TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)– With March Madness coinciding with St. Patrick’s Day this weekend, bars around Terre Haute reported one of their busiest stretches of the year.

Afterburner Brewing Company owner John Null said they released a new beer alongside the Terre Haute Fire Department Friday for St. Patrick’s Day. He said it was the second year they’ve been open for the holiday– and they made sure to have appropriate staffing to handle the traffic. 

“We made sure we had plenty, ample staffing, it was pretty much all hands on deck whenever we have an event like that,” Null said. “We know and we can kind of forecast them, and those are the things we are kind of learning, what days are the busiest and when we need two, three bartenders.”

Null said he was pleased with the turnout they saw over the course of Friday and Saturday. 

“One of our busiest days of the year is always St. Patrick’s Day, kind of a drinker’s holiday,” he said. “It was a great day, great night. We had a lot of local firefighters who came out to try [the new beer named] War Wagon, which is pretty cool.”

Null said they plan to continue working alongside first responders and other groups around Terre Haute.