Russian River set to tap Pliny the Younger beer again at Santa Rosa and Windsor brewpubs

Managing one of the biggest - and most anticipated - annual craft beer events in the United States, Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo take nothing for granted.

Many years large crowds have waited in line for hours at their Russian River Brewing Co. on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa to sample Pliny the Younger, a triple India pale ale widely regarded as one of the best beers in the world. Now in its 15th year, the special beer release starts Friday and in past years has attracted about ?15,000 people over two weeks.

“Every year, we say maybe this will be the year that nobody comes,” Natalie Cilurzo said.

Fat chance. Already there was one man, Lindsey Waddell, an information security consultant, sitting on a foldable chair outside the Fourth Street brewpub since 11:10 Thursday morning, almost 24 hours before Russian River starts tapping Pliny the Younger Friday morning. Waddell said Thursday night it’s his third straight year at the front of the line.

“There is nothing comparable I can think of anywhere else in the country,” said Tom McCormick, executive director of the California Craft Brewers Association of the yearly Pliny phenomenon.

This year will bring a greater challenge since Russian River will host the Pliny extravaganza at two brewpubs: its beloved downtown Santa Rosa pub and its new larger $50 million Windsor brewery and restaurant, which holds about 200 customers inside and includes an outdoor beer garden that may be used, weather permitting.

The new brewery, which opened in October, enabled the Cilurzos and their team to boost production this year of Pliny to about 350 barrels, more than double last year’s 160 barrels. Still, expect to stand in line to get a glass of the coveted hoppy beer named after a magistrate in Ancient Rome, and the adopted son of Pliny the Elder, a year-round Double IPA that’s one of Russian River’s flagship beers.

The big question this year is whether the lines will be shorter with two locations. The Cilurzos think more out-of-town visitors likely will go to Windsor, especially after hearing anecdotally that some have held off visiting the new brewpub so they could make their first visit when Pliny the Younger is on tap. If that does happen, locals may find shorter lines at the downtown Santa Rosa brewpub.

The Pliny beer recipe changes very little from year to year. It has flavors that are floral with notes of grapefruit, apricot and peach. This year’s batch includes eight different hops, including the popular citra, making this brew a tad more citrus forward.

“We got the recipe pretty well dialed in,” Vinnie Cilurzo said. “We don’t want to make too many drastic changes.”

Pliny the Younger notably changed nine years ago from a limited release mostly enjoyed by locals and in-the-know beer geeks to the nationally acclaimed event it is today. Satisfied customers spreading the word on social media about their Pliny experiences has helped build the popularity. That attracted swarms of young Bay Area workers - especially in the tech sector - with a disposable income and time to spend waiting in line. And many more people from near and far have come to Russian River in February to drink a glass or two of the special beer that makes such a brief showing.

In the early years, customers could easily pop in for a drink or take a growler to go of the extra hoppy craft that packs a potent punch at an alcohol level of around 10.25 percent. It still contains a high alcohol content, but customers are limited to three, 10-ounce pours over a three-hour period. And Russian River won’t fill growlers of this special release.

“We never wanted a line” for Pliny the Younger, said Vinnie Cilurzo, who is the brewmaster, while his wife, Natalie, runs the Russian River operations management. “It was a result of us only having so much space for capacity.”

Their downtown brewpub only holds ?135 people inside, with outside seating for 20 if the weather cooperates. Rainfall is forecast through this opening weekend.

With the production increase, Russian River plans to ship a few more Pliny kegs to retail accounts in San Mateo County and the Central Coast, where it’s also expanding distribution of the company’s other beers. But each establishment only receives one Pliny the Younger keg and those typically kick within hours once word spreads the younger Pliny is on tap. Locally, those places include Willie Bird’s restaurant in Santa Rosa; the Hopmonk in Sebastopol; Barley and Hops in Occidental; and Elephant in the Room in Healdsburg.

The focus of the annual Pliny event is centered around the customer experience at the brewpubs - but reverberates beyond Russian River Brewing. Last year, customers during the two-week special Pliny release contributed $3.3 million in economic impact to Sonoma County, according to a survey conducted by the Sonoma County Economic Development Board. That takes into account their local spending on hotels, gas and food.

“There will be more supply this year, so I think there will be even more interest,” said Ben Stone, executive director of the economic development board.

The importance of Pliny to Sonoma County is not lost on the Cilurzos who designed their new expansive brewery in Windsor with Pliny the Younger in mind. There are 2 acres of free parking on their property there as opposed to the paid downtown parking lots that Santa Rosa’s Russian River visitors have to rely on. Another perk at the Windsor brewery is its bathroom that customers waiting for Pliny can access from the outside.

“It’s a compliment to see people lined out in front to get into your business, but it also is concerning because you want your guests to be comfortable,” Natalie Cilurzo said.

The couple who have been in charge of introducing Pliny the Younger to scores of people over the years are focused on making the 2019 event as manageable as they can - mindful people may stand in line as long as eight hours as they have in the past.

“You need to give every person a world-class experience. I’m still always flattered and blown away and humbled to see people line up for the beer,” Vinnie Cilurzo said.

You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 707-521-5223 or bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @BillSwindell.