Russian River Pliny the Younger

Brewed by Russian River Brewing
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Santa Rosa, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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What more could I ask for in a beer? Got in line an hour early on a Wednesday morning at the Rose and Crown in Palo Alto. Got a tulip glass of this highly-hyped and highly-hopped brew. Never thought I’d find a beer that made Pliny the Elder seem weak, but this is it. Smooth, amazing balance. Exceptionally hoppy, but wraps into a pleasant sweetness that is unique. I’m a big fan, this is without a doubt the best beer I’ve had.

It has been a while (3 months) since I tasted this so details are lacking. What I remember is that it tasted very very similar to the Elder. The difference was not apparent until I tasted them side by side. Basically, bigger hops, bigger alcohol. So i’m torn: on one hand it is a very impressive piece of craft to balance all that alcohol and hops into something drinkable. On the other I can essentially get the same experience for less than half the price (and no waiting in line) with the Elder. So fantastic beer but overrated in a way.

The most amazing beer I've had so far. Smoother then you'd think but still contains all the great hop flavors and bitterness. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

True to the hop-forward roots of California, this one lives up to my expectations of what a "triple IPA" should be. It had the big hop citrus-grapefruit kick at first with a nice and bubbly palate feel as it swirls around on the tastebuds, and finishes off with some smooth maltiness. Sometimes the supposed double or imperial IPAs are imbalanced with lots of hops along with an ugly, synthetic side, as if it’s the cost of brewing extremes. Not this one though. It’s a great, well rounded beverage with big IBUs and some soothing malts too.

UPDATED: MAY 6, 2012 The best. To bad it isn’t available year round. Although it varies slightly in flavor every year it is always a beautifully balanced hop forward beer. Smooth mouth feel and a strong oily floral nose. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Originally reviewed: 2/18/09. Poured from a growler courtesy of tzanio. HUGE thanks!! This guy went out of his way to send me a growler, because he felt he shafted me on our last trade, which he did not. Mega-karma his way!! Poured this into my brand new snifter (what better way to break it in). Pours a beautiful orange/gold with a sticky, frothy white head on top. Decent amount of carbonation rising up. The webbing on this clings to the glass edge for dear life. Perfect sip rings follow. This is the best smelling beer I have ever dipped my nose into! Wonderful mixture of flowers, grapefruit, pine forest, and alcohol. Other beers attempt this scent, but fall way short. I wanted to bathe myself in this it smelled so good. Mouthfeel was creamy, yet still held a nice mellow crispness that I like in my DIPAs. This beer had a high warming quality as I sipped and sipped. Flavor was strong citrus smack smothered in booziness. I could sense the alcohol very much so in this beer. This hindered my drinkability, as I could only drink one glass of this. Curse my feeble palate!! Besides the high boozy quality in this one, this is near perfect. I’m glad I saved some for the next couple of nights. And I’m glad I had an opportunity to try this.

on tap after a 5 hour wait. Pour is a clear golden orange with a tight white head. The nose is light for the size, heaviest on citrus with notes of pine and hop resign. The taste is much bigger, very balanced and nice. Not as sweet as I thought it would be, heavy pine and citrus, smooth creamy feel on a big body. Fairly dry with a rather assertive bitterness that lingers for quite some time. The citrus Is prominent with a strong gust of perfume coming in towards the back of the palate. Notes of grapefruit as well

Sickly good grapefruit imperial ipa, excellent aroma although my small glass minimalized the aroma... Big flavor, deftly balanced to not overaccentuate the hops by minimalizing sweetness... excellent example... though the limitedness certainly enhances the appeal...

Old review of last years Pliny, this years was lacking. On draft at Monk’s for Pliny the Younger Day and at St Stephens. Poured into a wine glass and janded to us as we walked in the door. The beers sits tangerine shimmering, glowing orange with a half-finger silky smooth laced out off-white head. Aroma of honey, nectarine, orange, juicy hop resin, grapefruit, soft soil, lemon zest, and very slight notes of soap sups and pine. Very dry, yet soft and inviting nose. Pure grapefruit, nectarine, and even peachy bitterness. The body and mouthfeel of this beer intertwine in a dance of pure hoppy citrus flavor and juicy, supportive soft stickiness. This is the best balanced IPA I have ever tasted. Of course this beer could never live up to the outrageous hype, but it comes pretty goddamn close. This is a truly unique, rewarding beer experience. Cheers!

Nice golden like color with a nice small but creamy looking off white head. Aroma was amazing tons of pineapple, citrus, and pine. Taste is similar to Pliny the Elder but a little "thicker". Full mouthfeel.

Clear golden orange. Aroma is sweet citrus hops, resinous hops, pine, floral. Medium body. Flavor is much like the aroma. Citrus, floral, pine, like sweet and sugary malt, and a bit of booze. Finish is bitter and hot. Good beer. Fairly clean and quite hoppy.