Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle  Customers huddle in the doorway of neighboring businesses while they wait for the limited release of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Customers huddle in the doorway of neighboring businesses while...  Lindsey Waddell sips on a glass of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Lindsey Waddell sips on a glass of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale...  Kelly Jung flew in from Indianapolis Thursday night and got in line overnight for the limited release of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Kelly Jung flew in from Indianapolis Thursday night and got in line...  Vinnie Cilurzo (right), co-owner of the Russian River Brewing Company, greets people waiting in line for the limited release of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Vinnie Cilurzo (right), co-owner of the Russian River Brewing...  Roman Alcocer (left) and his buddy Scott Webb, who both just turned 21, wait for their first taste of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Roman Alcocer (left) and his buddy Scott Webb, who both just turned...  Vinnie Cilurzo (right), co-owner of the Russian River Brewing Company, greets people waiting in line for the limited release of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Vinnie Cilurzo (right), co-owner of the Russian River Brewing...  Janet Nunez and Nelson Rivera (right) enjoy their first taste of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Nunez and Rivera, the first customers to get in line Thursday night, travelled from Montebello (Los Angeles Co.) for the opportunity. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Janet Nunez and Nelson Rivera (right) enjoy their first taste of...  Glasses of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale are lined up for an employee toast before the Russian River Brewing Company opens for customers in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Glasses of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale are lined up for an...  Vinnie Cilurzo, co-owner of the Russian River Brewing Co., greets people waiting in line for the limited release of Pliny the Younger India pale ale.  Vinnie Cilurzo, co-owner of the Russian River Brewing Co., greets...  Jim Ozga (left) and Rick Braun, both from Chicago, taste the Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Ozga was the fourth customer to line up when he arrived at 7 pm Thursday night. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Jim Ozga (left) and Rick Braun, both from Chicago, taste the Pliny...  Emil Hanke Jr. (left) wears a shirt from last year's release of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Emil Hanke Jr. (left) wears a shirt from last year's release of...  Emil Hanke Jr. sips on his first glass of Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Emil Hanke Jr. sips on his first glass of Pliny the Younger India...  Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale is tapped and ready to pour at the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Beer lovers from across the country wait in long lines for a shot of sipping the IPA, listed at 10.25% ABV, during its 2-week limited availability.  Pliny the Younger India Pale Ale is tapped and ready to pour at the...  Kevin Ramos (right) and Pat Mora of San Bruno keep their places in line with other beer fans as they await the arrival of the limited-release, high-alcohol favorite India pale ale Pliny the Younger from Russian River Brewing Co.  Kevin Ramos (right) and Pat Mora of San Bruno keep their places in...  Mike Miedema, left, of Santa Rosa and Van Seibel of Healdsburg stand beside a fire they lit "to keep up morale" outside Russian River Brewing Company in the early morning hours of Friday, February 6, 2015, as they await the release of Pliny the Younger in Santa Rosa, California.  Mike Miedema, left, of Santa Rosa and Van Seibel of Healdsburg...  Beer fans sleep in camping chairs to reserve their places in line for the release of Pliny the Younger at Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California, during the early morning hours of Friday, February 6, 2015.  Beer fans sleep in camping chairs to reserve their places in line...  Beer fans Nelson Rivera, right, and and Brandon Ley of Montebello share stories about their favorite brews with Van Seibel, left, of Healdsburg, as they await the release of Pliny the Younger at Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California, during the early morning hours of Friday, February 6, 2015. Rivera and Ley arrived at 9:00 am the day before from the Los Angeles area to reserve their coveted spots as the first people in line.  Beer fans Nelson Rivera, right, and and Brandon Ley of Montebello...  Pat Mora, left, and Kevin Ramos of San Bruno keep their places in line with other beer fans as they await the release of Pliny the Younger at Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California, during the early morning hours of Friday, February 6, 2015.  Pat Mora, left, and Kevin Ramos of San Bruno keep their places in...  San Francisco stuff people will line up for (and where to go instead)  San Francisco stuff people will line up for (and where to go instead)  Some San Francisco spots are so popular, the lines never end.  Beer can inspire locals to line up, especially when it's served outside at the Biergarten in Hayes Valley. Luckily the spot from the owners of Suppenkuche has tasty German bar bites and liter-sized beers to make the waiting worth it.  