Wine For Misfits

It’s already an honor to make it on the Wine For Misfits website and earn a Kitty Rating Score. But businesses receiving the coveted 10/10 Kitties is reserved for only an elite group.

They have to be a small business, service needs to make me feel like we’re besties, and cheese never hurts.

Russian River Brewing Company downtown Santa Rosa meets all the requirements. Even the cheese part.

FIRST-EVER KITTY AWARD

Russian River Brewery is the first recipient of the coveted Kitty Award. If you go in and sit at the end of the bar, you can see this award on display in all its glory. 

THE BEST NEW YORKER PIZZA

Not hyperbole, but Russian River Brewing’s Pizza was the deciding factor for my husband and me to make the move from Napa to Santa Rosa. 

While we enjoyed Napa, we were feeling a little burnt out on the wine focused community after four years. So, to change things up, we were flirting with the idea of moving to the neighboring beer-focused town.

This isn’t to hate on Napa Pizza. There are some solid contenders. For an Artisan cheese pizza, you want Azzuro. For carby pizza with super stringy cheese, you want Filippi’s. But when it comes to a crispy-crust pizza with little pepperonis you can fit your thumb into, Napa is lacking. 

When we went to Santa Rosa to check out some bougie, millennial-grey apartments, we stopped by Russian River Brewery after the tour to get a bite to eat and discuss if this was really a move we wanted to make.

We ordered the New Yorker pizza.

It took only one bite and we were sold. Santa Rosa was going to be our new home. We sent an email to confirm we wanted the apartment right then and there.

CRAFTING BEER AS AN INDEPENDANT BREWERY SINCE 2004

Before the 2010s explosion of craft breweries and absurd IPA mashups (looking at you Voodoo Donut Maple Brown Sugar Bacon Rogue Ale), Russian River was setting the standard for craft beers.

They have a variety of styles that live on their menu and a few experimental RND recipes, so there is always something new to try.

My go-to staple is the Velvet Glow. It’s one of their lighter beers in alcohol and flavor but still has enough texture to hold up when paired with a large New Yorker pizza.

Plus it comes in a glass with a handle.

We love that.

The best strategy is to order yourself a pint of your favorite beer then get a taster or two of the RNDs.

PLINY THE YOUNGER

It’s a whole thing. Once a year, for only two weeks, they serve Pliny the Younger beer.

People camp out in front of the brewery. They travel from across the country. They wait six hours in line. All of this means us locals say farewell to our bartenders and get one last Pizza to-go.

If you want to experience the event for yourself, I’d recommend showing up an hour before closing on the last night. You may lose out on buying bottles to take home, but you’ll have a freshly-poured draft of Younger to enjoy.

ORDER A FLIGHT WITH CAUTION

Because I’m a professional and dedicated to investigative journalism, I finally ordered a flight to get a picture for the two of you that actually read this thing.

I’m not an IPA fan, I like low-alcohol light beers that I can drink throughout the day without getting too drunk.

Gluttonous? Yes.

But luckily I don’t believe in Hell, so bring on the sinning! 

Their flights are big. I got a half flight because this chick knows what she likes and she likes under 5% ABV beers. And only a few of their beers offer that option.

With that said, I found a couple of beers I did enjoy other than my Velvet Glow.

The one that surprised me was the Mind Circus Hazy IPA. First, I’m rarely into IPAs. And by rarely, I mean never. I’m not a fan of floral notes and this goes for wine as well as lavender-flavored, over-priced hipster food.

I think I’m still scarred from the jalapeño infused IPAs of yester year, but Mind Circus was soft and subtle. Definitely would partake again.

TWO LOCATIONS

Alright, I know I said only small businesses without multiple locations can receive the 10/10 Kitties rating. But because we had Russian River Brewpub before we had friends in Santa Rosa, I’m making an exception. Plus, they only have two locations, which is less than three. So I’ll allow it.

I do recommend checking out their Windsor location. It’s Disneyland-esque and a bit more corporate feel with a huge gift shop. But that location does offer a large outdoor patio, French fries, and guided tours.

While Russian River Brewing Company has grown in popularity, size, and zip codes, the OG location has kept a local bar feel. It’s retained all the charm of a small-town pub with beer memorabilia, paneled walls, and daily regulars.

TL;DR

Russian River Brewpub in downtown Santa Rosa has great beers, a hometown vibe, and Pizza worthy of uprooting your life for.

10/10 Kitties.