Call it the Super Brrr.

Patrons of The Thirsty Pig bar on Exchange Street in Portland watched the Super Bowl outside on the deck, with temperatures sliding into the low teens and further.

Additional Photos

Trevor Fischer, a bartender at The Thirsty Pig, watches as Margaret Keilty of South Portland tries out the seating he made out of snow where patrons were invited to watch the Super Bowl projected on a neighboring brick wall Sunday. Jill Brady/Staff Photographer

The Super Bowl is projected onto a brick wall for viewing at The Thirsty Pig where seating was built out of snow Sunday. Jill Brady/Staff Photographer

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At Binga’s Stadium on Free Street, “Sweet Caroline” blared after the New England Patriots secured a 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks on a last-second interception. The packed crowd sang along and swayed to the Neil Diamond standard, which has become the unofficial anthem of Boston sports teams.

Mark Thornton of Boothbay Harbor could only shake his head at the dramatic way the game ended.

“What a great game! It was a nail-biter, just like the rest of the playoffs,” Thornton said as he exited Binga’s.

At The Thirsty Pig, it was a labor of cold love to bring The Big Game to the big outdoors, or at least the deck outside.

The bar projected the Super Bowl onto the wall of a next-door building in the Old Port, resulting in a fuzzy picture where the ball could only sometimes be seen through the brick pattern.

However, there was no beating the icy ambiance Sunday night, even though it took some squinting to see details of the game.

“I would just say we have a great sound system,” quipped Craig Loftus of Portland, enjoying a cold one while experiencing a cold one. Clapping was muffled by heavy gloves every time the Patriots scored. Wisps of cold mist billowed from people’s mouths every time they exhaled.

Loftus and about 15 Super Bowl watchers sat on snow bleachers, a creation carved out of last week’s snowstorms by Trevor Fischer, a friend of bar employees. Fischer spent three days perfecting the seating area, topped off by the words “Go Patriots” spray-painted on the side.

“I used an oak pallet and a shovel and just patted it down. The heavy snow we got on Friday really helped,” said Fischer, who on Sunday periodically shaped the bleachers with a shovel so they would retain their perfect condition.

Green Bay may boast about the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, but Portland has the frozen deck at The Thirsty Pig.

For those who didn’t want to sit directly on snow, sections of bubble wrap encased in aluminum foil were there for warmer sitting.

They strung up lights, brought in a fake 1970s-style fireplace and an outdoor heater that warmed you up by a few degrees.

The Big Question for The Big Game?

Why? Why host a game outside in weather only a moose could love?

“We’re Mainers. Why wouldn’t we?” Fischer said.

The idea was the brainchild of David Nowers, known as “The Mexican Patriot” for wearing a New England Patriots poncho purchased in Cancun. Nowers said he so enjoyed the movie series they had on the deck last summer that he told the bar owner, Allison Stevens, that if the Patriots made the Super Bowl, they would watch it outside.

“I knew we would be here, but I believe the Patriots are going to the Super Bowl in the first kickoff of the first game in September,” Nowers said. This year, he was right, but no one seemed to mind the cold, especially not when the Pats were winning in the first half.

For every touchdown the Pats scored, free appetizers were handed out, such as dates wrapped with bacon, topped by Gorgonzola cheese.

“Bring on the appetizers!” someone screamed when New England scored in the second quarter.

It was so cold that the gummy worms brought by John and Katie Kosta of Portland froze. But still, they were in good, albeit frosty, spirits.

“I think this is awesome. It’s complete genius,” Katie Kosta said.

“Yeah, I think this is really cool. Literally,” Loftus said, laughing.

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