Pliny The Elder - Russian River Brewing Company

paytoplay

California

4.47/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Cask at O'Briens's SD, it didn't last long. 30 minutes or so. Cask Conditioned Pliny Elder, a very rare treat. Great nose, even better texture and an explosive mid. Maybe less on the pine, but the main difference is the mid palate. Though it was huge and dominating. Maybe a bit more amber? and I thought a tad more sweet though others didn't. Really excited to try and felt it was different and maybe a tad better than regular kegs. Some felt recent bottles are the best Pliny Elders because the freshness. Would not pass up on another opportunity to try a cask of Pliny.

Serving type: cask

01-30-2009 18:24:01 | More by paytoplay

DogFood11

California

4.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

whoaaa ....even a hophead would be proud and in awwee of this baby!! Not sure what type of hops they use but they are of the utmost quality. Fruity taste in the middle but quickly squashed by the hop bitter aftertaste. finely crafted brew for sure. dry but not annoying. Had this served in a pounder glass at Naja's (redondo beach) from the hand pump as a starter....not the best choice for a starter but this beer would compliment a meal better than as the first beer of the day.

Notes: I'm so glad I can find this on a regular basis even though I can only find it on tap thats fine with me. Truly one of, if not the greatest, double IPA.

Serving type: cask

08-14-2005 20:18:59 | More by DogFood11

donnebaby

North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Light gold body, rich looks cash in. Heavy, synthetic, snowwhite head sets in. Thick lacing. Nose reeks of tropical fruits -- mango -- grows a hop edge and some alcohol steps in eventually.

Taste in the mouth is spicy, of full-body hop. Tropical fruits and hops dominate the palate. Great dry and full effect grain after. Comes right in and takes over the taste and feel of the brew in the mouth. Excellent transition, very smooth -- although some after dry hop jiggles or convulsions are felt. Not sweet -- money.

Great to find this on-cask at Naja's in Redondo Beach.

Serving type: cask

11-18-2004 10:17:41 | More by donnebaby

rringler

California

4.81/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Oh Pliny. We've enjoyed each other for a while now; time to give you the full review.

A: Very clear, dark straw color. Pours with about a finger of white medium size head. While the head does dissipate into a nice bubble film rather quickly, it leaves behind a very nice, sticky lacing of micro bubbles.

S: A very balanced impression of grape fruit zest/sweetness, malty breads, and bitter hops. The beauty here is in how well balanced everything is.

T: Similar to the smell, the taste's strength is in its balance. It start with grapefruit sour/citrus, before moving on to moderate bready malts, but finishes with moderate+ bitter/piney hops. Very enjoyable, with no hint of alcohol at 8% abv. This is not news to anyone, but this brew defines the textbook IPA.

M: Medium- body, and a little quicker and less sticky than some IPAs. Mouthfeel usually determines how many brews I can enjoy in a session, and this brew gives me the option to enjoy a second (or third) if I care to. Carbonation is great.

O: This beer gets very high reviews for very good reasons. Lots of brews focus on single areas, but this one excels in all areas of the taste (the initial sweetness, the bready mid-tastes, and the hop finish.) It does all this without tasting boozy and the smell accurately represents the taste. All of this is accomplished with a mouthfeel that doesn't fatigue the drinker. In my book, this is a win; I enjoy drinking Pliny, and I'll always enjoy another.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 03:11:22 | More by rringler

Benish

Wisconsin

4.99/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Man this is good! Just opened my first bottle and it's pretty fresh; bottled 5/09/13.I don't know if this is a good analogy but opening the bottle is like letting the Genie out the lamp. It's insanely floral and sweet just smelling from the tip of bottle. Kind of like opening a BRAND NEW canister of Folgers ground coffee in the morning.

In a glass, the beer presented a very light amber color. Very clear and transparent. Honestly, I am paying less attention to appearance and more attention to smell and flavor.

I taste a lot of floral notes, some kiwi, citrus, and pine. It's is amped up in flavor. It almost makes your tongue tingle! I have not tried that many Double IPA's but if there is one DIPA it compares to, it's Sosus from Toppling Goliath. I think both are equally good. But because Sosus is extremely limited (might have been made only once), I'm more than glad that Pliny is available!

