Pliny the Younger will be available on tap and in bottles at both our Santa Rosa and Windsor pubs March 22nd-April 4th, 2024! In 2022, we were forced to postpone the normal February release due to a lack of staffing thanks to COVID. It ended up being a happy accident! Not only were we more prepared, but the weather was better and the days longer. In addition, brewing the beer over the course of a couple of months was extremely helpful to our overall production schedule. And over 90% of people who attended in 2022, according to the Economic Impact survey, said they either preferred the new date or could go either way. It was certainly much better for us! That said, we will continue to distribute kegs of Younger in February 2024 to our draft accounts throughout California, Oregon, Colorado, Philadelphia, Seattle, Maine and Reno!
In celebration of our 20th year brewing Pliny the Younger, we asked our graphic artist, Jason Roberson, to create special artwork depicting the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius spewing beer, hops and Younger bottles into the air above the Windsor brewery. Pliny the Younger and his Uncle, Pliny the Elder, lived in the first century A.D. While the Elder perished in the eruption, Younger miraculously survived.
In a addition to the new beautiful logo, we have an exciting announcement! This year we are releasing a special commemorative gift pack which includes not 1, not 2, but 3 bottles of Pliny the Younger! Each guest of legal drinking age may purchase up to 3 bottles which come prepacked in a custom-made reusable cardboard carrier. In addition to the cool box, you will also have a little more Younger to savor and share when you get home. Keep reading for more details on bottles and more below!
What to Expect When Visiting our Pubs:
Both brewpubs will be open daily from 11AM-10PM, March 22nd-April 4th, 2024. In year’s past, a line generally starts forming in the early morning hours (5-6AM) particularly on weekends. We are almost always busier on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, sometimes seeing twice as many people as we would on a weekday. Pro-tip: come Monday -Thursday to minimize your wait to get in. Evenings, especially in Windsor, tend to taper off. Be prepared to wait 6 hours or more on a very busy day, especially on weekends.
Each guest will be given one custom, uniquely colored and dated wristband upon entering the pub. These wristbands have 4 pull-tabs to be redeemed for the ability to purchase 3 – 10 oz. pours and (NEW this year!) up to 3 bottles of Pliny the Younger! There is a limit of 3 draft Youngers PER GUEST, and these are non-transferable. However, if you do not want to buy your bottles, you may transfer your allocation to friends in your party. Please DO NOT REMOVE YOUR PULL-TABS unless instructed to do so in the presence of your server or bartender.
Line-cutting has been a major issue in the past, and we are not fans of line cutters. Our security team will be coming through periodically and stamping hands beginning very early each morning. If someone in your party is not around to get their hand stamped, they will need to head to the back of the line. Anyone caught line-cutting will be sent to the back of the line or asked to leave!
Keep an eye on the weather as much of your visit may be outside exposed to the elements. Although we rent tents for Windsor, the line often goes beyond the last tent. The Santa Rosa line is on public sidewalks in front of neighboring businesses. There is rain in the forecast for the first weekend, so bring your umbrellas!
Bottles will ONLY be available in our brewpubs during the 2-week release March 22nd- April 4th, 2024. Bottles are not released online or available in our Gift Shops (just the pubs) and sold on a first come, first served basis. There is no requirement to eat or drink in our pubs to purchase bottles. But if you are going to wait in line for bottles, you might as well stay for a beer! In celebration of our 20th Anniversary, each 3-bottle purchase comes with a commemorative reusable cardboard gift box. Only 3-bottle purchases come with the gift box. Guests are welcome to purchase bottles individually up to 3 bottles. We allocate a certain amount of bottles each day at both pubs to ensure that they last for all 14 days. Please note there is a possibility that we could run out on particularly busy days. We always say there are 2 things we cannot control- the weather and how many people show up!
Each guest/party will have a maximum time limit of 2 1/2 hours. This help keep the line moving so you don’t have to wait as long. In our experience, 2 1/2 hours is more than enough time to enjoy yourself!
The outdoor patio in Santa Rosa will be open during Younger, weather permitting. Windsor also has a large dog-friendly indoor patio which we open to the Beer Garden on nice days. The Windsor Beer Garden will remain closed during the release. We simply do not have enough staff to manage the Beer Garden and provide good customer service to our guests inside.
Draft Distribution:
We will continue to distribute kegs of Pliny the Younger in February to our valued wholesalers and draft accounts throughout California, along with select accounts in Oregon, Colorado, Philadelphia, Washington, Maine and Reno.
Pliny the Younger, The Beer:
This is the 20th Anniversary of brewing Pliny the Younger! It is a Triple IPA, meaning that it is higher in alcohol and has tons of hops. Though the ABV usually finishes at about 10.25%, it is remarkably dry and balanced for the amount of malt used in this recipe. Loaded with hop aroma and flavor, this year’s brew is balanced with malt and a lingering dry and bitter finish. We brewed Younger for the first time in 2005 as a winter seasonal release, building upon the Pliny the Elder recipe while pushing the envelope with malt, hops, and alcohol just to see how far we could go. Fun fact: Younger has always been at least double dry-hopped (some years even quadruple dry-hopped!) long before DDH became a “thing”! This year’s Pliny the Younger is triple dry-hopped with Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic, Elixir, Nectaron, and Warrior. The beer itself is loaded with citrus, orange, stone fruit, nectarine, mango, and strong pine/resinous aromatics. We added a bit more Nectaron this year which is definitely noticeable with the orange/citrus/candied fruit. It is also slightly more bitter than 2023 contributing to a harmonic balance between aroma, flavor and mouthful. We hope you enjoy tasting this year’s Pliny the Younger!
For more details and for a list of hotels offering Pliny The Younger discounts, visit: https://www.russianriverbrewing.com/pliny-the-younger-release/