Pining for Pliny

Sunday, February 3.  It's a beautiful day, Cooper and I walk to the library.  We cut through an alley onto 4th Street here in Santa Rosa and holy cow!  There are hundreds of people lined up on the sidewalk, down two blocks, at least three or four people deep.  I do a rough count in blocks of ten and there must be at least 500 people.  I immediately know what is happening:  the release of Pliny the Younger beer from Russian River Brewing Company.  It's Pliny Time!

Once a year the RR Brewing Company crafts a Triple IPA, the younger child of Pliny the Elder which is a Double IPA.  Making a Triple IPA is very difficult (so they tell me) and takes a ton of time for a very small production.  It is only served on tap and since the quantity is so limited most bars run out in the first two days.  The pub on 4th Street is their home pub so patrons get to drink it for a two week stretch, rationed at one 10 ounce glass per person.  It is released on the first Friday in February, which was February 1st.  No wonder the place was packed last Sunday!

Fast forward to today, Friday.  Again, it's a lovely day, Cooper and I are again walking to the library.  (Yes, I read a lot.)  It's a nickel past noon, we cut through the alley onto 4th Street and yikes!  There are at least 150 people lined up outside the pub!  Cooper and I walk down the block and wait!  The line goes around that corner, with another 50 or so folks queued up there.  So at lunch-time on Friday, already about 200 people are waiting for their Pliny.  It is obvious that these folks are not going to get in and out in an allotted hour lunch break. These drinkers are not going back to work today, they are not going back to school, they are going to wait patiently in line until it's their turn to get their 10 ounce glass of beer goodness.

I want some of that beer. I love Pliny the Elder (any IPA fan would) and I have never tasted the Younger.  Now my curiosity is peaked, I need to be part of this beer frenzy!  I suppose the only thing to do is to get as close to the front door as I can when they open their doors and have a beer for breakfast.  I only hope they don't run out before I can make that happen.  Pliny Envy, that's what I have now.

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