly before the front door to the Thirsty Moose Tap House opened for business Thursday at 4:15 p.m., there were about a dozen Portsmouth area beer fans outside.

Five minutes after the Congress Street restaurant opened, the two bars located on the first level were filled with patrons who couldn't wait to try some of its 116 craft beers, the most offered by any Portsmouth area restaurant or elsewhere for that matter.

Kevin Kervick of Portsmouth ordered an Oskar Blue Deviant Dales out of Colorado for his first Thirsty Moose Tap House beer. Kervick, who is also running as a Republican from one of Portsmouth's two floterial districts, already knows he will probably become a regular.

The reason is because there are just so many beers that patrons can try each time they come to the new restaurant. There are several wheats, imports, locals, stouts and porters, IPAs, and many other types of craft beer that will attract many hardcore beer fans.

"Beer has a really great culture," Kervick said. "New Hampshire is just starting to join the real beer revolution."

Dave Syphers of Greenland enjoyed a Black Berry Wheat as his daughters, Haile and Kayla, watched. He said he couldn't wait for the Thirsty Moose to open and were met with great anticipation and excitement on Twitter and Facebook.

Syphers said just having in addition to the big-screen TVs and menu will be enough to make him keep coming back for more.

Joe Kelley, one of the Thirsty Moose's nine owners, said craft beer has a great fandom and Portsmouth is ready to have a restaurant that will finally offer them a great selection of craft beers.

"I think people are crazy about craft beer," said Kelley. He said the Thirsty Moose will give its patrons the chance to enjoy many of the domestic and imported beers they will find at other establishments, but also a wide selection of higher-end craft beers.

The Thirsty Moose hired 50 to 60 people for its waitstaff and kitchen staff and can seat 200 people on the first level and 125 people on the lower level, which was not open on Thursday.