4.8 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 20/20
Had at Freshcraft in Denver, CO.
Beautiful golden color with a nice white head that went away pretty quick. Aroma might be my favorite thing about this beer. Pineapple, grapefruit, lemon, dank, piney, sweet malts. Taste follows the aroma pretty much on point. The sweetness complemented the hop bitterness perfectly. The 11% is masked really well. Overall, just amazing! So well rounded and balanced. Cheers!
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Massively hopped! Pine and fresh hops; almost woody aroma. Malt in the base, but honestly not as much as I'd expect for an 11% Triple IPA.
Big hop presence desperately balanced by the malt profile. Finishes slightly boozy with hop resin as it descends, though it doesn't bite with bitterness like its underlings might.
Really tasty overall; *significantly* better than Elder. In a world of Alpine, Kern, and Hill Farmstead, Younger proves Russian River is still relevant.
4.1 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Wonderful, complex aroma. Fruity and floral, as well as some darker notes that reminded me of wine. The taste was a little too syrupy for me, but still a good IIPA.
4.7 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 19/20
Supremely fruity and sweet on the nose. Loads of grapefruit and other citrus. Massive flavor. Lots of hop bitterness but many other flavors show right beside it in the very first sip. Citrus, apple, sour fruits. A tiny bit of sweetness and a lot of bitter on the finish. So many flavors coexisting that its hard to pick them all out. Wow. Color is a nice gold. Nothing special but it belies the complexity of the beer. Minimal head. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone
4.5 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20
For the second year in a row Super Bowl Sunday beckoned me to Russian River to wait in line while the sun rose. I had four Youngers. Compared to Pliny the Elder, I found the lack of citrus notes suprising. Appearance: no head, clear copper/resin color. Mild carbonation. The aroma is akin to a refreshing pine cone. The taste midly sweet up front. The mouthfeel was smooth, very smooth, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Sublime.
5 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 20/20
UPDATED: FEB 25, 2013 10 oz pours on tap @ HopYard in Pleasanton for SF Beer Week. The best beer I have ever tasted (yes, I am a DIPA fan) - the hype is warranted! Color is clear, orange, perfect small head. No alcohol taste for a 10.5% - perfection. Citrus, pine, but compared to Pliny the Elder it is more balanced, with a bit more fruity sweetness. Easily my fav beer. Only giving a 4.9 because I’m hoping Vinnie/RR could somehow tweak this and inexplicably make it better (haha...nope, it’s really a 5.0).
5 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 20/20
This beer is niiiiiiice. After drinking about 7-8 it still tasted great. Smooth and refreshing, rare in even a double IPA.
At Russian River brewpub
4.1 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Makes me think every other brewery in the country doesn’t know how to make an IPA. Absolute balance. No overwhelming ingredient. Golden color. Sharp grapefruit palate, with a citrus carbonated kick. Finish isn’t that long. Tried it side-by-side with The Elder. The Younger has more malt, thicker mouthfeel. Alcohol completely hidden. This is what all beer should taste like. Absolute pleasure, even at 4oz.
---Rated via Beer Buddy App
5 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 20/20
8 oz pour at TBC secret tasting. Amazing, unbelievable are the best words to describe it. Totally smooth, no alcohol burn, grapefruit, pine, delicious. Worth the hype!
4.5 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20
It’s been a couple of hours since I had a 10oz pour at the Russian River Brewpub on Valentine’s Day, last day of the Younger. I’m going to compare this to the Elder, because if you’ve had the Younger, you’ve probably had the Elder.
There’s no doubt that the Younger beats the bottled Elder hands down, but Elder on tap is a different story. The bouquets are very similar, but the Younger is a little more hoppy and a little drier in the finish.
Personally, I think I prefer the Elder (just barely). It strikes me as more balanced and a little more drinkable (which could be a bad thing). Either way, it’s a damn fine beer you should not hesitate to try if given the chance.
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