The flavor is very balanced. It's both bitter and sweet. Neither side is overpowering. The beer is extremely drinkable. I'm savoring it but I can see why someone would say it doesn't take long to finish a pint. I'm very happy to be getting some more next month!

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 02:54:54 | More by Benish

DanH83

New York

4.3/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Well, thanks to a fantastic Cali BA, I've just had my first Pliny. Poured into a tulip, tall head, lingers a bit. It's hoppy and smooth. Very balanced and drinkable, doesn't overwhelm the palate. It's not the hop bomb I was expecting, for better or worse. Not the best or hoppy-est, but better than any other IIPA...except one...

Pliny is fantastic! However, it is no Heady Topper.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 22:00:29 | More by DanH83

Heady978

Massachusetts

4.16/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Finally got two bottles in mail bottled on 5/9/13 and consumed 5/16/13. Delicious and quintessential, but no way is it even close to Heady Topper, its East coast rival. I have no idea how anyone who has consumed Heady fresh can possibly prefer Pliny. It's essentially a DIPA for non- hopheads who can't handle real hop bombs. Great beer, but not worth the hype and effort to get your hands on it.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 20:08:50 | More by Heady978

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

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

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

weonfire

Kentucky

4.46/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Bottle date: 4/12/13. Enjoyed 4/28/13.

A - Golden, translucent, full finger and half of white fluffy head, carbonation rising for entire brew.

S - sweet carmel, grapefruit, lemon, pine

T - Carmel, lemon, tropical fruit, grapefruit, dry, pine. finish: specifically grapefruit comes through, bitterness (6/10), sweet

M - Perfect carbonation, excellent froth, high viscosity, certainly full body

O - Outstanding. love the dry pineyness to sweet transition. more tropical fruit than grapefruit. mouth is fantastic. no booze flavor whats so ever. keeps you wanting more each sip. hard to put down.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 02:27:39 | More by weonfire

cw577enfield

Virginia

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

Got three bottles from a trade. Thanks, Jasonrm72!

Bottled on 04/13/13. Enjoyed on 05/10/13. Poured into a snifter.

A: Great light golden color, strong two fingers of head, and good sticky residue. Nice amount of carbonation.

S: Definitely could pick up floral and citrus notes from this one. Grapefruit, pine resin, mild hoppy aroma. While it's hoppy, it doesn't exactly scream out at you. Very subtle and balanced.

T: Hops, sweetness, and pine all come together at the same time. Very interesting! Soapy dry hop flavor. Perhaps only one of few bottles that has a buttery flavor at the end. For a moment, I thought I was drinking a Sauvignon Blanc?

M: Outstanding. Crispy and clean. All of the parts inside the mouth were definitely simulated and sang together in harmony. Okay, that was bit dramatic but you get the idea. Wonderfully dry and medium bodied.

O: I'm very glad that I got a chance to try this bottle. It is one of the most beautifully crafted DIPA beers out there. Highly recommended to anyone who's a hop-head!

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 14:53:39 | More by cw577enfield

pkalix

California

4.96/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

traveled far and wide to taste this legend, this mystery.
crisp orange-y and honey color. i poured it softly so as to not get the huge head others spoke of, yet still a good finger sits on top. tight little bubbles and the white foam clings to the side as it's tilted.
smell is like a fruit juice. some pine, a tad bit of grapefruit. i get the pineapple others have mentioned.... it smells creamy and sweet. bits of orange, tangerine and even (yes) the mango?
the taste is almost a tad tropical even. like the pineapple and the fruit juice, there is the complimentary hop bitterness on the center of the tongue, with some tangerine seemingly on the sides and little maltiness mixed in the batch too. but the bitterness leaves rather quickly.
the label is pretty cool. plain, and descriptive. while not really hep on the 'west coast ipas' or the ultra hoppy brews, i was a bit concerned about this even after reading all the 'legendary' reviews. i really enjoy this, however; it doesnt have the hard bitter bite and it's actually very smooth with a kind of creamy feel. i can easily drink several of these in succession, which is quite a statement as this is not even close to my preferred style. i have to give this high marks without allowing other reviews to influence me. i love the stickiness on the side of the glass and even though this is not my favorite style, i am giving this a 5 in taste because i like it and it's the only one of its style that i can say i have enjoyed. i taste no alcohol in this either....

