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Beer details
Rating: 91

Pliny the Elder

Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company · Santa Rosa, CA
Variety: Ale · American Ale · American Double / Imperial IPA
Alcohol: ABV 8.00% / ABW 6.40%
Preferred vessel: Pint glass
Color: Light Amber (Wiessbier) (8 SRM)
Added by Kyle Bunch

Light hazy gold and moderate carbonation in the body. Smell of pine needle and pine sap, with hints of grapefruit or lime. Tastes of spicy piny hops, lemon, lime and grapefruit flavors. Leaves a bitter, herbal aftertaste with just the perfect amount of sweetness.

Citrus, Bitter, Hoppy, Floral, Piney

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Reviews

  1. Review by Kyle Bunch
    Rating: 95

    Kyle Bunch

    drank this beer from a Pint glass
    Jan. 13th, 2009 at 1:16 p.m.
    Comment:

    Really about as good as an IPA gets. Such a perfect blend of bitterness and sweetness.

    Characteristics: bitter citrus pine
  2. Review by M@
    Rating: 89

    M@

    drank this beer from a Pint glass
    Jan. 13th, 2009 at 1:24 p.m.
    Comment:

    I got this beer in a trade and it’s a pretty great IPA. I can’t determine the hop profile. It’s all over the place. Terrific.

    Characteristics: bite bitter floral grassy
  3. Review by mikegee
    Rating: 97

    mikegee

    drank this beer from a Snifter
    Jan. 13th, 2009 at 1:48 p.m.
    Comment:

    This is my favorite DIPA so far. Absolutely perfect.

    Very fruity floral, very citrus aroma. Honey or caramel sweetness underneath

    Cloudy golden amber color

    Thick head

    Very fine lacing, like baby swiss.

    Perfect balance of hops and malt.

    Good bitterness but not an overpowering linger.

    Very drinkable

    Very full mouthfeel, not thin.

    Characteristics:
  4. Review by Andy Sternberg
    Rating: 92

    Andy Sternberg

    drank this beer from a Goblet in Santa Rosa, CA
    Jan. 15th, 2009 at 12:56 a.m.
    Comment:

    So good I actually bought the t-shirt. Next time you’re in Sonoma, take a wine break and hit Russian River for a sampler in Santa Rosa.

    Characteristics: floral golden hoppy orange peel semisweet strong
  5. Review by Jordan Dobson
    Rating: 85

    Jordan Dobson

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Seattle, WA
    Jan. 22nd, 2009 at 4:35 p.m.
    Comment:

    Awesome! I had this at The Red Hot and immediately after I had a drink I said… “If this beer was a color it would be white”… I just wasn’t expecting it to attack my mouth with such flavor.

    Characteristics: crisp hoppy lively
  6. Review by Rob Hudson
    Rating: 86

    Rob Hudson

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Eugene, OR
    Jan. 26th, 2009 at 11:06 a.m.
    Comment:

    Poured from a bottle at the Bier Stein…

    Very strong resiny hop aroma. Good malt backbone to support the bitterness. Strong hop flavor which I love. Malty and hoppiness lingers on the tongue. This beer lived up to the hype.

    Characteristics: hoppy resin
  7. Review by Tony Richards
    Rating: 95

    Tony Richards

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Denver, CO
    Jan. 30th, 2009 at 5:04 p.m.
    Comment:

    Characteristics:
  8. Review by gtcaz
    Rating: 94

    gtcaz

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in San Francisco, CA
    Feb. 3rd, 2009 at 5:57 p.m.
    Comment:

    This is a badass beer. Tried it at the Rogue pub in SF. Lots of hops. Tangy, but finishes balanced and full. Will kick your butt.

    Characteristics: full-mouthfeel hoppy lively strong
  9. Review by elmazz
    Rating: 82

    elmazz

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Eugene, OR
    Feb. 7th, 2009 at 8:53 a.m.
    Comment:

    Great smoothness to this hoppy yet malt filled brew. Nicely surprised.

