Imagine a time when Pliny the Younger—now one of the most coveted “triple” IPAs in the world—sat on tap at Russian River’s brewpub for two months. That was 12 years ago, before hardcore beer fans began whispering to each other on rating websites: “This is one of the best beers in the world.” These days, owners Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo arrive at their brewery in Santa Rosa, California, on regular Saturdays—no special beer tapping—to find a line halfway down the block. And during the two weeks each year when the brewery serves Pliny the Younger (for on- premise enjoyment only, no bottles or growlers), expect to see the truly dedicated drinkers camped out overnight in anticipation.
“You see the frustration in the customers’ faces when they can’t get into the pub and they’ve been to five stores and can’t find your beer,” Natalie says. “We get calls from the angry retailers because 25 people come in a day asking for a beer they don’t have. Believe me, we’re brewing at 100 percent capacity. We’ve wrung out every towel, figured out every efficiency.”
The discomfort in her voice is audible. That turns to something fiercer, though, when she talks about the individuals and liquor store owners who buy Russian River beers as consumers at the brewpub, then resell them at jacked-up prices.
“We’ll get a call from a fan who goes to the store and the retailer is charging $20 for a bottle of Pliny the Elder,” Cilurzo says… CONTINUE READING AT DRAFTMAG.COM