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 23:04:28 | More by pkalix

DubbelTrubbel

Iowa

4.6/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 4-17-13, enjoyed 5-7-13. Poured into a tulip glass.
from notes

A- Crystal clear golden-orange. Pure white head, carbonation was good, bubbles kept streaming to the top long after pouring. Lacing was noticeable but not super sticky.

S- Very clean hops. It reminds me of ocean air. Slight citrus, fruity, a little musty. Big grassy fields and pungent hops.

T- So smooth, clean, mellow, and so much hops. Moderately bitter. Many different flavors- caramel, Hops!, bitter, crackers.

M- buttery, goes down quick and easy.

O- Way to combine strong hoppiness and smoothness, Russian River. A hop-lover's wet dream, with some great malt flavors, too. I was sad when this bottle was empty, this beer has so many layers! The flavor is so saturated with hops. I had hop breath for hours after I had finished it.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 05:15:37 | More by DubbelTrubbel

jtierney89

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Clear orange glow with tightly laced white head. Lots of tropical fruit on the nose. Lots of tropical fruit on the palate too, mangos and pineapples. Enough malt to balance the hops along with a nice building bitterness that grows with each sip. Lot milder then expected but great flavors, not overbearing, and extremely drinkable. One of the few beers to live up to its reputation but still not my favorite DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 15:50:51 | More by jtierney89

Nektar-der-Gotter

New Jersey

3.16/5  rDev -32%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.25

This was my second DIPA (had Lagunitas Maximus in bottle the prior day). Was out in the Bay Area so drove up to Santa Rosa to try it right at the source - the Russian River Brewpub. Had a pint at the bar before dinner. It was definitely unique but not something I would seek out for future drinking. For me it finished too bitter and like the other DIPA I had (Lagunitas Maximus) had a hint of something rank on hitting the tongue. Comparing the two it was definitely preferable to the Lagunitas with more interesting flavor components and a smoother mouthfeel. I ended up getting a sampler of all 15 beers they had on tap after this pint, and ended up preferring several of their other beers (Perdition, OVL Stout, almost everything except the sour ales). Obviously YMMV and if you like DIPAs I can only assume you'll love this. Thinking about my preferences, I'd take a good Bock/Eisbock/Barleywine in the cooler months and a tasty Hefeweizen/Lager in the warmer months over Pliny any day. I'd still be up for trying a pint of Younger if I am around here in February just to make sure this tasting wasn't a fluke.

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2013 04:00:56 | More by Nektar-der-Gotter

enemyisyou

New York

4.96/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

This is truly an American treasure. Had heard about this one but was unprepared to try it.

While visiting SF I spied a bottle of this and was incredulous that it could be so cheap - a 22oz or so for about $5. I happily brought it back to the hotel and poured.

Appearance: silky white head that stays on and on. amber-gold brew with tiny bubbles.

Smell: This is just something else. It evokes a pine forest, mountain air and clear water at once. Really invogorating scent.

Taste: Another big wow. Every other double-IPA seems either too sweet or awfully bitter by comparison (except maybe for Capt. Lawrence's) after trying this beer. It's the perfect example of the style if I ever tasted one.

Mouthfeel: I don't think I could drink too many of these, but I'd have a wonderful time trying. This is a pretty clean brew but that much booze leaves a little stickiness.

Overall: If you have any interest in the style, or beer in general, this is an absolute must-try. If only I could get this stuff in NYC.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 03:00:30 | More by enemyisyou

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

10oz. pour into a Duvel Tulip at Hawthorne's Cafe in Philadelphia.

A: Very similar to Russian River's Blind Pig; translucent amber with no tonal colorization. Thin, spotty head; white in color (similar to a world-class barleywine). Slight lace is imminent. Head disapates to spottiness quickly.

