BREW REVIEW

Russian River Brewing Company, aka Funkytown

Russian River’s “funkification” process takes place in reused wine barrels where the beers are aged for sometimes over a year. Photo by Joel Williams

By Joel Williams 
Published: May, 2007 

Notoriety came quickly for Russian River Brewing Company, just two years after the company was started by Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville. The honorable title of Small Brewing Company of the Year was bestowed upon them at the 1999 Great American Beer Festival. And to top it off, that same year, brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo received the Small Brewing Company Brewmaster of the Year award.

Cilurzo won again in 2003 when Korbel decided that they didn’t want to be in the beer industry, and sold the operation to he and his wife Natalie. Together, they moved the company to Santa Rosa and set up as a brewpub with a large production brewery attached in order to produce enough product that they could distribute to accounts as far away as Washington, D.C.

They have been successful with various styles of beers, and have earned the respect of their peers. This past April, Cilurzo gave the keynote speech at the annual 2007 Craft Brewers Conference.

Russian River’s beer menu runs the gamut of beer styles from a mild Blond Ale to the funkiest of Belgian beers around.

The customer base here is into hoppy beers or Belgian beers. Probably 50 percent of our sales are IPA or Double IPA, 40 percent is Belgian and the remaining 10 percent is all of the light stuff, Cilurzo says. Were probably the only brewery in America whose number one beer is a double IPA

All of Russian River’s brews are considered quite dry (not sweet), according to Cilurzo, and some of the mild or more tame styles offered include the Aud Blonde and OVL Stout. The Blond has a nice clean finish with a notable citrus flavor and aroma that comes from the Crystal hops used. The Stout is a nice example of a traditional Irish dry stout reminiscent of Guinness. Both are very drinkable and should make the casual beer drinker quite happy.

The next group of beers on the menu consists of three distinct IPAs that are available year-round.

The Russian River IPA is the mildest of the three with a maltier flavor and less aggressive hops characteristics. The Blind Pig IPA has a little more aggressive hop profile but actually has a slightly thinner mouthfeel that really emphasizes the hoppiness. Then there is Pliny The Elder Double IPA, which is their best selling beer. Cilurzo is actually credited with inventing this style of beer. He brewed the first commercial Double IPA back in 1994 when he was the brewer at Blind Pig in Temecula. Made with 40 percent more malt and over twice the amount of hops compared to the other IPAs, it is deceptively tasty. One should drink it with caution due to the 8 percent alcohol by volume.

The rest of the beers available are all Belgian style ales that feature all of the wacky flavors associated with this distinct style like banana, pear, apple, and spices like clove and coriander. Belgian beer styles are quite unique and are not for the timid beer drinker. Although I am a great fan of Belgian beers, they are not for everyone, and I wondered how Russian River could get away having such an eclectic beer menu. Cilurzo says that Russian River Brewing Company regulars know their beer and choose to follow a path not often taken by the general public.

There were six different Belgians available when I visited that ranged from mellow to aggressive and Russian River’s very well educated staff can help to steer you in the direction of what would suit your particular tastes.

And then there are what Cilurzo calls his funky beers.

A wild yeast strain, normally feared by brewers and winemakers, called Brettanomyces, is used to create Russian River’s funky beers. These beers tend to have a lactic or sour character and are sometimes blended with fruit. The funkification process takes some time though, as Cilurzo ages these special brews in oak wine barrels for sometimes over a year.

Probably the most interesting of these beers is called Supplication. Although it is no longer available at the brewery, I was able to find a bottle at City Beer on Folsom Street in San Francisco. Supplication is a Brown Ale mixed with sour cherries. Then Brettanomyces and two strains of bacteria are added to help sour the beer. It is then placed in used Pinot Noir barrels and aged for 15 months. The complexity of this beer cannot be overstated. Supplication has a rich sour cherry flavor that is accented by the natural sour flavors produced by the yeast and bacteria. I loved this exquisite example of a Belgian fruit flavored beer but you better move fast if you want to try it before it’s all gone. At the time of press there were less than 10 bottles left at City Beer, and once they’re gone, you will have to wait until the next release, sometime next year.

Russian River Brewing Company (and I, too) will be at The Beer Fest in Santa Rosa on June 2, along with more than 35 other breweries. For more information on this wonderful beer festival, which is celebrating its 16th year, www.monitor.net/beerfest