Russian River Pliny the Elder

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

Tasted at Stone Brewing Company World Bistro. Pours orange amber with little head. Aroma is scrumptious fruity pine hops. One of the most delicious hoppy creations I’ve ever tasted. This might be my all-time favorite IIPA. A perfectly concocted mouth experience from sip to swallow to finale with a nicely bitter finish. I want more!

(bottle - 500 ml) Hazy orange color with a creamy tan head. Aroma is very sweet and floral with a good amount of citrus. It smelled very familiar, but we couldn’t put our finger on it. Flavor begins with juicy floral hops mixed with a heavy citrus flavor. Finishes clean and lightly bitter with some sweetness and floral bitterness lingering. Very well blended.

Awsome IIPA thanks to Odeed for this one (plus one more). Finally see what the hype is about this work of art. Everything you’ve heard about this is true, simply amazing from opening to finishing this one. This pours a bright, clear orangey copper with a white head fading to a lasting ring of lace. aroma is all about the hops, plenty of citrus and pine, this jumps out at you every sip. Mouth watering, The flavor is outstanding with sweet, juicy citrus leading the way and some piney notes as well, all the hop flavors came out without being the least bit bitter. Finished and after taste linger gently making you want more. This is truly one of the best IIPA’s I’ve had. Up there with Hopslam & Dreadnaught, but gotta give to the Midwest ones because of the availability. Once again thanks to Jake for hooking me up.

Bottle, ordered from Liquor Max, dated 4/7/09, drank 5/18/09. Slightly hazy gold, off-white head that fades but leaves nice lacing. Nose is mango, tangerine, bready malts, wintergreen. Flavor is mango, nice smooth bitterness, bready/toasty malts, tropical fruits (along the orange-y vein), a bit of cotton candy sweetness. Fruity finish w. more of that mint, strong but incredibly well rounded bitterness, tangerine. Great lower carbonation level. Not as amazing in the bottle as it was on tap (I always forgot to rate it when I was in San Diego - but I’d imagine that what I had on tap a few times was a 4.5) but I’d kill to have this available at the current cost.

Bottled on 04/07/09. Thanks to BDR for bringing this back for me. Clear gold color with a thin head. A fresh and juicy hop aroma. Very vinous, like the hops were just picked and you’re burying your nose in a pile of them. Some tangerine and caramel malt. The taste is hugely bitter... and... hmmm... nothing. Damn near nothing, at least. There was some malt backbone, but not enough to even hint at sweetness. Honestly, it was like alcoholic hop tea that was bitter as hell. No hop flavor at all. Disappointing as hell. I have another bottle and hope this was just an off one. 8/4/6/2/14

Re-rate, June 5, 2009. Bottled on 04/07/09. It is decently better. The floral and earthy hops do come out in the flavor in this bottle. Still just as bitter.

Bottle served in a snifter. First glass, straight out of the coldbox, poured very clear and light orange in color. Small head. Big aromatics. Sweet citrus, floral, and light pine on the nose. Mostly pineapple and oranges. There is some carbonation and the flavor is hoppy, fruity, and bitter with a nice malt backbone for balance. The mouthfeel is creamy, sticky, and thick, with a bitter finish. The second pour, was hazy, but still light orange with a larger head. Everything was the same except for less carbonation and a finish that included grapefruit this time around. Great brew.

Bottle at RnH Drink for Charity. Thanks to everyone who brought great beer to this. Pale hazy golden orange with ring lace. Piney hoppy melon citrus aroma. Medium melon orange fruity sweetness with liney hoppy bitter finish. Nice carbo and texture. Refreshing and delicious.

Bottle thanks to iowaherkeye (bottled 4/7/09). Finally getting around to rating this, as it is one of my favorites. Pours amber/orange with a medium white head. Aroma is huge grapefruit, pineapple, pine cones, floral notes and hops. Amazing aroma hop profile on this. Flavor is more of the same and finishes with tons of delicious hop bitterness. Very subtle malt backbone. I think I might even like this a little better than the Younger.