Pliny the Elder
Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California, United States 🇺🇸
IPA - Imperial / Double Regular|
Score
8.33
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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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fombe89 (10863) ticked Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing Company 2 years ago
Taster @Great Americano Beer Festival. 21/09/2023. Color amarillo corona de espuma blanca aromas y sabores frutales tropical, citricos resinoso cuerpo medio.4.1 On tap@Churchill's Pub & Grille, San Marcos. 30/09/2023.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
9 November 2022. Bottle from San Diego Wine Co. Bottled: 28/09/2022. Rating 5,000.
Clear golden, small, foamy, white head. Aroma of unripe apple, grapefruit peel, mandarin, cheese, pine resin, forest leaves, green olive, flower blossom, biscuit, tea. Taste has sweetish apple, melon & mango; all in all restrained and making way for a bitter core of pine, citrus peel & herbs kept together by a dry-biscuity malt body, with a faint hint of sourish citrus. Bitter, dry, resinous & slightly peppery hoppy finish that is quite dank & cheesy, but also herbal and grapefruity. Faint hint of warming gin-like alcohol in the very end. Full body, oily texture, average carbonation. Evidently the expectations are enormous for a beer of this renown, and they've been well met. An overwhelming sensation, though, is held back by its almost 'disciplined' structure.
When TWO of your beer trade partners tell you to check out a beer bar when you’re in San Francisco, you do it. Thanks for the tip Reuben B.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 7
14oz pour @ISO Beers, San Jose. Usually a bottle of this in my hotel if I'm holed up in CA, but haven't cared much lately. Rate it already dumbass. Clear, medium gold, melted eggshell head. Sticky even lace. Lightly dank, with a blend of pine, floral & citrus pith on the nose. Not a fan of the dank & don't remember that note either. Taste is bittersweet pine & orange pith. It is quite dry. Cracker & more pith as it falls away. Lingering menthol. Frothy, pretty dry, big & arid. Always solid, but I'm not a groupie.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Pale yellow color, resinous aroma. Taste starts with malt sweetness and finishes with a resinous hop bitterness.
Quintessence #11 / 18-04-22 / bucket list beer checked. Though I missed getting it on draft on that weekend as well :/
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 9
2022 - Rerate. 2 week old bottle from Whole Foods in Malibu. Crushed citrus and pineapple aromas with some crackery malt notes. Crisp and clean, bone dry. Lingering citrus, tropical fruit and crackery malt notes. You the real MVP RR.
Thanks for the bottle share Jon. Pours a clear golden orange with a small off-white head. Grapefruit and citrus notes on the nose with some light grain and caramel. Medium body with a nice fresh, citrus character and good balance between malt and hops. Bitter finish with some light pine that lingers. (24/10/2015 18:15)
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5
Tap at Troubles End. Rated before at Toronado in San Diego but backlogged. Hops are grassy, resinous, bright, soapy. Sort of a different experience than most IIPA, old school and proud. Big, full bodied, layers of hop bitterness. Not really my favorite, but certainly respectable and historically relevant.