Pliny the Younger fans brave unseasonably wet, windy weather for taste of 20th anniversary beer
SANTA ROSA -- Some Easter egg hunts and other activities were canceled Friday due to the rain and wind. But fans of a famed North Bay beer braved the elements, standing in line for hours for a glass.
Teresa Nabarec came from Vacaville to stand in line for hours at Russian River Brewing for the 20th annual Pliny the Younger release. "It's my husband's bright idea to come here," Nabarec said.
Waiting in these long lines is tough enough, but to do it in this weather? "To begin with, it was raining," Nabarec said. "It's very cold, the weather is freezing, but thankfully for us we had enough gear in the car."
Instead of warming up next to her husband, a heat lamp became Teresa's best friend.
"It is helping," Nabarec said. "It's helping on a smaller scale but it's cold enough that you can feel the heat coming off this so it's been very good."
Russian River did try to keep customers as dry as possible Friday by lining the sidewalk with pop up canopies but many say the cold wind was the worst.
"He had to go back to the car and bring me a hat because it's cold," Gina Pinola from Sonoma County said. "Now I'm going to thaw out a little bit."
Even after all of that, those we talked to say they would definitely do it again. "Ya, I would have to say it's worth the wait," Tony Pinola said.
The rain, wind and chilly temperatures haven't impacted this year's Younger release. Russian River Brewing's owner Natalie Cilurzo said between their two locations, they've served roughly 13,000 customers in the first seven days.
This event draws people from out of the area, rain or shine.
"It is cold, it is dreary," Andy Carter said. "People are at home saying, 'Where are you right now? Why aren't you home right now?' But it's an experience."
