Russian River Pliny the Elder

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

From the bottle. Light orange color with a white head. Aroma is amazing like walking through a pine forest. Flavor is pine, herbal dry hopped flavor and caramel malt. Nothing is overwhelming or unbalanced. Flavor ends bitter and flavorful. Palate is very pleasant and smooth.

500ml bottle. Pours a golden orange body with a light haze. Finger-width, pure white, foamy head that dissipates quickly, but leaves a good deal of delicate lacing. Aroma of bright, fresh, juicy citrus and big, robust caramels. Very similar to the Blind Pig, but more orange peel and much fuller malt profile. Not quite as assertive on the nose, but still very nice and full. Light amounts of pine, but again...the malts are more pronounced and don’t allow the big hop profile to become too sharp. Flavor is a very well balanced DIPA. Lots of orange as well as some tropical fruits mix their way in nicely with the big, sweet caramel malts. Slippery finish before slowly drying and leaving a sugary citrus linger. Not the extreme hop aftertaste that the Blind Pig offers, but much sweeter and balanced. There is a light zest and pine throughout, but I can’t stress how well balanced this is. The palate is light to medium, but very clean and smooth. Overall, this is living up to the hype. Clearly the juiciest and most well balanced CA brew I’ve tried recently. It is loaded with fresh citrus and a big malt profile, but stays relatively mellow throughout while maintaining extreme floral qualities. Very well done.

Yes the best double IPA I’ve had along with the ruination. Pours a gorgeous dark yellow with a creamy froathy head. The nose is an unbelievable hop extravaganza. The mouthfeel is smooth and medium to full bodied. Taste of grapefruit, citrus and pine. Lingers in the mouth for a while, but not in an overpowering way. I stumbled across this in Tanakaya and it was 1260 yen well spent. Who knows when I’ll be able to try this amazing brew again, if ever!

WOW!! Fantastic balance of malt and Hops!! Perfect balance of bitterness!! The aroma is just bursting out of the glass Tropical fruit citrus fruit and a bit of pine. I dont know what better smelling it or drinking it!! Amazing!!

Rather awsome brew with allot of pineapple in both the nose and flavour alongside other tropical fruit, minimal malt character and a dry, very bitter finish full of pine needles. Wonderfully smooth mouthfeel aswell making it dangerously easy to drink. Thanks to fredandboboflo.

500 ml bottle poured into a pint glass. Pours a golden/light amber color. Aroma of strong hops, pine, citrus, and grapefruit. Taste of grapefruit and piney hops. Mouthfeel extremely smooth, probably the smoothest I’ve tasted in such a strong beer. Light to medium bodied with nice crisp carbonation. Very good DIPA!!

Bottle. Pours a hazy golden color with a decent size white head. Aroma is heavy on the grapefruit with a hint of pine. Flavor starts out smooth then progresses into a full ass kicking punch that tastes like biting into a grapefruit, rind and all. I like this one.

Bottle (1.23.09), nice sweet caramel aroma with pine and citrus hop notes. Very smooth and with piney hop taste that has a strong caramel malt compliment. I was expecting and hoping for the hops to be all up in your grill. They are subtle maybe because I had a beer before. Nevertheless you can taste the quality.