Sunday 10th of August 2014 06:58:46 PM

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Wow, this place is crazy busy. Of course I picked a Saturday night to visit. It was standing room only, had to wait outside to get in, then the place was wall to wall people....so I just ordered a Pliny the Elder, found a couple of guys that let me pull up a seat....

The Pliny was good...nothing to die for but a good beer, I'm guessing the alcohol level on it is sneaky.....

So I left to come back the next day when they open....but the next day was almost the same....a line just to get in the door....I shouldn't have dilly dallied in the parking lot....but I did get seated at a table. Their samplers come as all beers, or a half sampler of either all the hoppy beers or the other half all their Belgian beers. So I ordered the hoppy beers. The first beer was the Czech pilsner, this beer has a clean malt taste with plenty of hops, wow lots of hops for a pils but I like it. The next beer was the Aud Blonde, this beer has a slight malt sweetness and moderate hops to balance, a good entry level or session beer. Next I had the Happy Hops beer that was all Mosaic hops and a big citrus hop nose and a good maltiness to balance, I like this beer a lot. The next beer I had was the Row2/Hill 56 IPA with all simcoe hops, this beer doesn't have as much aroma as the last IPA but has a more woody type of hop flavor, a good beer but I like the Mosaic beer better. The next beer was the Blind Pig IPA. This IPA is lighter than the other two, has a more delicate hop and malt profile, not as good as the Mosaic IPA. The next beer was the Dribble Belt session IPA, this is a tasty beer with a lighter but ever present hop profile with a lite maltiness to balance, this is a good beer, second favorite. Next I had the flagship Pliny the Elder double IPA. Curious to taste if it's better than last night.........the hop nose is citrusy, mmmm, yes this is a good beer, well balanced for a double IPA but doesn't have the wow factor I was looking for...but I could drink several. The next beer was the OVL Stout, a dry Stout with good roasted malt aromas, light in mouthfeel per style, a good example of the style but not an impressive beer. The last beer was the Russian River Porter, this beer has a nice chocolate malt aroma and a good slightly sweet maltiness and medium mouthfeel, just enough hops to taste and is a really good Porter. If you like darker beers with some hop flavor this is a good one.

This is a good brewery but not as good as the hype I think. The place is packed and happening. Worth the visit but I'm not putting it in my top group of breweries. They do have glassware, shirts and growlers for sale as well as coasters for us collectors. Reviewed 8/3/2014.....

Friday 8th of August 2014 08:59:36 PM

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This really is one of the best breweries in the world. Pliny of course, but their sours are insane and really they don't have a bad beer in their entire 18 specimen sampler. Consecration and Supplication are incredible and it wouldn't be possible to go there without a few pints of Pliny. This place is always very busy I've heard and it was slammed the entire weekend I was there. Their pizza is really good, but the service was a little off and the bartenders definitely have some attitude, seriously. So basically, the beer is so good that I'd deal with crowds and shotty service any day for some of their sweet nectar. Also, Sonoma and the bay area is one of the best beer, wine, food, recreational, cultural regions in the states. People use the word "pilgrimage" when talking about Russian River. I believe it's a mandatory trip for all beer enthusiasts.

Friday 1st of November 2013 10:18:32 AM

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The biggest problem I have at Russian River is whether to try something new. Blind Pig, Row 2 Hill 56 and of course Pliny are so good that its hard to convince myself to get something else.

It's a cool spot with a good atmosphere in downtown Santa Rosa which has a bunch of cool shops you can check out.

The one thing thats tough is usually it is so crowded you have to wait an hour or more if you want a table. So if you're making the trip up from SF on a weekend be ready to wait a while.

Wednesday 20th of March 2013 09:57:28 AM

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Excellent Beer. I had only tried Pliny the Elder before coming here and was pleasantly surprised to find they offered 3 sour beers! The taster ordered had six samples of Belgian style ales (3 were sours), and 6 traditional ales. It was great to have a switch up in the middle of the sample. Can't really complain on any of the beers. All we're tasty and representative of the style. The sours were exceptionally tasty.

Atmosphere was fine as was the service. This is a pretty big place, but I can imagine it fills up on the weekend. If passing through Santa Rosa, stop by Russian River!

Tuesday 1st of November 2011 12:18:45 PM

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Finally made the pilgrimage here, and it was extremely worthwhile.

The bar was big yet still cozy, cool vintage breweriana was scattered all over, and the famed double chalkboard above the bar inscribed with colored chalk was a sight to behold. Barrel racks were visible through narrow windows behind the bar also. Lunchtime crowd was relaxed and friendly. We even met another couple from Chicago at the bar, and it turned out we had mutual friends.

Service was also friendly, quick and attentive too. Our bartender handed us a few samples and was free with recommendations and beer talk. All the beers on tap were good to great, quality stuff all around. The bottle selection was not shabby either.

The pizzas here looked really good, just the right size for bar snacking. Made the way through a sampler and a couple other drafts before heading over to Flavor to eat a couple bites there and drink some Moonlight.

Overall a highly-recommended destination you have to visit at least once in your beer career... easy trip up from the bay area.

