Russian River Pliny the Elder

This is a powerful, but flavourful, full-bodied double IPA that deseves its high repuation for the style. It has plenty of bitterness and hop power, but keys to it are the strong, rich malty-alcoholic backbone, complex range of full flavours, and overall relative balance. It is amber with hints of copper, big, creamy, off-white head lasting and slowly shrinking, great rings of even lace. Tha aroma is mostly muscat grapes with pine, grapefruit, pineapple, honey, overall very fruity and flowery take on IPA. The taste is predominantly sweet wine, honey, with a lot of pine, grapefruit, hints of bread and grain, especially in the finish, it has firm sweetness under the dominant bitterness, being mostly sweet wine and hops. The bitterness is soemwhat drying but not overly so.

Had it at festivals and now in bottlke! Full flora aroma, nose tickliing-- I cannot pull the parts apart, a little honey getting through. Frothy white head with a golden glow. While the hops are strong, the sweetness pokes through, almost watermelon, then lemon, then comes a bitter rasp that doesnt linger. Smooth, oily, lightness on the palate.

Draught. Hop pellet nose, musky pine and citrus. Clear orange-amber with a thin white head. Flavor is phenomenal. Orange juice hop character at a perfect level of bitterness interplaying with fruity sweet notes all the way to the finish. Extremely clean, chewy but still highly drinkable.

Poured (5000ml) a light orange, with a golden hue, forming a good size white head of foam. Aroma pine, hops with a tinge of citrus tones. Flavour was full bodied, hoppy, malts, pine resin dominate as sweet carameled malts and tropical fruit balance this wonderful beer. Mouthfeel was sticky, and lacing beautiful. Highly quaffable, as this beer is smooth, yet bitterly delicious. Alcohol hidden, thus dangerous. Beer drinkers delight!

Bottle shared by alexsdad06. Poured clear copper color with an average frothy white head that lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy spruce citrus hoppy aroma. Moderate bitter flavor with a moderate to heavy bitter finish of moderate to long duration. Medium to full body with a oily slick texture. Moderate alcohol bite at the finish. Very good brew.

Big thanks to zythum for this one! I’ve really wanted to try it but wasn’t sure if it would happen. Pours an orange-golden color with a thin frothy off-white head with some pretty nice retention and lacing. Aroma is lots of hops, especially pine, with some citrus there as well. The hops up front are sticky pine needles with some lemon, honey, and nice caramel malt backing. The finishing hops are juicy grapefruit and it finishes crisp, bitter, and dry. This has lots of hops, yes, but what I love about this beer is that it is not one of those one dimensional hop bombs and is very well balanced for a IIPA. I imagine this will find a spot close to the top of my list. Thanks again zythum!

Unassuming, modest bronze body, but with an absolutely luscious, creamy, hop-resin filled head.. Aroma is sharp Chinook some fruity & grapefruity Crystal and some pine,.Perhaps a hint of Simcoe passionfruit. A fully hoppy flavor that is rather grapefruity and touches of over-ripe fruit. High, but manageable amounts of bitterness. Still, a couple of these are sure to give you a hop-headache. Co-humulone factor seems high. A solid IPA, but not quite a world-beater.

1000th Rating, big thanks to RiversideAK for this one! Pours a clear light copper/amber body with a frothy off white head and medium carbonation. Aroma is medium sweet with grapefruit, pine, bread and caramel sweetness. Flavor is grapefruit, pine and caramel. Very simple yet a wonderful blend. Medium to full body, thick texture. Sweet bitter/caramel flavor lingers nicely. Great beer!