Russian River Brewing Company

Certainly a destination brewery, taproom, and restaurant. Address is on a quiet downtown Santa Rosa street, with diagonal parking. Public parking lot available at the back part of the block. The room itself has lots of wood, with a high, open industrial ceiling. Has a long bar and other multi-level seating options. There is a separate room to the left of the front entrance that offers merchandise and beers to go. Very pleasant and helpful staff.

The first obvious thing that jumps out at you s the quality of beer and the price. Even for California, this is probably the best price point for amazing beer anywhere in the world. $6.25 for drafts of some of the best beers I have had, 16oz…can’t believe beat. Carry out for $5.30 16 oz bottles, are you kidding me?? Seated immediately, great food in which my college graduates even liked, priceless. The girls went to Walmart for me to finish!!! I had to wait a little between draft # 1&2 is only complaint.

 

This is a classic bar, atmosphere and decor wise. A fairly narrow room with much dark wood for the bar. tables, chairs and walls. Then one learns from the name of their Irish style stout that the place was indeed a tavern named The Old Vic, before Russian River Brewing. They serve tasting flights 5 at a time on a board that has bottle caps imbedded in it with the beer names on them, nice touch. Pliny the Elder was the favored beer of the five and got six bottles of it to go.

They have a legendary beer sampler. Pretty sure it holds every beer on tap which is 15 or so.

 

Arrived on a Wednesday afternoon in January. Pleased that there was no line to enter, and the 4 of us got a table right away. The place was close to full upon arrival, and was certainly full when we left after about an hour. Unfortunately due to other obligations we couldn't stay long. I had two of their classic beers - Pliny the Elder DIPA and Shadow of A Doubt Imperial Porter. Both were excellent, but I think I enjoyed the imperial porter a bit more, probably because it wasn't something you get too often. Loved al the old beer signs hanging around the place, and picked up some merch on the way out. I'm hoping this isn't my only trip to RR, but if it is I had a great time there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Windsor Brewery...new new new and huge huge huge. Wow! What a large setup that caught me off guard. Full disclosure- I've never been to the Santa Rosa pub.

Sparkling new brewery with enough space to brew multiple batches of whatever they like. I had the kids in tow so the space worked out very well - large, distinct spaces for the pub, gift shop (with bottles to go), tasting room that was closed during our visit, self-guided tour (basically you can look down into the brewing and packaging areas) and a large outdoor area to let the kids stretch their legs. I can see this being gangbusters over the summer.

Such joy knowing that you can take home bottles upon bottles of Pliny, Happy Hops, Pig, select -"ations" . Wonderful and easy. Food was solid and reasonably priced. Pliny was snappy and crisp from draft. Beautiful.

Nothing quaint about it - it's a destination that you can spend several hours enjoying, and that's just what we did.

 

 

Pliny the younger release 2019. 15th anniversary. Good experience.

 

bring blank growlers, they will not fill ones from other breweries

 

Finally made it from the East Coast to Santa Rosa to try Pliny the Elder and some of their other brews. Definitely worth a visit and a wait for a table. The pizza is really good too and with a crowd of happy beer enthusiasts of all ages its all good.