Thursday 16th of December 2010 07:37:20 PM

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ok, I am biased, my local brewery is - Hands down, the best beer on the planet...
I go here for every special occasion and for every, well just occasion that I can. Primarily I am a hop head, but here I usually start with one of the sour beers. They are a bit pricey and very high in alcohol content, but you only need 1. For a lighter taste I like the Temptation which is aged in Chardonnay barrels giving it a very fruity and bright taste. Really, it lives up to its name. I am salivating right now. If i can resist the temptation, I go for the Consecration, another sour ale, aged in oak barrels with currants. simply sour beer heaven!
Usually I move on to the IPA's at this point. Pliny the Elder is the most well known and supremely delicious beers that RRBC brews. Who knew so much flavor could fit in a bottle. hop bliss!! But don't let Pliny overshadow the Russian River IPA and Blind Pig, which are also great enjoyable beers!
If you are into pizza and calzones, you will love the food. The pizza is thin crust and they have some good combos on their menu. The gorgonzola and pinenut pizza is my fav.
If you are going with a large group, make a reservation in advance or get there really early to get a table. This is a VERY popular place and most nights its completely full. (well worth the crowd though). If you want to avoid the crowds, slip in for a weekday lunch :)
Service depends on how busy it is, most of the staff is friendly and knowledgeable.
RRBC is one of the best reasons t live in Sonoma County, i am considering moving to downtown just to be closer ;)

Tuesday 11th of August 2009 12:03:30 AM

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This is a great location right in low-rise downtown Santa Rosa and a great place. The atmosphere is that of a true pub - low-key, good conversations, and great beer. The beer here is truly incredible, whether your tastes run to classic (well, OK, intense versions of classic) ales - such as blonde, pale, IPA, porter, stout - or run to exotic American versions of Belgian ales - dubbel, trippel, wit, sour, etc. This is a required stop.

In spite of what we’ve just said, we had quite poor service on our two visits. Even though we sat at the bar both times, and it wasn’t particularly busy, we had a terrible time getting a beer. We will still go back, however, because the beer itself is so special.

Out front on the sidewalk, separated from the passersby by a black steel railing, are a number of outdoor tables with market umbrellas and chairs. Then as you enter, there’s a small seating area on the left. Beyond this is the brewery, which you can see through windows. Straight through from the entrance is a long wide bar made of narrow wood, flanked by stools. Still in the bar area are a good number of tall tables and stools. On the right side of the room is the (kid-friendly) dining area. Floors are concrete and overall the decor is not fancy, but appropriately beer-related (e.g., burlap hop sacks, metal brewery signs, and old ceramic beer bottles).

Wednesday 29th of July 2009 07:36:47 PM

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I arrived on a Tuesday, en route to NHC in Oakland. We had to stop and sample the Pliny the Elder. We arrived right at opening time and were the second party to walk through the door. It's smaller than I expected. With all the hoopla about Pliney, I expected a huge place, full of west coast hop lovers and Belgophiles. Brick walls, hop sacks hanging from the ceiling, and old tin beer signs on the walls. I had a Mama Mia Pizza with pineapples and Jalapenos. I started with a Pliny, but moved over to the right column of the menu to have some Belgian style beers. The Salvation was fantastic. The Little White Lie wit was amazing. The server brought us a sample of the last keg of Mortification, their quadruple.

This places almost makes me want to move to California. It's amazing.

Wednesday 24th of June 2009 02:31:46 AM

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First, avoid RR the Friday night before a major Nascar race in the area. More middle aged women with inappropriate cleavage and excessive make-up that I'm prepared to witness. Fortunately, we returned the following day during a relatively quiet afternoon and I'll base my review on that experience.

This place is all about the beer. 16 brews on tap. A nice mix between traditional beers (IPA, Pale, Porter) and Belgians. We had come to RR for the Pliny the Elder and unfortunately, I thought it was about the same as I experienced in the bottle. The RR IPA, Blind Pig, Parking Violation Pale, Porter, etc. were all excellent, however. The Belgians across the board were very good to excellent as well. Only the stout stood out as just so-so. But overall, I was and continue to be extremely impressed with the quality of the beer.

We order some appetizers - wings and pizza bites. Food was satisfactory. Nothing out of the ordinary, but sufficient to help wash down the beer. Service Saturday afternoon was good. Wait staff served us promptly and was friendly. Friday night and then again Saturday night, the place was busy and the service was a little slower and less friendly, but I guess that is to be expected.

Overall, still a ranks as a destination beer spot worthy of a long drive.

Friday 15th of August 2008 12:38:46 PM

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This person needs 3 or more reviews on the site for their scores to start counting.

Went out there on a Sunday evening. Sundays are nice because its happy hour all day. Big chalkboards listing all brews on tap. Huge bar, some outdoor seating, and small stage for live music.

Menu is a little limited - mainly pizza. Pizza was very good. Good pizza bite type appetizer if you're not up for a full on meal.

The best part is the Pliny and Blind Pig were sooooo good on tap. If you don't have a favorite style, go with the samplers.

I will definitely return when in the area.

Monday 4th of August 2008 04:27:08 PM

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The Russian River brew pub is just about the only place to go to try Russian River beer on tap. It's a cool little bar with the beer list written out on a chalk board as it changes frequently. If you have the time the sampler is highly recommended, it's a few ounces of every beer they have on tap, which is somewhere around 15. But Pliny the Elder is the real draw of Russian River. People come from far and wide to try one of the most highly regarded Imperial IPA's the US has to offer. Also very good are their barrel aged beers. They are expensive, but if you are serious about beer they are a must.

Monday 20th of August 2007 12:50:24 PM

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It's all about the beer (almost). I dropped by on Sunday and it was busy (happy hour all day). There is a comfortable bar area with additional tall tables and several TVs plus an adjacent table area as well as some outdoor seating on the sidewalk. Food is limited to pizza plus some simple salads and appetizers; mostly something to do while drinking the great beer. Service was a bit slow in the bar area. There is a public parking lot out back.
There were about a dozen house brews listed when I visited. I couldn’t stay long so I just had a O.V.L. (Dry) Stout which hit the spot on a pleasant afternoon. I will definitely will return for some of their barrel aged brews and their IPAs.
Edit: Dropped in again and got to taste Pliny the Younger (Triple IPA, 11% ABV). What a treat.