Day 8: Where it All Began (Plus a Beer Launch)

In an unplanned, but fitting, venue for our next first, we revisited the place where we met. After days of texts back and forth with Sarah in 2012, she connected Ellaine and me, and within minutes (maybe hours) we agreed on going to Plan B for our first date. 

Plan B Glastonbury will always hold a special place in our hearts. It's where we planned our first date. It's where Ellaine walked past me, looking for "the guy in the pink shirt" because she claimed my shirt looked white under lighting. It's where our story began. We return to Plan B every year on June 30th to celebrate our dating anniversary. We return several days in between, just because we love it so much there. Today, we return for another special reason: New Belgium Brewing Company. In a bold stroke of genius, New Belgium selected Connecticut to be the 44th state that should be honored to buy its beer!

Well before this CT rollout, Ellaine knew just how much I liked this brewery. To make our first Valentine's Day special, she wanted to surprise me with some. Not being a beer drinker herself, she only had to go on what I told her was delicious, specifically Fat Tire and 1554.  She called "at least 40" places that carried this brand, each one being a minimum of four states away. When she finally found a package store that had it and would ship it, she dropped 80-some dollars on 24 very delicious beers for me (I got her a card.... sigh (and she still won't let me forget it)).

So when Ellaine found a poster announcing that New Belgium would be hosting their CT launch at Plan B, she was particularly thrilled for how excited I would be (rightfully so). So much so, that she interrupted her conversation with her girlfriend, Chanty, to send me a snap announcing it.  

Us and our firsts. Top right is them screwing on
the tap handles for the first time!

When we got to Plan B, we explained our relationship history to them and just how much they meant to us. When we layered on my extra tie to growing up in New Belgium's home state of Colorado, Plan B decided to go out of their way for us: not only did I get to drink my very first New Belgium on tap in Connecticut, but they poured me the very first tap in the state. Ellaine enjoyed the very first Heavy Melon poured, and our friend Casey got to enjoy the first Ranger poured. We were also able to meet New Belgium Division Directors, Rich and Greg, both great guys. Seriously, Plan B made that happen for us. We love them and are grateful that fate brought us here on that very first night.