Take Me to the River- Russian River Brewing, That is #Visitsantarosa

Greetings fans and followers! This is the ninth and final entry in a multi- part series of reviews highlighting the breweries I visited during the Great Beer Now Roses, Rivers, and Peanuts Beer Tour 2018. My visit focused on Santa Rosa, California and surrounding areas, which happen to rank among the best locations in the United States for craft beer. Sit back, open a bottle or can of your favorite craft beer, and follow me along on my journey. Cheers!

 

Some breweries are known for specific and highly anticipated beer releases. Other breweries are known for their consistent emphasis on quality that shows in every beer they produce. Still other breweries are known as pioneers in the industry and continue to influence start- up breweries in a positive way. And then, there are breweries that exemplify all of these qualities and a prime example is Russian River Brewing, located at 725 4^th Street in Santa Rosa, California.

Beer and Food to Match

Russian River Brewing is a mainstay of the local and regional craft beer scene and is known for its succulent brews. They are best renowned for their IPA, but they serve a wide variety of options that include pilsner, porter, sour, Belgian style, and others. The available beers are listed on a blackboard behind the bar, in order by alcohol level, from lowest abv to highest abv.

Besides the beer, Russian River Brewing is also well- known among locals for its food. They serve some of the finest pizzas in town plus an assortment of other American bar foods like wings, salads, sandwiches, calzone, and even a few desserts. The downtown location is a full- fledged brewpub and even though most who visit come here for the beer, you’re really missing out if you don’t also sample some of the food.

The Russian River brewpub is an attractive place, featuring lots of wood and an inviting atmosphere. The brewpub utilizes a 20 barrel brewing system, but this is only part of the operation. There is another, larger facility where the bulk of Russian River beer is brewed.

Pour Me a Few Beers, Please

Russian River Brewing produces amazing beer and has won countless awards for its brewing expertise. Here is a listing of the beers I tried, listed in alphabetical order by name, followed by the style and my Untappd rating on a five point scale:

• Blind Pig, American IPA, 4.5
• Pliny the Elder, Double IPA, 5
• Pliny the Younger, Triple IPA, 5
• Row 2, Hill 56, American Pale Ale, 4.5

Overall Average Rating: 4.75

I arrived at Russian River late in the evening and had only short time to try beer. Pliny the Younger was at the top of my priority list, but I did find time to sample others. As you can clearly see, the beer is first- rate, and my overall average rating of 4.75 places this brewery near the very top of all of the breweries I have ever visited.

Take Me to the River

Russian River Brewing is an institution among American breweries. Opened in 1997, the brewery is often included in lists dedicated to the top craft breweries in the United States and ranks among the most beloved and highly respected craft breweries in the land.

I visited Russian River Brewing during my Santa Rosa beer tour in early February and it was right at the height of the Pliny the Younger release. I can remember driving past the brewery during the day and I saw the lines for the entrance, wrapping around the block. People were standing in line for a good four to seven hours, waiting to get their lips around a serving of Pliny the Younger. I had too many things to do to wait in a line that long, but I knew that I absolutely could not leave Santa Rosa without visiting its most famous brewery. To cut down on wait times, I went late at night and I did, indeed, reduce my time in line to only 70 minutes. That was an accomplishment, to say the least. The only drawback was, arriving as late as I did, I had just 50 minutes remaining to try the beer.

To ration the Pliny the Younger, Russian River Brewing handed out wristbands that limited each customer to a few glasses and no more. I was fine with that because I wanted to try other beers as well. I had already sampled Pliny the Elder at the Great American Beer Festival but recalling how much Ii liked it, I decided another serving was a good idea. I also tried Row 2 Hill 56 and Bling Pig. Everything was excellent and when all was said and done and last call was announced, I was ever- grateful that I made the decision to visit when I did. And I must commend the bartenders for their efforts. The gigantic, overflow crowds and the constant demands for service would be enough to drive many people over the edge, but the bartenders kept their cool and delivered the beer in a courteous and friendly manner.

Most people who visit Russian River Brewing come here for the beer, but many are surprised to learn that the food is also top- notch. The pizza pies are numerous and make great companions to the beer, plus they serve some excellent sandwiches. Owner/founder Vinnie Cilurzo and crew are fully aware that excellence must be achieved on all levels and if you’re going to serve food, it has to be on equal par with the beer. Well, it would be difficult to match beer this good, but they make a valiant effort with the food served here at Russian River.

Russian River is one of America’s finest craft breweries and no visit to Santa Rosa is complete without a scheduled stop here on fourth street in downtown. Pliny the Younger is already sold out, as expected, but with so many scrumptious beers for the sampling, the lack of the youthful Pliny should in no way discourage you from visiting, as there are about twenty or so amazing beers for your drinking pleasure. So whatever you do, be sure to pay a visit to Russian River Brewing the next time you’re in Santa Rosa, California. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.