Some San Francisco spots are so popular, the lines never end...  Like Santa Claus, Russian River Brewing Company's Pliny the Younger only appears once per year. And like with Santa, many will wait in line to lap it up. Here, the staff at the brewery enjoys some Pliny before the 2014 rush. The triple IPA is being released Friday for the first time in 2015. It's only available on tap for two weeks, in limited bars like Monk's Kettle in S.F. and The Bistro in Hayward.  Like Santa Claus, Russian River Brewing Company's...  There's no getting around the lines for Pliny the Younger, but Russian River staple Pliny the Elder is available in the city year-round and is still a tasty double IPA.  There's no getting around the lines for Pliny...  For a low-key beer experience still filled with intense beer knowledge, try City Beer Store in SoMa. The Folsom St. spot is part store, part bar and you can sample beers on tap or buy one of hundreds of bottles and drink it there.  For a low-key beer experience still filled...  Mitchell's Ice Cream is often packed as people seek out flavors both traditional (its chocolate was ranked best in the Bay Area in a recent Chronicle taste test) and funky (ube and avocado).  Mitchell's Ice Cream is often packed as people...  Bi-Rite Creamery's quality and proximity to Dolores Park mean the lines often stretch around the corner at 18th and Dolores. On hot days and even some cold ones, you'll also see big lines at spots like Humphry Slocombe, Smitten, and Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous.  Bi-Rite Creamery's quality and proximity to...  Looking for a more relaxed ice cream experience? Ice Cream Bar in Cole Valley, which opened in 2012, offers ice cream and old-fashioned soda fountain creations. For the latter, just sidle up to the back bar.  Looking for a more relaxed ice cream...  If nostalgia is an ingredient, head to Swensen's on Russian Hill. The chain's small original location, seen here in 1948, still has longtime favorite flavors like Swiss Orange Chip.  If nostalgia is an ingredient, head to...  The longest line in San Francisco might be at the Powell cable car turnaround. Whether they're catching the Powell-Mason or Powell-Hyde cable cars, people will wait for hours to hitch a ride across the city.  The longest line in San Francisco might be at...  There are good cable car options that don't involve the Powell turnaround. Catch a cable car at the California St. turnaround, then transfer at California and Powell. Or take the equally fun F-Market streetcar to Fisherman's Wharf, then take the cable car back to Union Square when it's slightly less crowded.  There are good cable car options that...  Brunch will draw San Franciscans like moths to a blueberry pancake. Anybody who's been to Washington Square on a weekend has seen the lines at Mama's, at the corner of Stockton and Filbert. In 2012, the Chronicle's Inside Scoop reported Mama's might be looking to expand, which would be good news for brunchers.  Brunch will draw San Franciscans like moths to a...  Plow in Potrero Hill has built a big brunch reputation for great egg dishes and other brunch favorites despite its small size, and the weekend wait reflects its popularity. Similarly, S.F. will stick around for the brunch offerings at Brenda's French Soul Food, Zazie, Just For You Cafe, and Mission Beach Cafe.  Plow in Potrero Hill has built a big brunch...  To escape the brunch lines, think outside the benedict. San Jalisco in the Mission has delicious huevos, chilaquiles and omelettes, most for less than $10.  To escape the brunch lines, think outside...  Another way to avoid the lines is to unearth a restaurant that accepts brunch reservations, like Cotogna in the Financial District or Absinthe in Hayes Valley. Cotogna is Michael Tusk's more rustic companion restaurant to Quince, and the brunch menu offers pizzas and other options similar to the dinner menu.  Another way to avoid the lines is to...  Premium coffee will send San Franciscans straight to the back of a big line without hesitation. The most popular of the popular is Blue Bottle. Its Mint Plaza store is tucked away but still draws big lines, and its Ferry Building outpost is also popular.  Premium coffee will send San Franciscans straight...  Four Barrel in the Mission is also popular with coffee fans despite having no wi-fi and once posting a famous sign that asked customers to be respectful by 'not talking about annoying hipster topics' and 'not posting this on instagram, you hipster.'  Four Barrel in the Mission is also popular with...  For quality coffee without the insane lines, try Sightglass in SoMa. The large space encourages a relaxing vibe.  For quality coffee without the insane...  Or you could skip the coffee shop altogether. Graffeo Coffee Roasting Co. in North Beach has been selling beans since 1935 and is the oldest artisan roaster in the U.S.  Or you could skip the coffee shop...  As lampooned in many a Samsung ad, San Francisco's flagship Apple store has drawn long lines for new product launches.  As lampooned in many a Samsung ad, San Francisco's...  Don't want to wait in line? Hire somebody to hold your place, like Sam Goldstein, above. Just don't do what one Los Angeles man did for a recent launch. He drove several homeless people from skid row to Pasadena to wait in line, then refused to pay them as promised, and two people were arrested as the situation got heated.  Don't want to wait in line? Hire somebody to...  