Great People, Great Experiences, and Great Beer at Thistle Draftshop

by | Jul 6, 2021

 

For episode 9 of the Texas Beer Experience podcast, Leo shared some great conversations with some great people while enjoying great beer at Thistle Draftshop in Spring, Texas. As Chad Pilbeam of What’s On Tap Radio says, “Great people and great conversations and great experiences make beer taste better.” 

 

If you want a great beer experience, Thistle Draftshop is the place to go. They have 60 taps, beer to go, and an amazing menu. Try the Kimchi Braut and the Too Tot To Trot burger, a delicious burger topped with tater tots. It used to be an off-menu item that was not always available, but now it is a permanent menu item and it is awesome! Great people at Thistle Draftshop make it a great experience as well. They are kind, welcoming, and knowledgeable and will help you find the beer right for you. 

 

Some of the beers enjoyed while recording this episode include Double Down by Saint Arnold, Knucklebock by Texas Leaguer, and Old Fashioned Barleywine by Saint Arnold. Three delicious beers made even better by great conversations with the following guests:

 

– Kent Bray of the Just Hangin’ Facebook group

– Mario Ortiz, famous beer drinker and amazing Simpsons voice impersonater

– Jami Thomas of Bearded Fox Brewing

– Chad Pilbeam of What’s on Tap Radio and Beer Logic

We’ll Miss You, Chad

 

While Chad is moving to Michigan, we do not really have to say goodbye. He will be visiting Texas often and will continue to advocate for Texas craft beer. He will also continue to host What’s On Tap Radio with his buddy, James Simpson. What’s On Tap Radio has been on the air for 8 years. You can listen Sundays from 3-5 pm on 950 am radio, KPRC, or you can catch the podcast on the next day via iTunes, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, and other places you get your podcasts. 

 

Chad’s Origin Story

 

It was the late 1990s when Chad discovered brewpubs. This was when there were only about 500 breweries in the U.S. Now there are almost 9,000! Chad would often ask to talk to the brewers. No one was asking to talk to the brewers at this time. “Back then, nobody even knew what good beer was,” says Chad. He asked questions and accrued beer knowledge for years. Then, he says, “Somebody actually paid me to talk about beer, and that’s when it clicked.” Now Chad is a professional beer drinker. He can connect anything to beer, and no one can tell a story quite like Chad. Beer Logic with Chad is a presentation of business comedy in which Chad ties any topic to beer while sampling five different beers. “Beer is a unifier,” he says, “You learn, laugh, and drink.” 

 

Episode 9

 

To hear more great stories from Chad, listen to episode 9 of our Texas Beer Experience podcast. You’ll also hear more from Kent Bray who brings people together over beer. You’ll hear how Mario Ortiz has visited over 200 breweries in Texas! And you’ll hear from Jami Thomas of Bearded Fox Brewing about how their flagship beer, Aunt Rose, got its name. Thank you to our guests and to Thistle Draftshop. It is always a pleasure to sit down with great people and share a wonderful Texas beer experience. 

 

Cheers!