More Construction Details, New Photos of the Russian River Brewing Expansion

There are new construction details on the Russian River Brewing expansion in Northern California.

The brewery, famous for its Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger IPAs, as well as eye-poppingly impressive beer flights, announced in June 2016 that it had chosen a 15-acre plot in Windsor, California, about 10 miles north of its Santa Rosa location, to build the new brewery. Russian River said business at Santa Rosa has gotten so crowded — “uncomfortably busy at times,” in fact — it was time to expand and give them more flexibility.

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Now, co-owner Natalie Cilurzo tells CraftBeer.com they expect to break ground and begin construction in April 2017. When it opens, the new Windsor brewery will have the capacity to brew about 35,000 barrels — with room to grow.

Russian River released a few artistic renderings of the new Windsor brewpub and brewery. The new space will also include a gift shop, tasting room and a second brewpub with an ample amount of outdoor space. Beer lovers will also have access to self-guided tours, a perk that isn’t currently available.

“The intense level of detail involved in building from scratch is definitely a new experience for us. While we are busy educating our design team about wastewater, dissolved oxygen and Brettanomyces, they are teaching us about photometrics, plate heights, and butt-glazing,” the brewery said.

Windsor is located in Sonoma County, and the tourism board says the quaint, walkable historic downtown area is a draw for visitors and families alike. The town hosts the annual Hot Air Balloon Classic each June.

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Construction will take about a year and a half, and Russian River is shooting to have the new spot open by late 2018.

“It can’t come soon enough, but any faster would be too much,” the brewery said.

Stay tuned to CraftBeer.com for more updates on the expansion.

Jess Baker

Jess Baker walked into a beer fest in 2010 and realized beer had come a long way from what her dad had been drinking since the 70s. She served as editor-in-chief of CraftBeer.com from spring 2016 to spring 2020, bringing you stories about the people who are the heartbeat behind U.S. craft brewing. She's a runner, a die-hard Springsteen fan, a mom who is always scouting family-friendly breweries, and always in search of a darn good porter.

CraftBeer.com is fully dedicated to small and independent U.S. breweries. We are published by the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s small and independent craft brewers. Stories and opinions shared on CraftBeer.com do not imply endorsement by or positions taken by the Brewers Association or its members.