Russian River Rant

You did notice the next sentence right........

The word trend is important. Every complaint better be taken seriously.....I did not say to change your business model over one complaint. If you see a lot of them though ignore at your own peril.

 

The crap breweries are more infuriating to me, and their supporters as well, especially if it is largely just because "they're local".

I suffer from some weakness of will with Russian River, because I still buy Pliny and Blind Pig. They just taste so good to me. It feels so wrong. Yet so right. I do it. Perhaps there are others with more strength of will than me.

 

Yemen, if you happen to be snagging your Pliny in the San Diego area, it really shouldn't be so painful a process. BM me for a list of spots. Assuming you're within a day or two of delivery (if not more), you shouldn't have too much of a problem snagging it.

 

I love this post. A simple "like" wasn't enough to express how much.

I think we might have stumbled upon a new tagline for Pliny.

Pliny The Elder: So wrong, yet so right.

Speaking of Blind Pig--it's funny, I'm able to procure Pliny with relative ease (relative being a key word there) as long as I put in a little bit of effort. But the only time I came across any Blind Pig, it was pure random chance. I wish it were as easy to get as Pliny.

 

I heard that bars that have Pliny on tap are told they must clean the tap line before putting a keg of Pliny on!

 

Yup, that's the one. Nice little setup. I hope they make it or someone good buys them out.

 

I do like Russian River beers, quite a bit actually... but I am not just mad crazy over everything they do, that I absolutely just have to have it all, and all the time.

I was in San Fran and had one simple glass of Pliny Elder at Toronado. I was aware I could have bought 4 bottles of Pliny there to go home. Fact I went to the bar twice between Thurs and Fri and could have bought all I wanted, but really? Is that necessary? I've had it enough times...

There is so much good beer out there... don't beat yourself up over beer.

I just can't see why someone wants to complain about waiting in line to get into a bar on the Internet... GO TO ANOTHER BAR, or drink at home...

It reminds me of all the useless 1 star reviews I see on Yelp about restaurants that start off...

we walked in with no reservation and had to wait 90 minutes for a table...

yeah... no kidding... good lord... just go somewhere else.

Someone already mentioned the Yogi Berra quote... it is so fitting.... so I can't take credit for it.

damned if you do.... damned if you don't...

 

Well they were talking about the San Diego area not LA. You guys are a hell of a lot closer than SD to RR.

 

I was just there on an early Friday afternoon two months ago and walked right in, got a table immediately, ordered the Belgian side of the flight and a pizza, got both in good time (with meh service that was clearly isolated to our server), and had a wonderful experience. It doesn't appear to have changed from your experience, it just depends on the day.

 

Bahahahaha. Dude. I'm not gonna take my time to read all of these replies...but I read one. "psst...your sense of entitlement IS showing."-It's true. I can't get Russian River in Texas but I used to drink it often in Fort Collins when I wanted a really stellar beer. And not once, did I ever get a bad bottle. RR doesn't cold transport to Texas because it costs too much...but of course...Fort Collins is Colorado, cold and closer to RR so yeah,... enough said.
Focus on quality is a good thing.
Expansion leads to less quality control, no matter who you are.
It also leads to selling out, which OBVIOUSLY leads to less quality control. If I went to the brewery itself that would be the highlight of my day, and I wouldn't care how long it took. It already scares me enough reading these posts about how busy it is thinking RR is doing that kind of volume.
Perhaps a bottle of Pliny isn't even as good as it was 6 years ago, who knows, I'm sure many do if it is or not but I don't. The PROBLEM with things lacking in quality is expansion. And your point is... ? You want it to expand so it's not the same thing you love now? Get over it. I've drink a batrillion beers and RR still ranks among my favorite breweries if not my favorite. And if it tastes like anything it did 6, or 3 years ago I'm happy.

 

Well I made the drive to RR last July (12 hours one way). We got there and stood in line for an hour just to get inside. Once inside we were told it would be at least an hour wait for a table but we could grab a pint at the bar and wait out on the patio. No problem. Got us a Consecration and off we went. A little over an hour (and two Consecrations) later we were seated. We each had a sampler (15 beers that night) an order of pizza bites and a pizza. We then picked up a case of Damnation, a case of Pliney, and a case of Consecration. The next night we went to Lagunitas. Walked in and was immediately seated. A live band was playing in the garden and we stayed until closing, chatting it up with some locals and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. The good thing was we were staying in a motel about a block away. All in all I would have to rate my evening at Lagunitas a much better time even though it was awesome to have been inside of Beer Mecca. So yes it was worth the drive, but I am not sure that will ever be the only reason to go back. In fact Lagunitas will be my first stop when I do. I agree that Vinnie has the right to do as he sees fit. After all this is still America though God knows a certain bunch want to change the rights we all have. But I digress. There are a lot of good beers out there and to be hung up on just one is a little fixated IMO. I will still drink it if I find it but if I don't, I will be drowning my sorrows with lots of other very tasty replacements.

 

You think proximity has anything to do with it? I would be willing to bet that RR would pull out of LA before SD if they were going to pull out of Southern California.

 

This is a double edged sword. I could understand his frustration guys. How many of us wish it was easier to drink beers by the likes of Russian River, Hill Farmstead, The Alchemist, and Three Floyds (Im lucky enough to drink them on a consisstent basis though.) But the at the same time, These companies have every right to do what they want. They worked hard to get where they are at, and if that's the lifestyle they want, so be it. Like can you imagine if RR distributed nationwide? That beer would surfer and wouldn't taste the same at all.

My point is, I see both sides.

 

Wishing vs complaining about it on the internet are two very different things. I too would love easier access to the above breweries, in the same way that I'd like to win the powerball. But when my numbers don't produce a winner, I don't complain on the internet and ask that they restructure the lottery to give me a better chance of winning.

 

Dude, SD is teeming with RR stuff. Hamilton's and O'Brien's have Pliny on almost non-stop. Other kegs are always moving through the city. RR's own web site will show you who gets them. Quick check of TapHunter, Untappd, or websites will show you whether something in particular is on. Outside of Pliny retail-wise, the sours are fairly easy to find, if not pricy. Again, RR's own website will help you narrow the search. I chuckle every time someone says they can't find RR in SD - it's easier there than LA.

 

Not to mention Toronado.

 

Lol