Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company, California
Style: Imperial Double IPA
Color: Clear light amber-copper
ABV: 8%
Grade: A – World Class
BA Rating: 100  (Beer Advocate’s highest possible) 

I’m not a big fan of microbrews and tend to stick with the lighter tasting drinkability of a well known German Pilsner or less “skunkier” Pale Ale. A friend of ours had come back from a recent business trip to Santa Rosa and had stopped by the Russian River Brewing Company. We were gifted four 500ml bottles of “Pliny The Elder”. “Why only four bottles? That’s all I could get”…

I found the best results pouring into a non-chilled 20 ounce tall clear tumbler at around 40 degrees. As Pliny fills the glass the one finger foam head tops off perfectly without overflowing. The first sense I get is the piney, followed by citrus and fruity bouquet. I was expecting an overpowering harsh hop taste but that’s not what was delivered from this slightly bitter double IPA. The second swig was much smoother and the hops seemed to blend in more evenly. Simply put Pliny the Elder is a hard one to put down. With the last sip and the glass empty, your taste buds are still delivering that unforgettable signal telling your brain “It’s time for another”.

Pliny the Elder is not your typical microbrew. Due to its popularity, all the stores that would normally carry it are usually sold out. They typically  only receive a limited 2 cases (48 bottles) at a time, including big retailers.

My overall impressions:

Well balanced, mild alcohol, fresh hop and citrusy aroma, slightly bitter after-taste.

Other notes:

Each bottle is date coded and is suggested by RRBC that you enjoy it within 3 months. I doubt anyone would let Pliny sit around that long…

Final thoughts:

If you ever plan to be in the Santa Rosa or San Francisco Bay area, I highly recommend stopping by the Russian River Brewing Company. They also have several other well known beers that are in Beer Advocate’s list of the Top 250.

Recommended: Yes