Russian River Pliny the Elder

Draught at the Bistro. I have long awaited the day to try Pliny the Eder. Maybe I was expecting too much. Hype is a horrible thing. Piney and grapefruit peel-bitter hops are done exquisitely, within a clear golden body topped by a sticky white head. Aromas of pine needles and flowers. Light and dry as the most drinkable IPA. Not like any IIPA that I’ve had. So dry and crisp. Bitter, endless finish. I love the dryness and drinkability; it’s like a single IPA that manages double the hop load, but The hop profile still falls a bit short. I’m missing the tropical, fruity notes that I get out of some other west coast IPAs. Pliny does it’s thing almost perfectly, but that might just not really be my thing in the absolute realm of the hop. Rerate: I get it now. Forgive me, Pliny, for not even a fiery death at Mount Vesuvius could quell your awesomeness. The dryness IS the beauty. I guess it depends whether I am in the mood for a thicker DIPA or a dryer, thinner DIPA, but the power of the hops in this one is outdone by none so far. (4.4) Rerate: My first bottled sample, at about three weeks old, as well as draught a couple times in the last two days. Awesome floral hops in the aroma. The flavor is so hoppy, yet the bitterness is so soft and inviting. You really could drink this for a session and not burn your palate out with bitterness or sweetness. Every sip leaves you longing for another, with a perfectly balanced, dry finish. Stunning stuff, but the glass I had at the grad showed how much this can drop off if not properly fresh.

Nice blonde color with bubbly head. Wow what an aromatic, flowery balanced nose. Powerful floral hops, light spice and piney scents combine with a buoyent malts quality to synthesize a truly wonderful nose. The taste is equally sublime and provides great balance while remaining quenching and delicious. Wow, a really great brew.

Bottle Courtesy of bitbucket. Pours a brilliant light copper orange color with a lacy white head. Nose is pink grapefruit, pine, cedar, fresh air, grass, and dry malt. Taste is malt, floral, citrus, caramel, pine and resin. Amazing balance and a very warming yet drinkable finish. Great beer.

500ml bottle. yellow golden color, with a white head, nice floral hop nose of resinous pineniddle, coniferous, cedary accent, with some lime citrusy esters, and a hint of toastiness in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a sweet toasted malt, juicy piney, resinous character, with a good flowery hop leafy, coniferous, cedary flavor, with a mild minty accent, with some lemon citrusy fruitiness, leading towards a warming sweet malty, fruity, grapefruit, peachy, hop resiny bitterness finish.

500ml, bottled 9/22/08. Piney, citric hop nose, fresh, strong and leafy, with lighter notes of honey, bubblegum and faint vanilla. Mostly clear medium golden color, head is very fine and slight. Flavor is massively hoppy and bitter thoughout, resinous pine, citrus fruit (particularly lemon) and peppery spice abound, with lighter aspects of pale, grainy, honeyish malt, but managing to remain dry beginning to end. Finish seems to go on forever, with coating hop resins supplying ample bitterness and flavor well after quaffing. Oily, rather thin mouthfeel, not much effervescence to speak of, body is certainly full enough. This is seemingly lacking a bit in depth and construction.

O’Brien’s in San Diego. Pours a warm golden color from the tap with a firm white head that leaves plenty of lacing. Perhaps the best IPA I’ve ever had. Balanced flavors of bitter hops, cream, pine needles, and citrus. Worth the wait.

Thanks to ucusty for this splendid brew! Pours a bright hazy pumpkin orange amber, very nice effervescent white head, leaves a bit of dirty looking lacing. Smells great - powerful pine, citrus, and hops. Taste is sweet up front with bitter citrusy hops, lupulin, and good malt undertones. The mouthfeel is very nice, coats the mouth, is on the very lowest end of thick, warms as it goes down. Overall - this is a great IPA that doesn’t quite seem to be thick or strong enough to qualify as a IIPA or imperial. It reminds me of a less thick and alcoholic Dreadnaught. I’d drink this stuff every day if I could!

Wow. A beer that actually lives up to the hype. The smell is perfect, like a pine forest. It’s a golden color with a small, sticky, white head. Taste is piney and straight grapefruit. Ultra hoppy, without being bitter in the slightest. Just a perfect-made hop bomb. A little light on the palate, but still superb.