S: Fresh, wet hop sweetness. General citrus.

T: Very well balanced with honey undertones. Not overbearing at all. Great naval orange undertones with no bite or grapefruit dryness. Malt background balances slight bitterness to perfection without substantially altering the thin mouthfeel. Very enjoyable.

M: Thin and less carbonation than I'd expected, but more to my liking and perfect to style.

OVERALL: Elder is as advertised; a perfect build with nothing overdone. Very classic style example.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2013 20:39:07 | More by RobertColianni

lsummers

California

4.19/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured a straw yellow orange with a nice frothy white two finger head that leaves a touch of lacing. Head dissipates to a nice skim of froth and carbonation.

Smell hits first with that piney grapefruit and pineapple fruit notes. There's an herbal hedgerow character to it. A sweet buscuity note somehow slips through. It's mostly pine/herbal/grapefruit/pineapple.

Taste is straight up piney, peppery tropical fruit hops with that sweet sticky resinous quality. The back end seems to be a bit of caramel and biscuit. Pleasant the entire way through. Almost an orange quality also lingers on the tongue.

Mouthfeel is chewy and sticky but the carbonation is moderate so that makes it feel lighter on the tongue. Resinous, but still drinkable and seems to be a nice balanced feel for 8%.

Overall, this beer is great. It is a bit of a legend but I don't think it's ultimately the end all be all of the DIPA's. It's a great beer that I'll have any day, but one worth the trouble of trying to find?

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 05:11:39 | More by lsummers

DenverHopHead

Colorado

4/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've been very excited to finally get a crack at The Elder. Unfortunately, this was a let down. I certainly hope I just came across a bad bottle, because this was average at best. Expectations too high? This particular beer was bottled on 4/10/13, purchased and opened 5/2/13.
As soon as I opened the bottle it smelled fantastic, but after pouring in a tulip, it really wasn't there. The taste was ok, but I expected MUCH more.

I'll revisit this soon and provide another review.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 04:07:34 | More by DenverHopHead

akang

California

4.56/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

It's fortunately pretty accessible in California, so I've had it on tap and in bottles numerous times.

A - Light, relatively clear golden color.

S - Inviting mix of fresh hops and citrus.

T - The strong hop profile comes through immediately along with relatively muted hints of the citrus. The finish is dry and slightly bitter, but less so than some other DIPAs (such as Heady Topper). The overall balance in flavors is incredible.

M - Well-carbonated and easy to keep drinking.

O - After having this multiple times, I completely understand why this beer has been the gold standard for DIPAs. There are bold hops flavors but the emphasis on balance is awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2013 02:17:01 | More by akang

BuckKY

Kentucky

4.64/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

I am filling this out from memory.
So, forgive me. But this beer isn't that memorable.
This beer had an excellent full but light mouth feel. A great medium bodied beer.
The color was on the lighter side of red-gold. More gold really.
It had aged a bit and this could be why it wasn't as memorable. The florals had dropped a bit but there faint echoes of it.
I consider this a great beer. But, personally, not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 02:41:34 | More by BuckKY

MadCat

New Jersey

4.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Appearance: A nice clear amber-ish gold, with a good white head that leave nice lacing

Smell: Fragrant pine and floral hops, with some light malts

Taste: Piney, floral, and the right amount of bitterness. At only 15 days old, I can taste why this is best fresh. You also get some biscuit and fruit in there. Very complex. Semi-dry finish. No hints at the 8% abv. It would be easy to go for another if circumstances permitted.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, good carbonation

Overall: A world class beer, but for me, not worth the difficulty to obtain. I can get plenty of satisfying DIPAs for much less effort, that are almost as good.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 04:33:12 | More by MadCat

ConfuseTheMule

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This was a great tasting smooth beer with well defined hops and a terrific aroma of honey, citrus, and grapefruit. I tried it at DLD 2013 from a generous pour while waiting in line. The beer was well carbonated and a great refreshing summer beer with hops that don't linger longer than necessary.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 01:40:08 | More by ConfuseTheMule