Russian River Brewing
Vinnie Cilurzo brewed Russian River Brewing Company’s first batch of beer on May 1, 1997, on the historic property of Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville, California. In 2002, Korbel decided to consolidate some of its businesses and Vinnie and his wife, Natalie, acquired the brand name and logo. A used 30-barrel system was installed in downtown Santa Rosa, California, just 12 miles from the brewery’s current location. The revived Russian River brewed its first beers in 2004.
Russian River DamnationABV: 7% |
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An interpretation of a Belgian-style strong golden ale. It has dominant aromas of banana and pear and pleasing flavors of sweet malt and earthy hops. The lingering finish is dry and slightly bitter but very, very smooth. |
Russian River Pliny the Elder Double IPAABV: 8.0% |
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Pliny the Elder was a Roman naturalist, scholar, historian, traveler, officer, and writer. Although not considered his most important work, Pliny and his contemporaries created the botanical name for hops, "lupus Salictarius", meaning wolf among scrubs." Hops at that time grew wild among willows, much like a wolf in the forest. Later the current botanical name, humulus Lupulus, was adopted. Pliny died in 79 AD while observing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He was immortalized by his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who continued his uncle's legacy by documenting much of what he observed during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Pliny the Elder, the beer, is brewed with 40% more malt and over twice the amount of hops as compared to our already hoppy IPA. |
Russian River Pliny the YoungerABV: 11% |
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Pliny the Elder's nephew, in the case of this beer, the "Younger" is a triple IPA. Pliny the Younger is hopped three times more than our standard IPA, and is dry hopped four different times. |
Russian River SupplicationABV: 7% |
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A brown ale aged in French oak pinot noir barrels for one year with three strains of Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, & Pediococcus. |
Russian River TemptationABV: 7.25% |
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Is it beer, or is it wine? "Aged in French oak wine barrels for twelve months with distinct characteristics of fruit and subtle oak" sounds more like a description of wine than beer. But, of course, Temptation is indeed beer. Actually, Temptation is a blonde ale fermented with a special strain of yeast, then aged in French oak chardonnay barrels. Flavors of wine and oak absorb into the brew throughout twelve months of aging. During this aging process, a secondary fermentation occurs using a yeast strain disliked by most brewers and winemakers called Brettanomyces. The "Bret" gives Temptation intriguing characteristics and a pleasant sourness. Temptation is re-fermented in the bottle to create its carbonation--a process commonly used to make fine champagne and sparkling wine. Spent yeast forms a thin layer of sediment to remain in the bottle. |
Russian River Blind Pig IPAABV: 6.0%
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Blind Pig IPA was originally brewed by Vinnie at Blind Pig Brewing Co. in Temecula CA. Inspired by the original Blind Pig IPA, this beer is loaded with hop character but only has 6.0% ABV. |
Russian River ConsecrationABV: 10.5% |
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A stong dark ale aged for 6 months inside used cabernet sauvignon barrels with currants added. |
