Russian River Brewing Company
 | |
| Industry | Alcoholic beverage |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | 700 Mitchell Ln Windsor, CA, 95492 United States |
| Products | Beer |
Production output | 40,000 barrels[1] |
| Owner | Vinnie Cilurzo, Natalie Cilurzo |
| Website | Official website |
Russian River Brewing Company is a brewery and brewpub in downtown Santa Rosa, California, with a second location in Windsor. The company is known for strong India pale ales and sour beers.
History
[edit]
Russian River Brewing Company was created in 1997 when Korbel Champagne Cellars of Guerneville, California decided to try their hand at brewing beer.[2] Brewer Vinnie Cilurzo was hired as brewmaster. Brettanomyces, Cilurzo's favorite component of lambic beers, were first used with local wine barrels in 1999 for production of sour beers.[3] Korbel quit the brewing business, and sold the brewery to Cilurzo and his wife Natalie in 2002. Russian River, remodeled and expanded in 2004, eventually moving to Santa Rosa, at their current 4th Street location. Cilurzo is regarded as one of the most innovative microbrewers in the country[4] and credited with inventing the beer style Double India Pale Ale, known alternately as Imperial IPA, when he was the head brewer at Blind Pig Brewing Company in Temecula, California.
Plans to open a second location in Windsor, just north of Santa Rosa, began before the 2017 Sonoma County fires. In 2016, the Cilurzos partnered with Comerica to finance the project,[5] and the Windsor Planning Commission approved the new brewery, pub, and restaurant the following year.[6] By September 2018, the new brewery was completed and operational.[7] The Windsor facility opened its doors to customers that October.[8] The Windsor facility is differentiated from the Santa Rosa location by its larger size, free parking, expanded menu, and guided brewery tour. The Cilurzos hoped that the two locations would give tourists and local customers the opportunity "to come and spread out and enjoy the experience on their own terms," especially during the annual Pliny the Younger release, which sometimes resulted in lines around the block.[9] Windsor officials hoped that the new location would be a financial boon and make the city more attractive for similar businesses,[10] and the city's "Windsor Hopper" shuttle service, linking local hotels, wineries, and breweries, was unveiled coinciding with the 2019 Pliny release.[11]
Production
[edit]In addition to the 20 barrel brewpub (capable of about 3000 barrels per year),[12] Russian River also has a 50 barrel production brewery, originally from Dogfish Head Brewery.[13] In late 2014, the production facility is being updated with a four vessel, 50 barrel brewhouse made by AAA Metal Fabrication in Beaverton, Ore.[14] Russian River has distributors in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.[15] The company also distributes to 500 restaurants, bars, and other stores.[15] A coolship is used to cool the wort for some of the beers.[16] Barrels of beer are stored in their barrel warehouse and begin tasting after 9 months, though can be aged up to two years before blending.
Beers
[edit]American style
[edit]- Aud Blonde - Blonde Ale
- Beer Esteam - California Common Steam Beer
- Blind Pig IPA - India Pale Ale
- Dead Leaf Green - English-Style Pale Ale
- DDH Pliny the Elder - Double Dry Hopped India Pale Ale (formerly Pliny for President)
- Gaffers - English-Style Pale Ale
- Great Beer/Great Wine - Winemaker Session Ale
- Happy Hops - India Pale Ale
- Hop2It - Single Hop Ale (Rotating)
- Hopfather IPA - India Pale Ale
- HUGElarge Pils - Pilsner
- O.V.L. Stout - Dry Irish Stout (100% nitrogen)
- Pliny the Elder - Double India Pale Ale
- Pliny the Younger - Triple India Pale Ale
- Pliny for President - Double Dry-Hopped India Pale Ale
- Row 2 Hill 56 - American Pale Ale (Single Hop: Simcoe)
- Russian River IPA - India Pale Ale
- Russian River Porter - Porter
- Segal Select - Pale Ale (Hops from Segal Ranch)
- Shadow of a Doubt - Imperial Porter
Belgian style
[edit]- Benediction - Abbey-style Double
- Damnation - Golden Ale
- Damnation Batch 23 - Belgian gold aged with oak chips
- Defenestration - Hoppy Blonde Ale
- Deification - Pale Ale
- Erudition - Saison
- Little White Lie - Witbier
- Mortification - Quadrupel
- Perdition - Bier de Sonoma
- Publication - Saison
- Redemption - Blonde Ale
- Rejection - Black Ale
- Salvation - Strong Dark Ale
Barrel aged
[edit](All of Russian River's barrel-aged beers contain brettanomyces, many contain lactobacillus and pediococcus)[3]
- Beatification - Spontaneously fermented beer
- Compunction - Aged with pluots
- Consecration - Strong dark ale aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels with black currants
- Framboise For A Cure - Blonde ale aged in chardonnay barrels with raspberries
- Propitiation - Porter
- Sanctification - Blonde aged in stainless steel tanks with 100% Brettanomyces
- Supplication - Brown Ale aged in pinot noir barrels
- Temptation - Blonde Ale aged in chardonnay barrels
- Toronado 20th Anniversary - A blend of 6 aged beers
- Toronado 25th Anniversary - A blend of 6 aged beers
Collaboration
[edit]- Brux (with Sierra Nevada)
- Collaboration Not Litigation (with Avery, a result of a conflict between the two breweries, both of which made a beer called Salvation)
Awards
[edit]Russian River Brewing Company and Vinnie Cilurzo have won numerous awards for their beer.
