Mike's Beer of the Week

Beer Information

Brewery: Russian River Brewing

Beer Name: Pliny the Elder

Beer Style: Imperial IPA

Abv.: 8%

Serving Glassware: Tulip, Snifter, Oversized Wine Glass

Serving Temp.: 50-55 deg. F. (BeerAdvocate.com)

Local Availability: N/A

Pairings: Enjoy this rarity by itself!

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Mike's Ratings (1-5)

Overall Grade/Rate: A-/4.25

Appearance: 5

Aroma: 4.5

Taste: 4

Mouthfeel: 4

Drinkability: 4.5

BeerAdvocate Avg. Rate: A+/4.59

Mike's Description

My notes take into consideration the age of this bottle...it is probably a couple months old, so it won't be up to par with standards.  This is the highest rated beer in the world next to Trappist Westvleteren, so thank you Craig for trading me this amazing rarity!!!

Appearance - Burnt orange color with 1/2" of white head and decent retention. Lacing is present all over the snifter. Beautiful representation of the style.

Aroma - Hops are up front with citrusy bursts similar, but slightly more active than Nugget Nectar. I am pretty certain the famous fresh hop esters have dissipated over time.

Taste - Again, hops dominate the forefront of this facet with a nice orange-peel citrusy aftertaste. The malt comes through in the aftertaste as well and combines perfectly with the hops.

Mouthfeel - The malt/hop balance really comes into play here...the bitter hop notes play up the fruity sweetness and coat the tongue all over.

Drinkability - This is a fantastic beer overall and it is one of the best DIPAs that I have ever had. I am pretty sure that if I had this within a few days of bottling, it would be my favorite, but it is amazing nonetheless. The alcohol is completely hidden my the hop bitterness and the citrusy character. Thanks again Craig for this extremely rare opportunity!