Russian River Brewing Company
Brewpub · Santa Rosa
725 4th St, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Highlights
Specialty pizza, pub grub & California ales, known for Pliny
Specialty pizza, pub grub & California ales, known for Pliny
"The most dedicated beer fanatics likely already know this and are in line at Russian River Brewing Company, but for the rest of us, the annual return of Pliny the Younger is upon us... and the celebrated beer is almost of legal drinking age. The Mercury News reports that this release of the triple IPA will run from Friday, March 22 through April 4 and will be available at Russian River’s Santa Rosa brewpub and Windsor brewery and pub for the 20th anniversary of the brew. All the intricate details on what to expect when you’re looking for Pliny are available on the Russian River Brewing Company website." - Dianne de Guzman
"Since 2004 the brewery’s annual release of its famously hoppy triple IPA, Pliny the Younger, has become a major local event, generating millions in visitor revenue and driving a mini tourism economy around its Sonoma County brewpubs. A one-week draft rollout and later keg distribution traditionally kept the beer local, but the recent decision to bottle the beer for the first time and limit purchases to two per customer upended the system, prompting a brisk secondary market in trades and cash sales that saw bottles commanding many times their $10 retail price. The move exposed tensions between breweries trying to protect local allocations and a passionate nationwide collector/trader culture that values rarity, often converting scarce bottles into beer-for-beer swaps or high-dollar resales." - Caleb Pershan
"Beer lovers are well aware that Russian River Brewing Company’s Pliny the Younger is considered the most desirable in the country, due in no small part to its relative scarcity: For 15 years, the brew has only been served for two weeks, starting on the first Friday of February. That’s today, and Russian River confirms that the Pliny will start flowing at 11 a.m., and will be sold through February 20. Pliny’s brewers set fans buzzing late last year when they announced that for the first time ever, the beer would also be made available in bottle form. This is a huge switch from the past, when the only way to quaff Pliny was to drink it as it’s poured at Russian River Brewing Company’s taprooms in Santa Rosa (725 Fourth Street) and Windsor (700 Mitchell Lane). That doesn’t mean Pliny fans can just waddle on down to the 7-11 and pick up a case, however. Russian River is quite firm on the matter, in fact, saying that to buy a bottle, one must still wait in a (one to six hour!) line at their taprooms and take a seat at the bar or a table, where they will be allowed to buy a maximum of two 510 ml bottles to take home — that is, if Russian Rover hasn’t already run out. (It’s worth noting here that this year’s beer is estimated to pack a 10.25 percent ABV punch, so consume wisely.)" - Eve Batey
"Russian River Brewing Company will now release Pliny the Younger in bottle form for the first time. Available only at Santa Rosa and Windsor breweries, the limited release attracts global visitors." - Eve Batey
"Russian River Brewing Co. has officially opened its huge new Windsor brewery — and 200-seat restaurant, beer garden, two bars, tasting room, and gift shop — to fervent crowds. In addition to more than a dozen beers on tap, the new facility offers a far more ambitious food menu than its Santa Rosa brewpub. Tours should begin in a few weeks." - Janelle Bitker
