Russian River Pliny the Elder

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

tap at capones, bronze colored pour with a big white head, was actually cool to have it side by side with the younger to see just how nice the color was, the balance was great..tons of hops in both the nose and the taste, some great pine tones mixed in with hay and light caramel. finish was bitter, but again balanced to not give the mouth puckering effect. awesome.

After months of searching, I was lucky enought to find a secret stash in Colorado. They were bottled 7/20/09, so very fresh. Poured into tulip glass and it has a murky, yet glowing oragnge hue. The aroma has strong hints of pine and kind. The first sip has an unforegettable bite to it. Very sticky resin like quality with the best lacing I have ever seen. This is hop-head’s dream. Simply put, the most enjoyable beer I have ever had. My freinds make fun of me for drinking IPA’s all of the time. However, I gave a Pliny to the most cirtical of beer drinking friends, without telling him it was an IPA. He could not stop talking about how delicious it is! I think Snoop Dog would call this IPA "sticky icky icky!"

Hops Hops and more HOPS just how I like em’! Excellent brew. I think i have found my new favorite beer. excellent aroma and flavors that burts your taste buds. Very well balanced brew.

Orange golden color with a frothy white head. Aroma is deliciously full of piney hops. The flavor is very complex with lots of that pine coming through along with citrus rind. Some grain and fruit in there, but it’s all about the hops. The intense hops and alcohol formed a pleasant burning sensation on my tongue when I held this in my mouth for any length of time. Finishes very bitter and dry, with the biting bitterness lingering on my tongue for a long time after a sip. Having been recently let down by the hype on another big IPA, I was pleasantly impressed by this one. Very easy to drink for something so strong and exploding with flavor and complexity.

Bottled 7-9-09, consumed 8-2-09. Pours a clear amber with a white frothy head. Aroma has tons of pine and spruce, along with earthy manure, barnyard, light caramel malt, and a bit of pollen as it warms; very complex smell. Flavor isn’t as big and aggressive as expected: lots of caramel malt, orange rind, and intensely bitter at the finish. Very good and complex, but maybe not quite up to the hype.

500ml bottle from bottleworks seattle. pours cloudy orange with a dissipating head with great lacing. all about the grapefruit in the nose. ive never had an IPA that actually smells this much like grapefruit! the nose also has some spicy and earthy hop undertones. great aroma. enough malt to keep it balanced but flavour again is all about the hops. Unlike the aroma the flavour is much more varied and no one hop taste predominates. theres citrus, spice, pine and that same interesting earthiness. full body with a great bitter punch at the finish. overall its a very complex and satisfying dipa that is not hard to drink, i feel i could drink a couple pints no problem, the alcohol burn does not cut through as you drink in the same way as with other DIPA. one of my faves!!!

Bottle courtesy of Fred in LA. A hazy amber coloured pour with a slight white head. Huge hoppy/floral/pine aroma. Big hoppy taste, slight bitterness with malt, a very well balanced and complex DIPA. This is so damn drinkable and everything that I imagined it would be. Possibly one of the best beers that I have ever tasted.

Source: On tap Glass: Pint Aroma: Holy cow batman. Tons of pine, and awesome aroma. Appearance: Light copper color, with some haziness. Flavor: Incredible flavor. Tons of hop flavor and bitterness, but still balanced despite an obvious lack of malt sweetness. Palate: Lively carbonation, wonderful lingering bitterness. Overall: Awesome beer.