Russian River Brewing Runs Out of Beer!

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by brywhite, Aug 22, 2013.

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  1. brywhite

    brywhite Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2009 California

  2. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Within the article I took note of:

    “Yet for all the buzz, the beer is only available in three states — California, Colorado, and Oregon — along with a few bars in the beer-mad city of Philadelphia.”

    Cheers!


    P.S. Some bottles of the -ation beers are available at beer stores in the Philly area.
     
  3. AAlchemist

    AAlchemist Initiate (0) Aug 12, 2012 Arizona

    Grrr I feel like this is just being used to Buzz up hype....Don't get me wrong its never "easy" to find RR beer...but come on...its not like its different than any other time.
     
    Catchy_Name likes this.
  4. RBassSFHOPit2ME

    RBassSFHOPit2ME Initiate (0) Mar 1, 2009 California
    Deactivated

    "At least once a week, she said, she drops an account for various infractions, including gouging customers.
    These stores and bars “are abusing the privilege of carrying our beers and disrespecting their customers, in my opinion,” she said. “And we don't appreciate it, we don't condone it. I cannot force a retailer to charge a certain price, but we can certainly not sell them beer anymore, and that's totally legal.”

    Nice to know they still have their priorities straight after all their success.
     
    Jtc2811, blguillen, Hanzo and 20 others like this.
  5. Seanibus

    Seanibus Pooh-Bah (1,858) Dec 6, 2004 California
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I do have to point out (being the guy who wrote the article in the first place) that the news isn't so much that they ran out of beer one time, but that the supply and demand equation is wildly out of whack at one of the world's most buzzed-about breweries - and the owners are perfectly happy with the situation. The fact that, for the first time ever, they couldn't even supply themselves is a vehicle for getting into the larger issue of the insane demand and limited capacity at the brewery, and the great financial and personal caution of the owners. I didn't have space to draw the contrast, but it is really the opposite of that other icon of the Sonoma County beer scene, Lagunitas, for which growth is a daily reality. Tony Magee is aiming for the stars, but with no definite target or endpoint in mind, while Natalie and Vinnie have always aimed for 14,000 barrels a year, they arrived on target, and have no pressing desire to go higher than that.
     
  6. brywhite

    brywhite Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2009 California

    Personally, I love to read anything about Russian River Brewing. But when I do, I know it means that the demand will go up even more and there will be less beer available.
     
  7. M_C_Hampton

    M_C_Hampton Initiate (0) Oct 9, 2012 Georgia

    As long as Lagunitas keeps making quality products, I'm thrilled with their expansion. More quality beer at a reasonable price distributed fresh to my area makes me less likely to pay gouging prices to get excellent beer. I loved it when my buddy brought me a bottle of Pliny from his trip to San Francisco, but I really liked going into the local beer store and buying us each a six pack of Sucks.
     
    AlexM, Cubieblu, CowsandBeer and 5 others like this.
  8. hoppytobehere

    hoppytobehere Pooh-Bah (1,982) Aug 10, 2012 District of Columbia
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Amen to that.
     
    dianimal and ChrisM361 like this.
  9. opwog

    opwog Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2008 Minnesota

    ISO any RR beers that nobody can find.
     
    fernz18 likes this.
  10. Greenplastic615

    Greenplastic615 Savant (1,068) Nov 4, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    The problem is they can't just drop a beer from the rotation to free up space. The beers are ALL good.
     
  11. Seanibus

    Seanibus Pooh-Bah (1,858) Dec 6, 2004 California
    Pooh-Bah Society

    What's interesting to me about Lagunitas' Tony Magee is his view of his customers, who he calls his tribe. He is fond of saying that a brewery is, in some sense, created by the customers and not the other way around. That outlook seems to drive him to this dizzying level of growth he has experienced almost from the day he opened. He seems to subscribe to a line similar to the old Doritos commercial: drink all you want, we'll make more. As long as more and more people drink it, he will make more and more of it. Vinnie and Natalie clearly value their customers, but they don't seem to have that kind of desire or instinct for manic growth. It wouldn't surprise me if they do eventually give in to the pressure to grow, at least a little bit, but they seem very cautious and careful about their business. Tony, meanwhile, views Lagunitas as a giant, sprawling jazz symphony, being improvised every day around only the most general idea of the main melody.
     
  12. BierGartenok

    BierGartenok Initiate (0) Apr 4, 2009 Oklahoma

    I wish more breweries were like they are
     
  13. Jason

    Jason Founder (0) Aug 23, 1996 Massachusetts

    Todd and I drank their reserves a couple weeks ago ... sorry. :sunglasses:
     
  14. Stevedore

    Stevedore Grand Pooh-Bah (5,072) Nov 16, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I sure do hope they have more beer when I come to visit at the end of September.
     
  15. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    The failure to resist Temptation leads to Damnation... :-)
     
  16. Stevedore

    Stevedore Grand Pooh-Bah (5,072) Nov 16, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Which requires Supplication to the Beer Gods at the Altar of Consecration.. who may then decide whether to grant the gift of Redemption.
     
    Geuzedad likes this.
  17. SierraJosh

    SierraJosh Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2013 California

    From the time I tasted a damnation in Tahoe City, closing weekend for Squaw 2010, I have been obsessed with RR and their beers. To me they are the best and however they wanna run their business is awesome, anyone in driving distance complaining? Why expand when you are banking a ton of cash each month and your product is perfect. Vinnie and Tony have different philosophies and i wonder how this conversation plays out in 10 years?
     
  18. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Or commit to Perdition without Procrastination.
     
    Geuzedad likes this.
  19. RBassSFHOPit2ME

    RBassSFHOPit2ME Initiate (0) Mar 1, 2009 California
    Deactivated

    FT: Shadow of a Doubt
     
    SierraJosh likes this.
  20. PatKorn

    PatKorn Zealot (685) Aug 30, 2007 Hawaii

    Wish I knew more people in life,not just the beer business,who were like Natalie and Vinnie. Just truly good people.
     
    jrnyc likes this.
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