For those of us that live in Santa Rosa, getting to Russian River Brewing is pretty easy. Located downtown, it’s an easy trip for Happy Hour or for a weekend pint. If you live outside of Santa Rosa, you might need a little nudge. There’s more than a nudge worth of reasons to come down and check out the brewpub over the next month.
On tap currently is the “1.5 IPA” Hopfather. This stand-alone recipe lies somewhere between an IPA and a double IPA, finishing at 6.8% and 70 IBU. Amarillo and Centennial hops are on display in this beer whch focuses on hop flavor and aroma more than bitterness. Expect this beer to pour for another week or so before it’s gone until next summer.
For those who like the Russian River sours, Temptation Batch 5 has just been released. For the first time, this sour golden ale will be available in the smaller 375 mL bottles as well as on draft. For more sour satisfaction, Sanctification, the 100% Brettanomyces ale, is still on draft as well.
Looking down the road, new bottles of Redemption, a Belgian single ale, will be available in late September. Even further down the road will be bottles of Salvation, the Belgian Dark ale. Both of these beers, as with all future Russian River releases will be available in the smaller bottles.
If you’re looking for new releases on draft, the Gaffer’s Bitter, a sessionable English-style ale, is coming back. The goal is to get this beer closer to a 4% strength without sacrificing flavor. This will be available only on tap at the brewpub, so be sure to make it down and have a pint and see how the process is coming.
If you’re looking to try some Russian River beers at various festivals, Healdsburg’s Beer in the Plaza will be your only opportunity in the near future. The Great American Beer Festival is high on the list of priorities for the team at Russian River and takes up a lot of time in September.
In the meantime, get ready for “All Hopped Up For the Cure,” Russian River’s October fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. Details are still in the works, but expect another scooter, specially fund raising beer and a new t-shirt.
Remember, if you're heading to Russian River, it's a short walk from the downtown Santa Rosa Transit Plaza. Take the buss and don't worry about having another beer. There are a lot of strong beers at Russian River and you don't want to take the risk of getting a DUI. Drive safely or not at all.
Russian River Brewing Company
725 4th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95404-4407
(707) 545-2337
Comments