Russian River Looking to Expand

Considering on a weekday its not uncommon to wait in line 30-60 minutes just to put in your name for a table, it's about time.

 

I wish they would expand production. I would love for them to put Blind Pig and Pliny the Elder in six-packs.

 

Thanks for the link. This is defintely new information.

 

Would be Epic!

 

Wait, it's a 30-60 min wait just to get our name on the waiting list? During the week?
Reason I ask is we've got a road trip coming up and RR is on the list and they're not just around the corner.
So if this is the case SWMBO will flip.

 

Depends when you get there and what day. I was in San Francisco last July with the girlfriend, and we went up to RR on a Thursday. Got there right as it opened. No waiting. But after about an hour to hour and a half, the place was packed.

 

I was there last August on a Friday afternoon, we had to wait 45 minutes for our table. It's worth the wait if you go, beers are great and so is the food. They put our name on a list with NoWait app so we did not have to stand in line. We were able to sit in the shade on some benches around the corner. The app notified me when our table was ready not too bad.

 

I went there on a Monday afternoon at 3pm in summer and was shocked there was an hour wait for a table.

 

Awesome! Good for RR. They are being patient and selective with this decision and I'm sure that will pay dividends later.

 

Almost seems a little late. Still a great idea but likely won't be as lucrative for Vinnie as it would have been 3-4 years ago at the peak Pliny nirvana. Best of luck to them - they were one of the true founders of the current craze.

 

No! Don't want to lose my favorite example of breweries that leave money on the table by deliberately not expanding. (and they are a great example for scarcity marketing - see other threads)

 

Thanks for the replies above, I'll love waiting an hour for a table there as long as I can sip on a couple of Vinnie's brews, I just don't wait an hour so I can wait an hour

 

Yes, it is common to wait that long on a normal day. I just went there and both times the wait was over an hour. After going there I would never go again. The beer is great, but the staff are assholes. All they careally about is getting you in and out as quickly as possible.

 

Just to clarify (from a local)...you don't wait mid week for an hour to put your name in for a table, and whenever they quote a time to receive a table it is normally ~2x as long as it really will be (meaning cut their time they give you in half). Best bet is to slide up to the bar (if in a small group) and order food, or just hang out and drink some delicious beer...

 

Also it seems as though their staff is negatively perceived more times then not - when in fact most of the employees most all of the time are very considerate and patient, as long as you aren't acting arrogantly like you are the only person in the jam packed place. Sure, some of the employees (mainly security) may seem a bit gruff, but they have to deal with thousands and thousands of insolent people every month who get peeved at waiting a few minutes to get in, or get a beer, etc. If you can take a deep breath and act respectfully knowing that the sweet sweet liquid gold will soon be flowing down your throat (unless you are waiting for Pliny the Younger - that would be hours), it will end up better for all!

 

A holy grail in terms of both place and beer. Expansion may turn out to be a great move ... or it may not. Time will tell.

 

When younger comes out, why don't they hold a big festival, or even a few across their distribution. This way, people don't wait 6+ hours to get a table just to try the beer.

 

I'm a Lutheran Pastor in Canada. No Russian River in Canada

I was at a conference in Fort Collins this past Fall and happend upon a pint of Damnation. Even for a Lutheran pastor drinking a beer named Damnation - I think it may be the best beer I've ever had. It was - so complex.

After two years of searching when I was stateside I happened upon a pint of Pliny in Fort Collins on the next day. It was excellent.

More Russian River can't be a bad thing.