one of my breweries that i must visit is Russian River, and I was thinking about trying to get out there at the end of the summer but a friend of mine recommended going out for the Pliny release in February, which sounds good to me. i have read the articles about Friday release, 8 hours to get in, etc.. My question is: what happens Saturday and Sunday? is it still a line up to get in or does it get a little mellower. i am trying to plan, and not have to spend all day on line, and hopefully pre pay for everything, except the beer of course, so any information would be helpful. My current plan is to get into SF either Thursday or Friday, hit breweries in town and drive up to RR on either Sat AM or Sun AM to go to the brewery. Any thoughts/comments.
ALL the weekend will be a pain in the ass with a huge line. A few years back it was common that weekdays wouldn't be as bad. But with the way this hype train is going, weekdays no longer give you the luxury of not having to spend half your day in line. Where are you coming from? I would say go to Russian River when it's NOT younger season and actually enjoy yourself. Yeah, you won't get Younger, but that tasting sample order alone will make you happy. You may also want to plan your trip to another area that has great beers as well as tappings of younger. Say the San Diego/Orange County/L.A. area around the two-three week mark after RR releases Pliny. You can get it with probably a lot less mess of dealing with RR crowds and enjoy variety of different beers/breweries. In S.F., I know plenty of bars tap it with very little fanfare or event around it. But simply put, the whole weekend and much of the weekdays are going to be half a day long wait in lines - and that alone could taint your view of the beer.
I agree with this^^ I'd come to San Diego, plenty of spots will have Younger on draft and you could indulge in some world class Diego beers.
Don't go for PtY. Not worth it. Go to RR and enjoy it, then drive to Philly and have some PtY and never do it again because it's not worth the hassle.
Yup, RR (same as Kern River) is best enjoyed without the major release like PtY or Citra....You can really appreciate the atmosphere those places offer, great beer then serve and friendly people who work there.
Go to San Fran or the Bay Area a week after Younger release. Find a local bar that has Younger, wait 20 secs to get a pour. Only idiots wait in line for 8 hours when you can get a pour waiting 20 seconds outside of the brewery.
Forget Younger & get the Elder instead. You will enjoy a couple of pints of the elder and relax at the pub. younger is older news.
I am coming from NY and Russian River is a brewery that i always wanted to visit, more to taste the belgian stle beers but i figured since Pliny Y would be an added benefit. My plans aren't made yet, do i fly in to SF on Saturday, see if i can find Pliny there on the Sat/Sunday and then head up to RR on the Monday? Or then again, a week later might be better, if it isn't Presidents week and the airlines jack up the flight costs
I'll agree with everything and say go went they aren't pouring Younger. It's a very small place and gets crowded most weekends as it is. Get one of the massive sampling trays and enjoy. Most people from the area get their Younger fix at the local craft bars, not the brewery, when it's available and would tell you to go to Drakes to get Black Label Hopocalypse instead anyway.
RR has gotten to the point where you will probably wait over an hour for a seat, even if you go on a weekday and even if it's not Younger week. That's not bad, really, because you can get a beer and wait standing at the bar or sitting on the patio. If you go on the weekend, and it's not Younger time, you will probably wait two hours, depending of course on when go. That can get a little annoying. If you go when it's Younger time, it'll be probably 4 hours or more, depending on when you go. Do it if you must, but it's gotten too crazy for me. Makes me nostalgic for the "old days" (like five years ago) when you could just walk in on a Saturday afternoon and get a table. But what you gonna do?
I would really listen to what everyone's saying here, forget Younger. Just go to RR & have fun. A this point you would be 100% sacrificing the actual "RR experience" by going during the Younger release. There's SO much good beer on at RR at all times, just go & drink those! There's no way you'll regret this decision.
Soooo I will be in San diego June 14-19th. any chance younger will still be there? Looking forward to a ton of breweries in the area. The significant other will be in a conference the whole time 9-7 or 8ish most nights, Beer is going to keep me company
Pliny the Younger is released in early February, disappears within an hour or two at most of the places that put it on - even secretly. It is meant to be consumed within weeks of its release - you will never see it in March much less June.
This is what i thought, Actually I didn't think anyone else got younger, and he controlled everything at the brewery, but i figured couldn't hurt to ask.
We have a big group that goes out to Younger every year. This last February had 15 of us waiting in line. Other than the fact that I'm hanging out with a big group of my buddies having a good time, I wouldn't go out there again. It's fun to try and a good beer, but the hassle is too much. With such a big group, my gf and I had our friends hold our spot while we had breakfast at Flavor Bistro down the road - and they have Moonlight Brewing on tap - making the wait seem not so long. If you come out around the time we're there next year - if we go - you're more than welcome to join us in line.