- 1999 Great American Beer Festival - "Small Brewing Company of the Year"
- 1999 Great American Beer Festival - "Small Brewing Company Brewmaster of the Year"
- 2004 World Beer Cup - "Large Brewpub Champion Brewery"
- 2004 World Beer Cup - "Large Brewpub Champion Brewmaster"
- 2005 Malt Advocate - "Brewery of the Year"
- 2006 World Beer Cup - "Large Brewpub Champion Brewery"
- 2006 World Beer Cup - "Large Brewpub Champion Brewmaster"
- 2008 Russell Schehrer Award - Awarded to Vinnie Cilurzo for "Innovation in Craft Brewing"
Individual beer awards
[edit]| Name | Style | Honors | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Event | Award | ||
| Aud Blonde | Blonde Ale | 2010 | World Beer Cup | Bronze |
| 2006 | Great American Beer Festival | Bronze | ||
| Blind Pig | India Pale Ale | 2009 | Great American Beer Festival | Bronze |
| 2008 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| 2007 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| 2006 | World Beer Cup | Gold | ||
| 1996 | World Beer Cup | Silver[i] | ||
| 1996 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver[i] | ||
| Damnation | Belgian-style Ale | 2004 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver |
| 2001 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| 1999 | Great American Beer Festival | Gold | ||
| English Extra Special Bitter | Extra Special Bitter | 1996 | Great American Beer Festival | Gold[i] |
| Golden Wheat | Wheat Ale | 2001 | Great American Beer Festival | Gold |
| 1999 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| HopTime Harvest | Fresh Hopped ale | 2012 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver |
| Old Blue Granite | Barley Wine | 1996 | Great American Beer Festival | Bronze[i] |
| O.V.L. Stout | Dry Stout | 2004 | World Beer Cup | Gold |
| Perdition | Farmhouse Ale | 2004 | World Beer Cup | Silver |
| Pliny The Elder | Imperial India Pale Ale | 2006 | World Beer Cup | Gold |
| 2006 | Great American Beer Festival | Gold | ||
| 2005 | Great American Beer Festival | Gold | ||
| 2004 | Great American Beer Festival | Bronze | ||
| Redemption | Blonde Ale | 2008 | Great American Beer Festival | Gold |
| Russian River ESB | Extra Special Bitter | 1999 | Great American Beer Festival | Gold |
| Russian River IPA | India Pale Ale | 2000 | World Beer Cup | Gold |
| Russian River Porter | Robust Porter | 2010 | World Beer Cup | Bronze |
| 1998 | Great American Beer Festival | Bronze | ||
| 1997 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| Salvation | Strong Dark Ale | 2008 | World Beer Cup | Gold |
| 2002 | World Beer Cup | Silver | ||
| Sanctification | Brett Blonde | 2013 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver |
| Supplication | Sour Brown Ale | 2012 | World Beer Cup | Bronze |
| 2009 | Great American Beer Festival | Bronze | ||
| 2007 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| 2005 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| Temptation | Sour Blonde Ale | 2010 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver |
| 2008 | World Beer Cup | Silver | ||
| 2007 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| 2006 | World Beer Cup | Gold | ||
| 2004 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| 2003 | Great American Beer Festival | Silver | ||
| 2002 | Great American Beer Festival | Gold | ||
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]Footnotes
[edit]- ^ "As New Windsor Brewery Opens, Russian River Eyes 40,000 Barrels in 2019". Brewbound. October 10, 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Russian River Brewing Company -- About Us".
- ^ a b "Barrel Aged Beers". Russian River Brewing Company. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
- ^ Anderson, Lessley (September 8, 2008). "Vinnie Cilurzo Gets Funky: The daring beers of Russian River Brewing Company". CHOW.
- ^ Swindell, Bill (27 June 2016). "Comerica becomes Russian River Brewing Co's bank". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ Mason, Clark (14 February 2017). "Russian River Brewery Co. gets approval for new Windsor brewpub". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ Phillips, Justin (20 September 2018). "Russian River Brewery begins brewing in new $50 million Windsor facility". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ Swindell, Bill (11 October 2018). "Russian River Brewing starts tapping its coveted craft beers in Windsor". North Bay Business Journal. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ Phillips, Justin (20 September 2018). "Russian River Brewery begins brewing in new $50 million Windsor facility". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ Swindell, Bill (11 October 2018). "Russian River Brewing starts tapping its coveted craft beers in Windsor". North Bay Business Journal. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ Bordas, Alexandria (24 January 2019). "With Russian River Brewing's Pliny the Younger on tap, Windsor grapples with wider embrace of tourism". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ "Brew-Monkey's Brewer Interview of Vinnie Cilurzo from Russian River Brewing Company". Brew-Monkey.com. May 2, 2007. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
- ^ "Russian River's First Brew Day, Part 2". Brookston Beer Bulletin. May 9, 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
The new brew kettle, formerly at Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware.
- ^ Swindell, Bill (29 September 2014). "Russian River Brewing to temporarily shift Pliny production to Central Coast". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- ^ a b O'Brien, Molly. "I own a brewery where fans camp out overnight to snag a bottle of our famous IPA. Here's how we built up a huge community of customers". Business Insider. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
- ^ Roberts, James. "The coolship is landing". Anchorage Press. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
Sources
[edit]- Vinnie Cilurzo Interviewed, retrieved 2010-02-20