Russian River Pliny the Elder

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

Um, awesome. Great hop flavor with some good malty-ness as well. I was surprised by how drinkable this was, actually kind of light and very refreshing.

This was fine. I didn’t think it was a remarkable IPA. It was kind of boring. The hop profile didn’t have a lot of excitement to it.

Bottle via trade from Stefanje. Finally get the chance to taste the Elder. Pours a very nice yellowy-gold with a dissipating sticking head with big bubbles. Nose isn’t as big as I had expected, though it’s pretty pungent and resiny. Distinct cannabis notes mixed with a touch of pine tar. Taste is pretty crazy. I went into this with Dreadnaught on my mind. This beer has turned me on my head as to how big of a difference between midwestern IIPA and west coast are. This is like if you took Ruination and made it imminently drinkable. Tastes of pine and gin, nice dry malt backbone and again resin and pungent notes of pure hops. Imminently drinkable and puckeringly delicious. Damn fine brew.

(500ml bottle) delicious frothy white head atop a clear light gold body. Nose of pure pine. Great hops upfront and mellow amber malt through the palate. Great stuff. Thanks Irishboy! 8/4/8/3/16

Dark yellow colored with cloudy appearance. Little white head. Fruity aroma dominated by flowery bitter hops and peach, sweet flavor also with some caramelly note and mild soap. Medium to full bodied, smooth palate. Flavor is also very rich with peaches and flowers in start, aftertaste turns to bitter and mildly alcoholic, with still some flowers lasting. Excellent balance with smooth palate.

Citrus, Hops, Hops, Hops, a fine ABV and the malt to back them up. On-tap this beer is bright, medium amber in appearance with a rocky head. The aroma of hops is noticable from across the table, Wow!! Although steeping in hop necter, the bitterness is controlled by a hearty malt backbone allowing the brilliat citrus flavors to dominate.

Bottle date 7/10/08 Pours hazy, pale gold with a two inch head of porous white. A few dots and streaks cling to the glass after the retreat, and a partial skim coat remained. Aromatics are a pungent blend of fruit, pine, alcohol, and malt. Spruce bark, peach skins, mango pulp, orange zest, and sugar-dusted grapefruit. Mild malt notes mingle with a slight alcohol waft. On the chewy side of medium bodied, with a sticky, almost sappy mouthfeel. Still very dry and crisp though. Bitter citrus fruits and light malt lead off the pallet. Grapefruit, pine resin, orange rind, and mangoe pit. Somewhat earthy and leafy, with a persisting, drying bitterness. A grapefruit at the foot of a pine tree. Finishes with some warming alcohol stepping through the lupulus, and lingering, drying bitter citrus. Incredibly drinkable and very dry. The biiterness is right at the threshold of cutting back on the drinkability. Great to see this fine brew in bottles. More mad props go out to BA RblWthACoz for such a great trade!

Fresh bottle from FlacoAlto. Blonde. What a strong aroma! Loads of pineapple, plastic and leather. Loads of hopbitterness in the flavor. Piney. Oily, but there is enough malt to compensate the hops. Satisfylingly balanced, therefore. Long firm oily hopbitter aftertaste with pineapple. Thanks Sebastian, for sending me this top class beer.