A chicken is on the run. We’re not talking about the feathery, poultry kind but a big hoppy one. And now is your chance to catch it.
This Thursday, Feb. 6, marks the eighth annual release of Henhouse Brewing Company’s Big Chicken double IPA. As we speak, Bay Area beer enthusiasts are getting ready to seek out the rare bird.
Like Russian River Brewing Company’s Pliny the Younger, Big Chicken is a limited- and controlled-release beer. Unlike “Younger,” which is available during a two-week period each February, Big Chicken is only available up to three days in February. The beer’s unusually high hop content (twelve pounds per barrel) makes it a fragile brew that perishes fast — this is the reason it is brewed, kegged and tapped in a single day.
“Big Chicken is the extreme of our focus on freshness,” said Henhouse Brewing Company’s president Scott Goyne. “Beer is a far more perishable product than most folks realize — hop flavor and aroma degrade fast — so it’s important to drink hoppy beer in its short window of freshness.”
The coveted brew usually runs out within two days, which leaves only a small window to get a taste. Its limited availability only adds to its allure, as is the case with Pliny the Younger, a publicity stunt both Russian River Brewing Company and Henhouse Brewing Company have leveraged to their advantage.
This year, Big Chicken will be available at HenHouse’s Santa Rosa and Petaluma taprooms, Feb. 6 to Feb. 8. Both tasting rooms will be open 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. (There is a two four-pack per person, per day allotment, as well as two 14-ounce pours per person, per day).
Big Chicken will also be available in the following locations:
Locations With Big Chicken on Tap
Alameda
Lucky 13
Straw Hat Pizza
Alamo
Ej phair Alamo
Extreme Pizza Alamo
Albany
Albany Taproom
Berkeley
Bobby G’s Pizzeria
Cask on College
Cornerstone
Tupper & Reed
Benecia
Sailor Jack’s
Brentwood
Brentwood Emporium
Hop Asylum
Brentwood Craft aka Sand Creek
Concord
BJs Concord
Concord Taphouse
Eureka! Concord
The Hop Grenade
Cotati
Flagship Taproom
Danville
Pete’s Brass Rail
The Growler
Dublin
Caps and Taps
Three Sheets
El Cerrito
The Little Hill Lounge
Emeryville
Prizefighter
Fairfax
Split Rock Tap and Wheel
Healdsburg
Coyote Sonoma
Elephant in the Room
Healdsburg Bar & Grill
Kenwood
Salt & Stone
Lincoln
Infusion
Livermore
Beach Hut Deli
First Street Alehouse
Hops and Sessions
Sauced BBQ Livermore
Tap 25
Hop Devine
Martinez
Slow Hand BBQ Martinez
Mill Valley
Proof Lab
Napa
Napa Palisades Saloon
Squeeze Burger Napa
Hop Creek Pub
Novato
Hopmonk Novato
Extreme Pizza
Beer Craft
Oakland
Beer Revolution
Ben N’ Nicks
Brotzeit Lokal
Cato’s Ale House
Degrees Plato
Magpie
Paulista
Philomena
Portal
Rosamunde Oakland
The Good Hop
Tiger’s Taproom
The Trappist
Occidental
Barley & Hops
Union Hotel Occidental
Orinda
Fourth Bore
Petaluma
Twin Oaks
Brewsters Beer Garden
McNear’s
Ray’s Deli and Tavern
Roaring Donkey
Seared Grill- Petaluma
Buffalo Billiards
Speakeasy
Taps Petaluma
Hank’s Petaluma
The Block
Pleasant Hill
Jack’s Taps
Slow Hand BBQ Pleasant Hill
Pleasanton
Lokanta Pleasanton
Oyo
Bottle Taps
Mckay’s
Porky’s Pizza Palace
Rohnert Park
Beer Craft
Roseville
Final Gravity
Bar 101
Sacramento
Hop Gardens
Cap Hop Shop
San Anselmo
Creekside Pizza
San Francisco
Flying Pig
Giordano Bros.
Alembic
Barrelhead Brew House
Beer Hall
Beer Nerds
Church Key
For Point Valencia
City Beer Store
Crafty Fox
Dark Horse Inn
Devil’s Slide Taproom
Emporium
Fermentation Lab
Fly Bar
Chruchill
Foghorn Taproom
The Showdown
Bloodhound
Hops & Hominy
Hopwater Distribution
Liquid Gold
MIkkeller Bar
Monaghan’s
Monk’s Kettle
Ocean Ale House
Old Devil Moon
Richmond Republic Draught House
Rosamunde Mission
Rusty’s Southern
Sessions
Sea Star
The Ave
The Brew Coop
The Page
Toronado
Zeitgeist
Chomp N Swig
Hardwood Bar & Smokery
Public House
Local Tap
Holy Water
San Leandro
Porky’s Pizza Palace
Son’s of Liberty
The Cooler
San Rafael
Flat Iron
Libation Taproom
Pint Size Lounge
Tam Commons
Santa Rosa
Belly
Brew
Epicenter
Everybody’s Tappin
Juncture Taproom
La Rosa
Local Barrel
Mayacama Golf Club
Mission Kitchen Bar
Ricardo’s Bar and Grill
Rincon Valley Tap Room
Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club
Steele & Hops
Toad in the Hole
Trail House
Westside Grill
Whiskey Tip
Whole Foods Coddingtown
Wilibees SR
Sebastopol
Hopmonk Sebastopol
Ramen Gaijin
Community Market
Sonoma
Hopmonk
Tiburon
SF Yacht Club
Tracy
Delta Brews
Walnut Creek
Extreme Pizza
Hops & Scotch
Ol Beer Cafe
Rotator Taproom
Sauced BBQ
Windsor
Barley & Bine
Mountain Mikes
Super Burger
Olivers Tavern
Locations With Big Chicken in Cans
Brentwood
Brentwood Emporium
Hop Asylum
Calistoga
Cal Mart
Concord
Hop Grenade
Cotati
Flagship Taproom
Olivers Market
Dublin
Caps & Taps
Three Sheets
Healdsburg
Big Johns
Shelton’s
Tip Top Liquors
Mill Valley
Mill Valley Market
Novato
BeerCraft
Harvest Market
Oakland
Degrees
Good Hop
Petaluma
Penngrove Market
Charley’s Liquor
Petaluma Market
Steel Bear
Wilibees
Rohnert Park
BeerCraft
Roseville
Final Gravity
Sacramento
Hop Garden
San Anselmo
Ludwig’s
San Francisco
City Beer
Liquid Gold
San Rafael
Libations
Marin Bev
Santa Venetia
Santa Rosa
Bevmo Santa Rosa Ave
Bottle Barn
Juncture
Local Barrel
Molsberry Market
Olivers- Motecito
Olivers- Stony Point
Pacific Market
Rincon Valley Wine & Craft
Trailhouse
Whole Foods- Coddingtown
Willibees Santa Rosa
Sausalito
Driver Market
Sebastopol
Andy’s Produce
Community Market
Fiesta Market
Fircrest Market
Olivers- Windsor
Pohley’s
Walnut Creek
Ol Beer Cafe
Rotator Taproom