Oct 12. Took a bus ride from SF to Santa Rosa just to visit this brewpub. We went to the bar 20 minutes after opening and managed to get a table. 20 minutes after that the place was full and people started queuing up. Timing was excellent.

Taplist, as you can expect, was mind-blowing and caused drooling. I took the sampler set which includes all the beers they have on tap and it was just as great I had hoped for. After having a pizza I took a pint of Pliny just because it was so good. The pizzas were good, but not as mind-blowing as their beers. Staff was very friendly.

There is some great beer here, for sure. Is it great enough to put up with an extremely snobby too-hip and too-busy for thou bar staff? I went to the bar with my 20 in plain sight, some dudes came up from behind and caught the barkeep’s eye because they were regulars and this out-of-towner was ignored for another good 5 minutes. Oh, well. They can afford bad customer service, I guess. And how about putting up with the obnoxious Santa Rosa beer scene crowd that packs the place? That is debatable for me, at best. The best of Asheville, from where I hail, offers far friendlier service and far better brews. Not to mention lousy acoustics. I hate it when I can only make out the bass on my favorite rock songs. But Russian is worth checking out for a chance to sample the Pliny brews and a few of their Belgian styles. A lot of their IPA styles all taste alike, and are more or less watered down versions of the Pliny ales. Their Belgian side is more or less a few sour kinds of alses that, again, are very similar, and a few other plainer styles that are just okay. I’d like to see them offer a really solid tripel and dubble.

The beer and food are great don’t get me wrong. I like Santa Rosa but the bar around the corner serving all of the Lagunitas is a little more mellow. The only problem is the popularity of this place. It is so popular that it is often a long wait for a table and once you sit down it is so noisy that you can hardly have a conversation without yelling.

Really great brewpub overall. Great selection, great food and great beer, of course! This place was packed on a Friday afternoon with mostly locals and a few out of towners like us. Very good time.

What can I say, tap list is solid and there’s no need for bunch of other beers. Could sit here few days and just enjoy the beers on and on. Extremely friendly staff, food is great.

A great bar for a great brewery. They have a few different sample flights and dozens of their own brews on tap. The bar is above average pizza and pub food, and the staff definitely know their products. It’s always crowded on the weekends, so expect to have at least a beer or two before you get a table.

I went in early February, so it was packed for the Pliny the Younger release. Good location in downtown. Beer is excellent of course, however it is a fairly small place. Very loud and hard to get a table, but worth it for the great beer.

Was there during Pliny the Younger 2012. So we’d waited nearly 4 1/2 hours in line. I was in good company and the other line waiters were patient and sociable, so the wait wasn’t so bad. The beer was great, but the experience superior. Staff were patient and accommodating. Fun, rustic, yet international atmosphere. Loved being there. Santa Rosa is such a quaint little redwood-type mountain-feel town. I want to go back during a less busy time and sit there all day enjoying their wonderful libations. I only wish that Younger was available year round. But, who doesn’t?

Living on he east coast I consider myself fortunate to have tried many RR beers, but I finally was able to make it to what many in this community would describe as a Mecca for beer lovers. I was here mid week mid afternoon so crowds were not an issue. The kitchen being closed was, although they let us bring in food under the circumstance. That was kind of the staff as it was clear that I didn’t want to leave becase of our basic needs. Not my usual MO I started with the sampler. It was a nice way to start, although I had tried most of the beers previously it was a good way to reacquaint myself with some new and old favorites. Beers was fantastic of course , staff was busy. Knowledgeable, opinionated and eventually quite friendly and helpful. This is a must stop for the beer enthusiast and is well worth it. Yes, go out of your way to get here.

Russian River Brewing is a place you’ve gotta visit at least once. They’ve constantly got amazing offerings in a variety of styles. Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger (once a year), Blind Pig, all the sours..... just do yourself a favor and check this place out if you’re ever in the area.