The 2023 edition of Russian River’s Pliny the Younger generated a record $6.3 million in economic impact, a more than $200,000 increase over last year’s record-breaking release, according to the Sonoma County Economic Development Board (EDB).
A combined 24,603 consumers visited Russian River’s Santa Rosa and Windsor, California – 11,439 in Santa Rose and 13,164 in Windsor – from March 24 to April 6 for the 19th annual release of the brewery’s specialty triple IPA. U.S. visitors represented 41 states and Guam, while international visitors traveled from 12 different countries: Australia, Canada, China, Estonia, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Each visitor spent an average of $290 at the taproom, with an average group size of 2.9 people.
An average of $366 was spent by visitors on airfare into the Sonoma County Airport, with an average $656 spent on lodging in the county, according to a survey by the EDB. The majority of money spent by survey respondents (80%) went toward lodging or food services, with the other 20% spent on transportation, retail or “other activities” such as the local casino, dancing, golf, movies and outdoor recreation, according to the EDB.
More than half of Russian River’s visitors in the two-week period (64%) were returning Pliny consumers, lining up rain-or-shine, with returning consumers attending the annual release an average of 4.3 years. The majority of visitors (98%) said they would attend again in the future.
“The release went very smooth despite some bad weather, but it would not be a proper Younger release without a little rain,” Russian River co-owner Natalie Cilurzo wrote in an email to Brewbound. “This was definitely one of our favorite releases. And everyone seemed to have a great time!”
2023 marked the second year Russian River held its in-person release of Pliny the Younger in March, a little later than its typical early February release date. The decision to push the date was made in 2022, after Russian River was forced to delay the in-person launch due to a wave of COVID-19 cases among its taproom staff. The delay ended up being a “blessing in disguise” with the later month having longer days and better weather, Cilurzo said earlier this year on the Brewbound Podcast.
Distribution of Pliny the Younger draft is still held in February, allowing fans to taste the year’s batch at local bars and restaurants before the in-person release. Russian River produces an average of 400 barrels of Pliny each year, depending on projected demand, with about 40% sent for draft distribution, 35% packaged in the brewery’s signature 510 ml bottles exclusively at Russian River taprooms and 25% kegged for in-house draft sales, Cilurzo previously told Brewbound. The company packaged 41,000 bottles this year – the fourth year the offering has been bottled – all of which sold out within the two-week release period.
Listen to the full Brewbound podcast interview with Cilurzo, conducted live from the California Craft Beer Summit in Sacramento, here and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify.