Russian River Brewing Company Pliny the Elder

Pliny the Elder

 

Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California, United States 🇺🇸

  IPA - Imperial / Double Regular
Score
8.33
ABV: 8.0% IBU: 100 Ticks: 274
Pliny the Elder is brewed with Amarillo, Centennial, CTZ, and Simcoe hops. It is well-balanced with malt, hops, and alcohol, slightly bitter with a fresh hop aroma of floral, citrus, and pine. Best enjoyed FRESH! That is why we make it in such limited supply. Actual bottling date is printed on each bottle!

Where did we come up with this name? Back in the year 2000, our friend, Vic Kralj, who owns the Bistro in Hayward, California, decided to have his first ever Double IPA festival. Vic invited 10 breweries, 6 of whom (including us) had to brew something special for him since we had nothing that would fall under this style category. Vinnie had made a Double IPA at Blind Pig Brewing Co. in 1994, but was not brewing one at Russian River Brewing Co. at the time. He had an idea for the recipe, but not a name. After much research in beer books, brainstorming, and deliberation, we came up with “Pliny the Elder”. Pliny, the man, lived in the first century- 23 to 79 A.D. According to our brewing references, he and his contemporaries either created the botanical name or at least wrote about Lupus Salictarius, or hops, currently known as Humulus Lupulus. That was a very early reference to an important part of any Double IPA! Pliny, the beer has now become one of our flagship brews!

Pliny the Elder was immortalized by his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who wrote about his uncle succumbing to ash and smoke during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. while rescuing people. Cheers to the scholar, historian, officer, writer, and Roman Naturalist- Pliny the Elder!
 

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8.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

From tap at APEX, Portland. Big tropical fruit and pine aroma with grapefruit, sweetish fruits, orange, biscuity malt, pine resin. Flavour is moderate sweet with a long bitter dry-ish finish. Body is medium. Great balance, big tropical fruits, truly one of the finest IIPA’s. ♡♡♡ Enjoyed again from tap at Toronado, San Francisco. Just as good. ♡♡♡ 26-6-17 Enjoyed from bottle, bought at Russian River, Santa Rosa. Fresh bottle, so the beer comes out very good.

Tried from Draft on 10 Feb 2025 at 04:46


8.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Аромат отличный, достаточно лесной, немного травы, кустики от ягод, еще удивительно что в таком хмелевом пиве сильно ощущался ячменный солод. Цвет практический как у лагера, золотой, с белой пенкой, может прям немного нефильтрованности есть. Вкус хмелевой, свежий, прям снова лес и всё что в нем имеется, травянистость. Финиш понятное дело с большой горечью, но не сказать что она неприятная, а скорее логичное продолжение такого вкуса. Очень крутой баланс. Алкоголя не ощущаю.

Tried on 22 Jan 2025 at 01:33


10

It has finally happened.

Tried on 13 Dec 2024 at 18:43


7.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Draught, taster. @Brü Craft & Wurst, Philadelphia (PA). 26/08/2024 [#7.655 Global - #1.507 United States of America - #1 Russian River Brewing Company (My Brewery #332 from the States)] Pours clear golden with some visual carbonation and a lasting white head. Aroma: grapefruit, resin, orange rind and pine needles. Taste: resinous hops, orange peel and grapefruit. Not fresh. Next one, please!

Tried on 25 Sep 2024 at 09:57


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Sample from danlo. Thanks, Ed! Brownish gold, little bit hazy with a big off-white head. Spicy aroma of pine, some perfumed floral notes, orange oil. Bittersweet taste, lots more pine with a concentration of citrus. Full body, heavy carbonation. It’s really good, maybe not worth the hype that surrounds it but still good.

Tried on 30 Aug 2024 at 22:46


8.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9.5

On tap at Apex. Pours clear yellow with a white head. Aroma is dank with notes of pine and orange citrus. Flavous has a very clean dank and piney hop expression. The hop expression here is incredible, all in great proportion. Incredible.

Tried from Draft on 10 Aug 2024 at 04:56


8.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

510ml bottle. Clear golden, white head. Aroma of very dank weedy hops, citrus fruit, orange, grapefruit. Taste is the same, very piney, resinous, grapefruit, orange, mandarin, piny bitter finish. Excellent example of the WC style and exactly why this is as famous as it is.

Tried from Bottle on 09 Jun 2024 at 18:57


10
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 10 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 10

Bottle (of course). Bottling date 02/29/2024. I can find no fault with this beer. I loved it in every way. As I see it, it is the reference standard by which all other DIPA's are judged, or should be judged by. There are certain beers that are the best basis for comparison--SNPA for Pale Ales, Dupont for the saisons, Speedway for coffee stout, Schlenkerla for rauchbier and Pliny for DIPA. Go ahead, argue with me.

Tried from Bottle on 20 Apr 2024 at 17:03


8.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5

29/1/2024. Bottle shared by danlo, cheers Ed! USA rating #900. Pours clear golden orange with a frothy white head. Aroma is hoppy, piney, orange, citrus, grapefruit, tropical fruits, hints of caramel, honey and rubber. Moderate sweetness, medium plus bitterness. Medium body, average carbonation. Super lasting bitterness. Very nice.

Tried from Bottle on 29 Jan 2024 at 18:30


8.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

510ml bottle from Bill's Liquor Market, Los Angeles. Golden colour, white foam head and aroma of tropical fruits, mango, citrus hops. Taste is malt, caramel, juicy fruits, mango, orange citrus, and resiny hop bitterness. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, dry resiny bitter finish. Well balanced, very drinkable

Tried from Bottle on 06 Jan 2024 at 20:49