For Vinnie Cilurzo, pushing the envelope is an everyday affair. Widely regarded as the inventor of the Double IPA, the forward-thinking owner and brewmaster at Russian River Brewing Company unleashed this ferocious beer style on the imbibing public in the mid-90’s. Most would have stopped there, but for Cilurzo, introducing the world to the tongue-buckling intensity of over-the-top hops was just the beginning.

In the decade and a half since, he has continued to elevate his status as one of America’s foremost brewing pioneers by using barrels, bacteria, Brettanomyces and a touch of Belgophilia mixed with equal parts brains and guts. His many accomplishments are made all the more impressive by the fact that he has built such a respectable reputation for himself – and craft beer in general – smack dab in the center of the wine capital of the United States. A glance into Cilurzo’s past reveals a personal history rife with experiences and ideals that made this imaginative brewer the perfect candidate to make such an unexpectedly sudsy splash in Sonoma County.

We spoke with Wren House Brewing Co. head brewer Preston Thoeny about Christmas Cactus.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Christmas Cactus, like all of our Cactus Catalog beers, is a blend of some of our favorite barrels. For this beer, we picked some barrels that would give a strong roasted taste to complement the winter season. We chose strong barrels with lots of chocolate and vanilla notes. 

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
One of the main beers in the Christmas Cactus blend was a great collaboration we did with Horus out of California. It was a S'mores-inspired stout. The great roasted marshmallow and chocolate notes really shine in this beer.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
We name all of our blends after Cacti. Being a winter release, Christmas Cactus fit perfectly. 

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
When it comes to blends, I'm really happy with how this turns out. Its nice when the sum of the blended beers is as unique and delicious as the individual parts. This is a great example of that, and if I got to take a blended stout with me to the island, this would be the one.