![]() It was all I knew.”īeing so entrenched in the family business, Cilurzo learned the truth behind the vintner adage that it takes a lot of good beer to make great wine. “I was kind of the ‘assistant winemaker,’ and there were times in high school where I wouldn’t go to school because it was harvest time. He was born into a winemaking family and grew up living and working at Cilurzo Winery in Temecula, Calif., just north of San Diego. “Fermentation has been in my blood pretty much my entire life,” said Cilurzo during an early spring interview at his newly expanded brewery. A glance into Cilurzo’s past reveals a personal history rife with experiences and ideals that made this imaginative brewer the perfect candidate to make such an unexpectedly sudsy splash in Sonoma County. His many accomplishments are made all the more impressive by the fact that he has built such a respectable reputation for himself – and craft beer in general – smack dab in the center of the wine capital of the United States. In the decade and a half since, he has continued to elevate his status as one of America’s foremost brewing pioneers by using barrels, bacteria, Brettanomyces and a touch of Belgophilia mixed with equal parts brains and guts. Most would have stopped there, but for Cilurzo, introducing the world to the tongue-buckling intensity of over-the-top hops was just the beginning. Widely regarded as the inventor of the Double IPA, the forward-thinking owner and brewmaster at Russian River Brewing Company unleashed this ferocious beer style on the imbibing public in the mid-90’s. Very dry, bitter, hoppy and medium-bodied.For Vinnie Cilurzo, pushing the envelope is an everyday affair. (Yeast traditionally contributes fruity, spicy, or earthy flavors to a beer). The unique Kveik yeast contributes notes of citrus, which is very unique for yeast. The beer is quite distinctive with a clean malt character and the hops contributing notes of herbal, spice, floral, and stone fruit. From there it ages for several months before it is ready to enjoy. At packaging, the beer is dosed with some sugar and fresh Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces (Brett) yeast for bottle and keg conditioning. Yeast for the primary fermentation, which adds even more interesting flavor & aromatic character. The beer is hoppier, more bitter, and has a larger malt foundation along with the use of Kveik This is the fifth election season that we have made Defenestration, however, this time around Vinnie completely revamped the recipe, including a change in the malt and hop bill, as well as the yeast. This is the fifth election season that we have made Defenestration, however, this time around Vinnie completely revamped the recipe, including a change… Read More This double dry-hopping process adds even more flavor, complexity, hop aroma, and freshness to the beer. The original Pliny is dry-hopped on day 7 with about 2 pounds per barrel, and DDH Pliny is dry-hopped on day 1 and again on day 6 for a total of about 4 pounds per barrel. The original Pliny and DDH Pliny both have the same hop bill, while the amount of dry hops is roughly doubled in the DDH Pliny. This beer was a huge hit with not only beer enthusiasts but the entire RRBC crew! So we decided to bring it back in 2021 with DDH Pliny the Elder. In 2020, we brewed Pliny for President by taking the original recipe and adding a 2 step double dry-hop (DDH) process. Pliny the Elder was one of the first commercially brewed Double IPA’s created by Vinnie in 1999 while the brewery was still owned by Korbel Winery. Modern brewing techniques (such as open-top fermentation) and old-world traditions create the distinct qualities in STS Pils. We use a distinct water profile for STS Pils, which contributes to the crisp minerality in the finish.Ī truly great Pilsner is a difficult beer to perfect, as its light crisp flavor profile leaves little room for error. It should also be noted that water can make the difference between a good beer and a great beer when adjusted properly. It is often said that Pilsner is a study in purity, simplicity, and cleanliness of flavor. This beer is hop-forward with a firm malt foundation, strong lager yeast characteristic, and a dry, bitter finish. It is straw in color and will often have a slight haze due to the fact that there is a small amount of yeast left in the beer. STS Pils is a classic German-style pilsner but with a Russian River twist, this is because we dry hop this beer with a small amount of European hops. STS Pils is a classic German-style pilsner but with a Russian River twist, this is because we dry hop this beer with a small amount of European hops.… Read More ![]()
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