Lindsey Waddell of Calistoga was once again at the front. He has lost count of how many years he has been the first one in line.
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"I got here at 10:30 yesterday (Thursday) morning. Because usually they open at 10:30 (Friday) and I wanted it to be like a full 24 hours. It is definitely worth it," Waddell said.
But a new twist this year attracted new fans. This year they have bottled Pliny the Younger and will be selling it in the tasting room. That was enough to convince one beer lover from LA to come to Santa Rosa and wait in line.
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"They release it down there and it's scarce trying to get. You have to go to different locations and try to get it with raffles and since they're bottling it I thought I am going to come up here and try my shot at getting a bottle," said Oscar Guevara. He got in line at 6:00 pm Thursday.
"It's kind of something we said we would never do," said Natalie Cilurzo, the Co-Owner of Russian River Brewing Company.
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She and her husband decided to bend their rule and bottle the beer this year as a special treat for their customers who spend hours waiting in line.
"We didn't make a lot of bottles so we plan to run out everyday. And we won't be distributing the bottles. They won't be available in the gift shop, just to our guests who come into the pub for the experience," she said.
By 9 a.m., there were more than 200 people in line in Santa Rosa. The brewery also now has a tasting room in Windsor. Employees say the line was very long there as well.