It’s elusive, exclusive and a beer that is spread across the West Coast market for a mere two weeks per year. Because of this, Russian River Brewing Company’s triple IPA Pliny the Younger has attained the official moniker of “The Cult Beer,” stirring up disturbing frenzies that reflect something along the lines of a Black Friday sale more than a communal beer experience.
The first two years of Pliny releases at Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach were tumultuous for owners Gabe Gordon and Lena Perelman. After formally announcing when the coveted beer would go on tap the first year and running into their first taste of Pliny hysteria, they opted to facetiously post an actual Pliny the Younger quote outside their bar the second year—”An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit”—which subtly and rather silently announced the hoppy brew was being served.
Their silent announcement got them chided: regulars complained at their lack of knowing the keg had arrived while beer belt-notchers invaded via Tweets after discovering the keg had been tapped.
Year three was equally as chaotic, despite a difference in approach where they told everyone when it would be tapped, how many servings were available, and set a limit of one per person. People began sneakily trying to get second servings despite a line out the door, forcing Gordon at one point to look at his security cameras to make sure no one was cheating. He even had to kick out a customer.
And Pliny mania is precisely the opposite of what Gordon and Perelman feel beer should be. It had become, in the words of Perelman, the “Beatles of Beer” rather than the communal, bottle-share experience that is appreciated for many beer releases.
“I am huge Apple fanboy: every generation, every product, I buy. But standing in line overnight to be the first to get something?” Gordon explained, using his techy metaphor to relate to the feeder-like madness that surrounds Pliny the Elder every February. “It’s not that the beer doesn’t deserve all its accolades; it’s an amazing product. It’s the culture surrounding heightened products and that makes it society’s issue—not Russian River’s.”
It is why Beachwood–along with its second Long Beach brewpub location–has single-handedly altered the entire Pliny the Younger experience by auctioning off all 130 of their Pliny pints (yes, full pints of the 10.5%ABV beer) and giving away the proceeds to a locally inspired cause. By raffling off the beer and donating all the money, the restaurant can get the beer to customers while avoiding criticisms that no one knew about it, that servings are too small or limited and that they use the exclusive brew to garner money.
Meanwhile, if your lucky ticket is chosen in the raffle, you have the luxury of choosing when you want to come in to enjoy your Pliny—harkening to the idea that instead of surrounding one’s self in a flurry of feisty people fighting for a pour, you actually sit and enjoy the beverage.
Tony Carbone
And even better: the benefits go to Melanoma Research Foundation in honor of Long Beach elementary school teacher Tony Carbone.
Carbone was diagnosed with State 3 Melanoma, the worst and deadliest form of skin cancer known to medicine. He ultimately succumbed to his disease at the age of 34, but he is not forgotten by his many friends at Beachwood.
“The way [Tony] lived his life has served as an inspiration to everyone he left behind, including us,” said Perelman. “Y’know, living life to the fullest everyday, pursuing your passion and doing it with a loving heart and smile. How could anyone argue against that?”
Last year was their first year—and the first beer bar ever—to enact such a process, with one guy purchasing $500 worth of $5 raffle tickets in one shot (much to the happiness of Gordon and Perelman—”Could you imagine if he didn’t even get one?” Gordon laughed—the guy scored eight full pints of the awesome triple IPA). In the end, some $8,000 was given to the Melanoma Research Foundation.
Success is already following: not only did someone purchase an immediate $300 worth of raffle tickets the first day they went on sale, Beachwood has convinced Santa Monica’s Library Ale House as well to partake in the altruistic tapping of the Pliny.
“We will never sell that beer again,” Gordon said matter-of-factly. “It will always be given away. Win, win.”
Raffle tickets are on sale for cash only until 10PM on February 15th. Tickets will be available for purchase at Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach and Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Downtown Long Beach. The cost is $5 per ticket and there is no limit to how many you can buy.
On February 18th, 130 raffle tickets will be drawn at random. The drawing will be streamed live on the New Brew Thursday webcast and winners will also be notified via email or phone.