Russian River Rant

I hope you didn't water down your next craft beer by crying in it.

 

You know, I gotta say, you are right. That's not a debate. Initially, I was just trying to see both sides that's all.

 

I'm in Central California in the Monterey County and out county and surrounding counties do not receive ANY RR in bottles or draft!
Yes, of course there is a demand for it. Why the heck OR, CO and PA get RR and we don't even see anything from them in central CA?

Just recently Firestone Walker started brewing Pliny for RR as a temporary thing. Well, do you think the central coast or central CA got to see any of that? NOPE!

I just can't get down with that shit man... If Mrs. Vinnie doesn't want me to have her beers, then I don't want to have em either! Thanks anyways!
There is PLENTY of great craftbeer that I can have, let alone what I already have here at the house. Cheers!

 

Just must have been a bad weekend. I was at 13 different retailers I frequent there and none had ANY RR. And it makes me wonder why the story I was told by someone who should know would even say that even in jest. All the bartenders were hitting the Blind Pig that night as they were all saying it might be the last they would see anytime soon. I find it hard to believe the entire staff there was pulling our chain. I hope its not true. If you have read any of my previous posts I would agree with you that RR is usually very easy to find in SD. Just not this time and with the story we were told it all added up.

 

Expansion or growth is tough.

If some of my local favorites either get too popular, or distribution changes, I'll just jump ship to something that is easier to obtain. I think many are holding "world class" beer to TOO high of a standard. At the end of the day it does go into our stomachs and we piss it out. I'd rather spend more time drinking than seeking.

I actually fear for distribution and growth changes. On a local front, you have La Cumbre. A world class IPA that got canned first, Elevated IPA. It was their staple for I believe two years. Then they brought in two more canned beers. Then some bombers. I was afraid that the other beers would get in the way of their elevated. Now they are bringing in a 4th canned beer as a regular lineup, and have started distro in CO. I want it in every gas station or bar at an acceptable level of freshness with no troubles seeking it out.. It may be just way too selfish of me... Does craft beer create these selfish monsters most of us can be seen as? I can see in one year there being some issues with being able to get it with relative ease. I guess we have to enjoy the ride before it gets too crazy

 

Whata goddamn tragedy!

Quite a rant too - RR, time to take notice, you MoFos!!

 

I think the government should step in!

 

Sorry, man, hope my post didn't come off as dismissive. Bummed you weren't able to find any RR stuff that weekend. I probably should've added the proviso that all of this only applies if a shipment has recently come in. There are weeks where nothing comes in, in which case you'll definitely be SOL, at least for the hoppy stuff. (Again, the Belgian/sour stuff hangs around pretty consistently.)

Re: Blind Pig, there was some discussion a while back that bottles were going to only be sold at the brewery going forward, so that may have been some of the chatter you were hearing. Honestly, I don't know what came of that. BP never came with regularity of Pliny anyway, but it does seem rare that I've seen bottles pop up recently, though kegs have continued to flow in without problem. Again, draft-wise, TapHunter, Untappd, bar websites are your best bet to see what might be on at any given time.

 

I flew 7,000 miles from Hong Kong to San Francisco to (amongst other things) visit RRBC having heard so much about it. Visited on a weekday lunch time, no queue, just good beer. Seems bizarre to complain about an access issue which can be solved with a little planning.

 

LOL. You've nailed it! The scenario you've described one of the most bizarre aspects of beer fandom geekery.

 

(Quote) Sorry, man, hope my post didn't come off as dismissive. Bummed you weren't able to find any RR stuff that weekend. I probably should've added the proviso that all of this only applies if a shipment has recently come in. There are weeks where nothing comes in, in which case you'll definitely be SOL, at least for the hoppy stuff. (Again, the Belgian/sour stuff hangs around pretty consistently.)

No bro, all good. I know you were speaking as a local. I appreciate input as coming over to visit your region is something I do on a very regular basis. In fact my wife and I will be there in December to celebrate our anniversary. She loves the wine and seafood and I love the beer. It's a win-win situation. I recently got a new iphone and updated my Untappd app. I also downloaded the BA app so next time I am in town I will be better equipped to make the rounds. Cheers man and thanks for the advice.

 

Well, happy upcoming anniversary, man! And, should you need any suggestions as the trip approaches, definitely don't hesitate to give me a holler!

 

well it was just his list and his 2 cents, right? his list does not match mine, I just have to disagree, and to agree to disagree with your point, lol

 

Fellow beer friend, don't let the uncontrollables bother you. Roll on bro and cheers!

 

If accessing the beer is worth the time commitment, then go for it. If not, then don't. My level has tipped with the VT breweries, where the aggravation of the chase and time commitment needed to access HT and HF outweigh my desire to access that beer. That threshold is different for everyone.

 

It times like this that I miss Overlord.

 

I was thinking on this today, and now that I have had a few to drink I would like to share my thoughts (whether anyone is interested or not). I don't think RR's sin is that they stayed small, but that they tried to distribute too far. It is one thing to decided to distribute to a small market and stay small as a brewery, but it is quite another to commit to a large distribution scheme (relatively large given that they still don't distribute very far beyond California) and not be able to saturate the local market.

I know New Glarus has been mentioned several times, and I think that is the ideal in terms of marketing local craft beer. They easily meet demand within Wisconsin and you can find Moon Man or Spotted Cow on tap at most bars, even dives. Now why can't Russian River do the same? Just distribute to Sonoma County, so those that visit are able to enjoy the beer without waiting in lines or any such thing.

If you want to distribute across your immediate area, you should be ready for the consequences. I understand the founders' chose brewing beer as a "lifestyle change," but sometimes fate sends you a calling that is hard to ignore. Maybe you should try to meet the consumers halfway or else severely limit your distribution range. I dislike RR's callous position precisely because they are so stubborn in wanting to remain small: why not sell beer at local bars and cultivate the locals to respect your brand and bring them away from the international conglomerate brewers, why not make Blind Pig the next Stone IPA in terms of availability, why not make a larger brewpub to accommodate the people that have travelled across the country to sample your beers? Rarity and hype will only carry you so far. A committed local following that has grown accustomed to drinking your beers on the regular will keep you afloat through the toughest times.

 

I think this is just craft beer in general. Three Floyds is crazy, and I can only imagine Russian River is the same. I have had limited brews from them and I enjoy them all, but honestly there are other "shelf turds" that are just about as good that I would rather drink. That is why I limit my Three Floyds trips to like 4 a year or so, just don't like dealing with the hassle. It is amazing though, how hard it has gotten to get some limited releases like the new surly's darkness, abraxas, ect. I think the goose island release is going to be a total nightmare.

 

Just want to say that RR is in the 3000 bbl/year range, while New Glarus is maybe 60,000+ bbl/year. RR had the distribution on the west coast, CO, and Philly before it all blew up to todays demand. They pulled out of WA state to help supply the remaining distribution.

Why don't they expand and become regional/national? This is a question form them, and not a simple answer.

 

RR is 15,000 bbl/year
NG is 100,000 bbl/year

Why people can't understand why these successful family businesses do not wish to take on any additional debt is beyond me. Why deal with the headache if your happy and comfortable economically if you don't have to?

 

Man, I wanted to say 13,000 bbl, poor typing on my part. I'm behind on the volumes regardless.

 

To the OP, forget everything from MOST of the replies before my reply. Craft Beer is a victim of it's own success, the only true answer is to move on and find another local place to hang, or brew yer own. There is a huge portion of craft brew drinkers that have nothing better to do than support this exploding industry, while I, have more work than I can ever get done in a lifetime to do, so I just move on to the next up and comer, I don't have time to wait, so I do the only logical thing, move on, your NOT a Whiner, you don't read like somebody who thinks their entitled, your just frustrated from the success of RR, and wishes for the simpler days, move on, and it will be simpler.

 

1st, I put on my flak jacket.

I do not at all understand all the hoopla over Pliny unless it's due to the lack of availability. I definitely would not go out of my way or wait outside the pub to have another one. There are just way to many other options out there for great beers. For me it was maybe in the 88 pt range. Friendly place w poor service.

Now I'll duck.

 

No need to duck!

Lack of availability is what drives most of the hype in this hobby. Some admit it, some don't, but it's true.

 

Pliny on tap is god-tier, but that's not replicable many places. The real stars of Russian River are the wilds, though. Nothing quite like Supplication or Consecration out there that's affordable or more easily attainable.

I do agree that service there was underwhelming. No reason to feel the need to flak up for your opinions. Not every beer will appeal to every person.

 

Their direction as a brewer has little to do with their remodel. Yes, it's more inconvenient as a diner and as a bottle buyer. But that has nothing to do with beer production and style development.

 

Why do you think the cost of housing is so damn high in SD and SF/OAK? It's all about the beer! Central Cali is the speed bump.

 

BTW, I come down to Monterrey all the time, can I bring you something from RR? I'd love to grab a beer. Cheers.

 

Shit, you've had way more than me...doesn't look like I can bring you anything. I'll still grab a beer, just can't offer much.

 

How can I get me a hectare of that cheapass Monterey real estate?

 

absolutely! Let me know when you make it out here and I'll meet you for a few beers. Always down to share some beers

 

I was just at RR, for my first time, this past fall. Went on a Sunday afternoon, waited outside in the beautiful Cali sun, went inside and enjoyed some delicious drafts and left with a case of PtE... Wait, at which point was I supposed to be unsatisfied about my experience?

 

BTW I recently had a day at Hill Farmstead when we arrived at about 3:00 and there was no line, only two folks in front of us. First time that has happened, and it has never happened to friends I have told about this. Just wanted to update a comment made in this thread.

 

Imagining this is like thinking about space

 

Aw, come on. You called and told them you would be there at 3:00 and they simply cleared the place out for you, a visiting beer dignitary from the Hudson Valley, correct? HaHa.

 

I made the mistake this weekend of trying to stop by for lunch around 2 on a Saturday. There was about a 20 minute wait to get in to wait another 60 minutes for a table. I was hoping the rain and late lunch hour would have worked in my favor, but it was still a pain in the ass. I just ended up getting some bottles to go which was pretty easy.

Fine, don't expand production, but for fuck's sake, expand the dining area. If it's close to a perpetual hour and a half + wait for any time that's not opening, that sucks for your customers. I left with bottles for gifts, but still annoyed with the company.

I'm swearing off ever going again for a time that's not opening.

 

This happened to me as well in October 2013. It was my last trip before moving out of VT, Lucky Me!

 

Sssshhh. 18th St, Baby
Thanks for the brew Rob.

 

I heard a similar story when I was up there about 6 months ago. I had gotten there for the opening, but as I was leaving I could see how there could not much of a line left by later in the afternoon. I asked the cashier and she said its often the case.

 

I

I agree completely. Pliny is great but gun to my head I couldn't differentiate it from a well made local dipa. The sours are where Russian River really shines.