    Characteristics: hop malt resin
  10. Review by tfross
    Rating: 88

    tfross

    drank this beer from a Pint glass
    Feb. 18th, 2009 at 6:09 p.m.
    Comment:

    My second favorite IPA next to Blind Pig.

    Characteristics: floral full-mouthfeel tangy
  11. Review by Dave S.
    Rating: 85

    Dave S.

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Denver, CO
    Feb. 18th, 2009 at 11:24 p.m.
    Comment:

    A strong IPA in every way. Starts with a sharp, piney nose, and gives way to a bit more smoothness. I wouldn’t have a lot of these, but it’s a solid choice.

    If I had any critique, I’d say the hops need a stronger counterbalance. To me, Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute is still the reigning IPA supreme due solely to what they do with it besides just all hops, all the time.

    Characteristics: bitter hoppy piney
  12. Review by Lance
    Rating: 97

    Lance

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Portland, OR
    Feb. 27th, 2009 at 9:09 p.m.
    Comment:

    Very hoppy, very drinkable.

    Characteristics: bitter grapefruit hoppy
  13. Review by dirvish
    Rating: 90

    dirvish

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Santa Rosa, CA
    March 9th, 2009 at 2:56 p.m.
    Comment:

    Very tasty.

    Characteristics:
  14. Review by hey_phatalbert
    Rating: 95

    hey_phatalbert

    drank this beer from a Pint glass
    March 12th, 2009 at 9:58 a.m.
    Comment:

    Excellent IPA with such array of hop character the mouth is in constant flux. Great amber color of a California sunset in September.

    Characteristics: complex Hoppy!!
  15. Review by Wren
    Rating: 94

    Wren

    drank this beer from a Goblet in Santa Monica, CA
    March 17th, 2009 at 8:54 p.m.
    Comment:

    Characteristics: hoppy
  16. Review by Chuck Harmston
    Rating: 90

    Chuck Harmston

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Washington, DC
    March 25th, 2009 at 1:38 p.m.
    Comment:

    Rock solid.

    It’s not a typical IPA though, it’s rather unique. At least 4 different types of hops, and its quite malty. Sharp to the taste, but it goes down smooth.

    Not quite the “kick in the teeth” flavor of a 100+ IBU DIPA, but definitely the best sessionable IPA I’ve ever had.

    Thanks to M@ for letting me sample it.

    Characteristics: hops malty
  17. Review by Geminder
    Rating: 90

    Geminder

    drank this beer from a Goblet in San Jose, CA
    March 27th, 2009 at 5:13 p.m.
    Comment:

    Characteristics:
  18. Review by Matt
    Rating: 90

    Matt

    drank this beer from a Goblet in Glenside, PA
    April 6th, 2009 at 7:05 a.m.
    Comment:

    Characteristics:
  19. Review by Keith
    Rating: 84

    Keith

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Seattle, WA
    April 7th, 2009 at 5:04 p.m.
    Comment:

    Pours a nice, light hazy gold with a really thick and foamy looking head and great lacing. Looks delicious. Wow, this is really hoppy, which is something I’m not usually keen on but here is seems to work really well. Has a great smooth feel too, with a nice sing on the end that makes it really interesting. Surprisingly, I really, really like this.

    Characteristics: balanced complex hops smooth
  20. Review by Kevin
    Rating: 85

    Kevin

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Seattle, WA
    April 7th, 2009 at 5:23 p.m.
    Comment:

    Nice hazy gold color. It’s very hoppy but surprisingly not overpowering. There a alight hint of persimmons in the finish that’s adds to a very drinkable IPA.

