Pliny The Elder - Russian River Brewing Company

Manoftyr

New York

5/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance-Pours into glass a shimmering, golden-yellow with about two fingers of long lasting, persistent and lacy head. As I hold it up to the light the orange-ish highlights shine outward and and seemingly bathe this beer in shimmering gold. The lacing on this beast is so sticky it's downright nuts, it just won't drip down the rim, and the head refuses to go away; if this ain't a 5 I don't know what is.

Aroma-Hops, just, sticky, resiny, flavorful hops. There's that big citric grapefruit kick upfront followed by a truck load of citric goodness and pine-like overtones all meshing together perfectly, it's so pungent, but yet at the same time not overbearing, that I can practically taste it as I smell it.

Taste-...my mind has been blown. This is at once so intensely hoppy yet so perfectly balanced in flavors that you hardly even notice the thing is bitter at all! I get grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange rinds, pinetrees and just a 'hint' of crystal malt balancing things towards the middle as a pine-like aftertaste rides the back end all the way to the finish.

Mouthfeel-Fluffy, resiny, slick but still light as a feather in the mouth; boggling really.

Drinkability-The bottle is almost gone and the only reason it isn't gone yet is because I've been forcing myself to drink it slowly so I can sip it throughout this review, it's so, so, so drinkable.

Notes-I...did not expect to like this beer as much as I did, I mean, I expected to like it but not be on the verge of literally founding a cult in its name; all hail Pliny!, and much thanks to my friend who through some convoluted means managed to get a bottle of this and was generous enough to part with it.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 23:05:20 | More by Manoftyr

jakeox

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -8.6%

05-19-2013 00:13:52 | More by jakeox

alanv

California

5/5  rDev +7.5%

05-18-2013 21:22:39 | More by alanv

Petela

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

05-18-2013 16:50:16 | More by Petela

eyeenjoybeer

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev -3.2%

05-18-2013 16:42:30 | More by eyeenjoybeer

MNishCT77

District of Columbia

4.24/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

17.25 oz. bottle purchased at Ales Unlimited (gotta ask for it!) in San Francisco, CA, bottled on 5/9/13, poured into a hotel style glass and drank over ~30 minutes. Of note, I drank this back-to-back with RR's Blind Pig IPA, so feel free to see that review for comparisons.

A: 4.75 - straw yellow coloration, less hop haze than Bling Pig (could read blurrily through this one), white half-finger head subdues into subtle glass lacing, moderate alcohol legs for a 8% beer

S: 4.25 - after drinking Bind Pig, I was expecting an even bigger hop bomb, and, unfortunately, I liked the hop aroma on Blind Pig much better; nevertheless, there are similar notes: tropical fruit (mango, papaya), pine, resiny, dank with more alcohol in the background

T: 4 - again, less impressed than Blind Pig; on the front of the tongue, there is a moderate pleasant bitterness that subdues pretty quickly into pine, dank notes with a lingering appreciation; I definitely get more booze in the taste than many other DIPAs, which is surprising considering the relatively low ABV for style; yet, it's dry with a balanced biscuity breadiness that I like very much

M: 4.5 - best aspect of the beer, I think; less carbonation than Blind Pig but bigger and chewier; would go well with a nice cigar

O: 4.5 - I think that this is the third time that I've tried this beer, and unfortunately, it doesn't live up the hype for me; there are not enough hops in this one to warrant world-class status for style; I had older batches in the past but this was only bottled about two weeks ago! Anyway, I would consider this more of a single IPA anyway, and it's definitely excellent for that style; I wonder if this is one of those beers that were really great 5-10 years ago, but, now, there are much better examples

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 01:23:23 | More by MNishCT77

GuzzLah

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A - pours a clear gold with a standard white head. Some lace. Light bubbles.

S - big orange and grapefruit, moderate pine, mild caramel malt and faint floral.

T - is just like the aroma. Juicy, citrusy Centennial and a relatively reserved, piney Simcoe. Excellent balance for the style and really smooth for a highly hopped beer.

M - medium body. Dry for the style. Creamy. Firm bitterness, but very pleasant with a long sustain.

O - a highly rated beer that deserves all the praise it receives. I'm not a fan of sweet DIPAs and this one is far from sweet and not too dry. It's certainly a hoppy beer, but it doesn't destroy your palate. Fantastic beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 22:47:48 | More by GuzzLah

darvinlikemarvin

Iowa

4.5/5  rDev -3.2%

05-17-2013 18:29:29 | More by darvinlikemarvin

eliz108

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +7.5%

05-17-2013 14:38:06 | More by eliz108

jsmith6051

California

5/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is definitely one of the best tasting IPAs I have ever had. I wouldn't recommend drinking this first and then following it up with another IPA. The second IPA wouldn't taste right. If you can get your hands on a bottle I wouldn't think twice to get it.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 14:02:45 | More by jsmith6051

lndsy

Texas

4.25/5  rDev -8.6%

05-17-2013 13:00:55 | More by lndsy

Kreko7

California

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

05-17-2013 08:10:02 | More by Kreko7

g_jenkins

California

5/5  rDev +7.5%

05-17-2013 07:43:16 | More by g_jenkins

chossboss

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

05-17-2013 04:22:34 | More by chossboss

myersk27

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

05-17-2013 03:44:37 | More by myersk27

bigfatflounder

Wyoming

5/5  rDev +7.5%

05-17-2013 03:41:06 | More by bigfatflounder

ReddMoneyBrown

California

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

05-17-2013 02:25:34 | More by ReddMoneyBrown

BillRoth

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

05-16-2013 22:29:57 | More by BillRoth

iamnitrox

Arizona

5/5  rDev +7.5%

05-16-2013 20:03:55 | More by iamnitrox

Cboat

California

5/5  rDev +7.5%

05-16-2013 17:34:51 | More by Cboat

BigbROB

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

05-16-2013 17:25:41 | More by BigbROB

carlosega

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev -3.2%

05-16-2013 15:51:49 | More by carlosega

Pidzik12

Illinois

5/5  rDev +7.5%

05-16-2013 14:38:06 | More by Pidzik12

Benjiehorn

Illinois

4/5  rDev -14%

05-16-2013 14:32:18 | More by Benjiehorn

daveski

Oregon

4.86/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

God, I love this beer. Over-hyped? Yes! But damn well worthy of all that hype!

Appearance - solid blend between copper and golden.

Smell- I gave it a swirl in the IPA glass and asked my wife to smell it... She doesn't drink beer at all and her reply was "flowers, grapefruit and pine". This one is a winner on the nose. I can also smell a good amount of that malty sweetness - almost a light caramel.

Taste - get outa here! Solid blend of hoppy bitterness and malty sweetness. Just perfect.

Mouthfeel - Smooth. Surprisingly light on the tongue and just the right amount of carbonation.

Overall - Its Pliny the Elder, enough said.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 05:03:20 | More by daveski