Russian River Pliny the Elder

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

Pours a cloudy golden color with a thin white head. Excellent aroma of citrusy, coniferous hops. Superb flavor of coniferous, citrusy hops with some bitterness in the end. The body is light to medium with a liquorous texture and gentle carbonation. Like Blind Pig IPA, this is an amazing piece of craftmanship that leaves you wanting more.

Bottle dated 08/19/09. Bought from their Santa Rosa pub. Strong pine aroma upon lifting the cap. Clear, light gold. Scent has floral, pine, grass and minty notes. Full bodied. Sweet malts are noticeable -- surprisingly balanced for a beer this heavily hopped. I can’t find very many different angles to the bitterness, which is a little disappointing, and there is some astringency. Finishes dry and bitter.

Bottle @ Cervezageek - smagning, Odense. Pours cloudy orange with a small creamy bubbly white head and lacings. Nose is orange, hops, pine - lovely fruity hops basically. Smooth and crisp. The reason why this is so good is the balance and drinkability. No flaws - really amazing.

Bottle, shared with hobbersr and macadem. Pours a surprisingly pale gold for a IIPA, not a thick head, but a persistent ring. Laces like anything, Crazy Sheeting Action! The beer is the aroma of a pine forest in mid-April, just as the sap is starting to flow, and the earth is beginning to awaken from nature’s bitter kiss of winter. Needle, bark, limb, and bough, this beer expresses every essence and subtlety of this impossibly perfect moment in early spring. Then this melody of aroma becomes a seraphic chorus as grapefruit, ginger, the gentlest whisper of malt, and a merest hint of mint add their voices to the swelling tide of near-perfect aromas that waft from the glass. Spruce, juniper, pine and cedar each have their 3 minutes of fame as the beer warms, each expresses itself individually and beautifully, with seamless transition. Man has arrived in the forest. The palate is bracing, immediately resinous, sappy, sticky, my mouth feels sticky, instinctively I check my fingers, find my brain arguing against my fingertips that they MUST be sticky. Sharp, clear, piercing, but it immediately leaves you desirous of more. Though the aroma promises aetherial, unearthly ambrosia, the flavours remain firmly rooted to the earth. Russian River has stolen fire from the Gods, and they have stolen my heart...

Bottle dated 7/20/09 from Pete’s of Bellevue, who sell only one bottle per customer, WTF? A couple of weeks older than reccommended, but hey, better than none. Transluscent amber body with a thin, but persistant white head and marvelous lacing. Rich malt takes a back seat to the perfectly orchestrated blend of citriusy hops. There’s a real snap to the taste, and an overall refreshing character that impresses time after time. One of the three Imperial IPAs I would call for if stranded on a desert island. (RR Pliny the Elder, HOTD Blue Dot, & AleSmith Summer YuleSmith.)

Bottle shared with savvy1982 on August 24, the 1930th anniversary of the Mount Vesuvius eruption. Thanks Kyle! Pours a golden yellow with a nice white head that laces in sheets. The aroma is PINE... Wow, it’s like being in the forrest. Resin, pine, honey, caramel, soft fruit, did I say pine, herbs, juniper, spruce and PINE. Damn that smells great. The taste is not as intense as the aroma... But is still great. It tastes like taking all the elements of the forest, putting them in a blender and making a delicious coniferous smoothie. Earth, juniper, spruce, pine, resin, honey, grapefruit, lemon, soft fruit and a little caramel. Nice mouth feel. Absolutely fantastic stuff!

Received in trade from nomomentwasted, 2 weeks old not bad at all, especially since 5 of those days were spent in transit. Golden/orange pour, substantial white head. Sticks to the side pretty well as well. Is that a Christmas tree I smell? With a fruit basket under it. Surprising amount of malt characteristics. Citrus fruits, especially grapefruit and herbal piney hops. The hops really stay in control though, which seems so hard to find these days with all the hop nukes around. Really doesn’t linger much in the throat, but you know you drank it, especially if you feel the need to belch. Wow is this a great balanced DIPA and the alcohol being just a hint lower is nice to. Can easily drink a whole bottle by ones self. Had little 2 oz. tastings before, but this is the first substantial quantity I’ve had and it does not disappoint.

Bottle poured clear blond-bronze colour with a little white foam. Very hoppy aroma, Resiney, pine needles, cheese and grapefruit; good malt body, clean palate. Very bitter and a long lasting fruity bitterness. Very robust but never aggressive, more lingering resiney notes - a GREAT beer!