As you all know this blog focuses on wine but if I had to pick a single brewery to blog about it would undoubtedly be the Russian River Brewing Company. Russian River Brewing Company was founded by Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville, CA, in 1997. Pliny The Elder was first brewed in 1999 and 20 years later is still their most popular beer with a cult like following. Vinnie Cilurzo was the brewmaster and first employee of Russian River Brewing. Over the years Vinnie and his wife Natalie have bought out the rest of the investors and partners and are now sole owners of the brewery.
Russian River Brewing opened a new facility in Windsor in 2018 which now serves as their headquarters and main brewing facility but the Santa Rosa location still thrives offering their best beers and killer pizzas. On many of my visits to Santa Rosa over the years the Russian River Brewing Company has been a welcome respite when you just can’t drink another glass of wine.
I am not clear on the back story of why beers like Blind Pig and Pliny The Elder have not been available in the Seattle market but recently learned that after a 10 year hiatus the Russian River lineup will now be on tap and sold in bottle around Seattle. Look for their products in well known beer outlets like Chucks Hop Shop and Beer Junction. A complete list of retail locations can be found here. This announcement was made yesterday so I suspect the beers will be on shelves later this week.
Yours truly will certainly be drinking more beer in the upcoming year.