    Characteristics: complex gold hop persimmons smooth
  21. Review by bnselby
    Rating: 94

    bnselby

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in San Francisco, CA
    April 9th, 2009 at 10:50 a.m.
    Comment:

    Characteristics: complex floral hoppy
  22. Review by Brad Chmielewski
    Rating: 96

    Brad Chmielewski

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Chicago, IL
    May 6th, 2009 at 3:56 p.m.
    Comment:

    What a fabulous DIPA. The Pliny The Elder pours a light golden orange with a small soft off white head. The lacing that is left behind once that head resides is very nice leaving behind fine bubbles like you just washed your glass with soap. The hop aroma hits you before you even bring the glass to your nose. Citrus and pine come through so wonderfully. The taste is what you would expect from the aroma and it being a DIPA. Lots of great bite from the hops with a slight sweetness to wash it all away. It is light with a ton of complex flavors… just makes you smile. This is the nectar of the gods. I could drink this all night and still want more.

    Characteristics: hoppy piney
  23. Review by erin
    Rating: 93

    erin

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in San Francisco, CA
    May 27th, 2009 at 4:58 p.m.
    Comment:

    this is one of my favorite beers to have with a handful of almonds and some sharp cheddar. the sweet citrusy flavor mixes with the very hoppy taste and leaves you refreshed and wanting more.

    Characteristics: fruity hoppy light
  24. Review by Joe
    Rating: 90

    Joe

    drank this beer from a Snifter in Seattle, WA
    June 6th, 2009 at 7:09 p.m.
    Comment:

    At first, slightly bitter with hints of pine, but goes down well with a citrusy, hoppy aftertaste. Delicious and potent, making for a fun and dangerous combination.

    Characteristics: citrus hoppy piney
  25. Review by woolfrey
    Rating: 96

    woolfrey

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Portland, OR
    Sept. 10th, 2009 at 3:44 p.m.
    Comment:

    Hands down one of the finest beers I have ever had the pleasure to consume. A sip from a friend’s bottle early this summer led me on an epic journey to find it at my favorite beer retailers… always sold out. I found a source just last week. A whole bottle to myself, and worth every effort I took to get it. Prost!

    Characteristics: fruity hoppy yummy
  26. Review by steveganz
    Rating: 97

    steveganz

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in San Jose, CA
    Oct. 25th, 2009 at 2:03 p.m.
    Comment:

    This is the Imperial IPA by which I measure all others. If you like, no love hops, then this is the brew for you.

    Characteristics: crisp floral grapefruit hoppy piney
  27. Review by nilok
    Rating: 89

    nilok

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Seattle, WA
    Feb. 21st, 2010 at 10:06 p.m.
    Comment:

    I really don’t like IPAs, but I have still been meaning to try this for years. I finally got around to this past weekend and I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked this IPA, it probably out-ranks the Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA as my favorite IPA. It was simple and light and flowery despite a really significant hop flavor. It was delicious, but quite expensive, so I’ll probably still stick to the 90-Minute IPA for day-to-day drinking.

    Characteristics: bitter floral fruity hoppy light
  28. Review by Ricardo
    Rating: 97

    Ricardo

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Washington, DC
    April 6th, 2010 at 4:14 p.m.
    Comment:

    To me, this beer is the absolute best beer you can buy. It is a hop lovers dream. Nothing else on the market, with perhaps the exception of Ballast Point Sculpin, Alpine Nelson, and Russian River Blind Pig, can compare. The beer has a light head – almost like champagne but thicker. The hops hit you at the smell, the taste, the mid taste, and the finish - but it’s hops - not bitter - while the beer is some bitter, the job they did balancing out the hops vs. bitter is incredible! It is citrus, pine, grapefruit and resin, with a kerosene backbone and flower hops bitterness on the finish. If you are not a hophead, you won’t like this beer. This is as near perfect as beer gets…

    Characteristics: bitter citrus flowers grapefruit piney resiny
  29. Review by Lobsterman
    Rating: 92

    Lobsterman

    drank this beer from a Pint glass in Santa Rosa, CA
    May 13th, 2010 at 1:49 p.m.
    Comment:

    It’s all been said, one of the best IPA’s I’ve ever had.

    Characteristics: citrus hops pine

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