Russian River Pliny the Younger

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

This is amazing. Received a growler in a trade. Clear deep golden pour with a nice finger thick white head. The aroma is just an explosion of hops. The flavor is very intense. The hops are just dominating but in a very good way. The hops encompass your entire mouth. Wow!

Draft. Finally got my hand on this mother hopper at Downtown Johnny Browns after a few failed attempts elsewhere. Poured a glowing clear gold with a decent pure white head that provided some okay lacing. Nose was pure fresh hop, emphasis on grapefruit zest, and some pine too. Flavors were intensely hopped. Same emphasis and a very pronounced in your face grapefruit zest. Good hop resin character too. Alcohol was very present in the flavor. Nice spicy tone because of the bitterness. Floral tones come in further down the beer, and hints of sweet fruit. Mouth is full of bitterness. Bitterness hits where there are no bitter receptors. Still very smooth and an easy drink. Watch out this one will knock you over. Great intense DIPA, if it had any more hops in it you would have to chew it. Falls a tiny smidgen short of the immense hype but still fully deserving of all its accolades.

Growler, courtesy tpd975. Pours a clear copper color, with a huge white, cloud-like fluffy head, and a lot of creamy lacing remains on the glass. Nose has huge piney bitter hops with a shitload of citrus, deep mango and tropical fruits. Very complex. Delightful. Flavor is simply amazing. Incredible hops infused deep into the beer with apricot, peach, mango, and very very nice. Lots of pine and citrus throughout. Finishes sweet; nice and malty. The most complex IPA I’ve had. Very incredible masking of the alcohol. Extremely drinkable and sublime. Loved it. My first perfect rating.

growler courtesy of tpd975. Pours cloudy amber with white head. Aroma is hoppy and fruity with aroma of grapefruit and citrus with notes of malts. Taste, light caramel malts (possible pilsner malts) add to a good mouthfeel balance with the hops and faint bitter finish. Very drinkable at 11abv. Good but my Graal of DIPA.

Big thanks to iowaherkeye for the growler. Pours a clear orange amber with a decent size off white head. Aromas of grapefruit, pineapple, pine, some caramel and resin. Flavors of fruity hops and sweet malts up front, with a very nice astringent bitter finish. Palate is nice but is lacking a little. This really is an amazing brew and I’m glad I was finally able to try it. Thanks again Joey!

Draft pour is deep golden orange, good clarity and moderate carbonation. Aroma displays bitterness and pineapple. The flavor is dominated by malt sweetness actually, bitter to boot with no harshness. Medium-toward-heavy-bodied and lush, with lasting finish that is citrus hops and caramel sweet.

Growler from a friend’s trade. Pours orange with a frothy white head. Nice white lacing lasts for the entire brew. Heavy cabonation. Aroma is of hops, citrus especially grapefruit, carmel, and malt. Taste starts off immensely bitter and hot. Quickly, it evens itself out with a heavy, almost juicy hop sweetness. Lingering citrus taste. Caramel malt backbone is barely present in the face of the wall of hops and bitterness. Grapefruit up and front for most of the brew. Finish is surprisingly dry. Alcohol is well masked until you drink a few pints of it. Beyond words for how fantastic it is.

Draught @ Toronado SFbeerfest.... Amazing. Strong aroma of citrus and pineapples and grass, super hoppy yet not overdone. Appears perfectly translucent almost filtered, yet the feel is weighty and substantial. Perfectly balanced, slightly hot, great finish. Wonderful beer.