Food trucks can offer tasty food on wheels, which means the lines go mobile too. Popular trucks like The Chairman, Senor Sisig and Curry Up Now will often have lines no matter where they're set up.  Food trucks can offer tasty food on wheels,...  SoMa's StrEat Food Park has good food truck eats in a permanent, restaurant-like setting. A revolving cast of food trucks makes it possible to actually enjoy the selection without worrying too much about lines.  SoMa's StrEat Food Park has good food...  S.F. has lots of free concerts like Alice's Now and Zen at Golden Gate Park, but free means crowded. Suddenly performers like James Blunt can feel like they have U2-levels of popularity.  S.F. has lots of free concerts like Alice's Now...  What to do about crowded concerts? Get there early or just suck it up and crowd-surf your way to the front.  What to do about crowded concerts? Get...  Roli Roti Rotisserie brings roasted chicken to farmer's markets around the Bay Area, but its famed porchetta sandwich is only available at the Ferry Building on Thursdays and Saturdays, and that leads to lines.  Roli Roti Rotisserie brings roasted chicken to...  Other spots will do a porchetta sandwich without the side of line. The sandwich above is from Split Bread and Elmira Rosticceria in Civic Center also offers a tasty version.  Other spots will do a porchetta sandwich...  San Francisco Giants promotions, like this incredible Pablo Sandoval bobblehead, have inspired lines in the past. The team tried to curb lines by boosting the number of bobbles given out from 20,000 to 40,000 on most promotional days. But other promotional items are still given out to 20,000 fans, and some eager collectors will always wait no matter what.  San Francisco Giants promotions, like this...  And if you really need that bobblehead, there's always eBay.  And if you really need that bobblehead,...  Flour + Water and other spots serve artisan pizza in intimate settings. Flour + Water opened with just 49 seats and takes limited reservations.  Flour + Water and other spots serve artisan pizza...  S.F.'s biggest pizza legend is Tony Gemignani, the first American to win the World Pizza Cup title of World Champion Pizza Maker. But while his Tony's Pizza Napoletana and Capo's restaurants are tough to get into...  S.F.'s biggest pizza legend is Tony Gemignani, the...  ...Tony's Coal-Fired Pizza Slice House offers Gemignani's pizza with little wait. The slice house is next door to Tony's Pizza Napoletana on Stockton.  ...Tony's Coal-Fired Pizza Slice House...  For an even more relaxed vibe, try Piccino in the Dogpatch. Michael Bauer champions the pizza, gives Piccino three stars, and says it makes him 'long to move to the Dogpatch.' High praise from the Chronicle's food critic.  For an even more relaxed vibe, try Piccino...  Not only is Mission Chinese Food loved by locals, it's also a destination dining spot for foodies from around the world. The crowd that gathers outside the unassuming Lung Shan Restaurant front, which houses Mission Chinese, is willing to wait as long as it takes to get a seat. But if you're less inclined to stand around…  Not only is Mission Chinese Food loved by...  …try House of Pancakes or Gourmet Carousel instead — both were included in this year's Bargain Bites. Without the hype, you won't have to worry about the wait, but you can still count on flavorful Chinese cuisine to satisfy your cravings.  …try House of Pancakes or Gourmet...
The annual release of Pliny the Younger, the highly sought-after triple IPA that has come to symbolize the breakthrough status of craft beer, played out Friday with a typical three-block-long line and eight-hour wait at the Russian River Brewing Co. in downtown Santa Rosa.  Hundreds queued up with umbrellas, baseball caps and thermoses of coffee outside the pub seeking to get in on the limited, two-week run of the super-hoppy, high-alcohol beer, perhaps the ultimate rite — or sip — of passage for boutique-beer aficionados.  “Their IPA is second to none,” said Nelson Rivera, 23, of Los Angeles, who spent Thursday drinking at the brewery before stepping outside with two friends in the afternoon and starting the line for Friday’s special release.  The traditional, rather bland stalwarts like Miller and Bud have lost ground to more intricately flavored Saisons, sours and stouts made by smaller independent producers.  Craft beer sales accounted for 14 percent of the nation’s $100 billion beer market in 2013, up from about 5 percent a decade ago, according to Colorado’s Brewers Association.  Microbreweries dot the region, and many have become popular destinations not only for local swillers but thirsty vacationers seeking a beer-themed getaway, akin to a frilly trip to Wine Country.  “We’ve turned this into a girls’ weekend,” said Liane Greaver, 44, of Barstow (San Bernardino County), who planned her visit to the Bay Area with four friends around Friday’s Pliny release.  San Francisco’s annual Beer Week also kicked off Friday, with local producers such as Lagunitas, 21st Amendment, Almanac, Anchor Brewing and Drake’s promising to dazzle fans with new releases of their own.  Joseph Juarez, 47, of Augusta, Maine, nodded off in his collapsible fishing chair outside the Russian River brew pub much of Thursday night as he waited for the doors to open Friday morning.  The recipe for Pliny the Younger is the brainchild of brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo, who is widely credited with creating the unique double IPA style, a traditional India Pale Ale punched up with additional hops and aromatics.