Pliny For President
Russian River Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i see what all the fuss is about, but its crazy how light this is, and i guess it also works as a reminder of just how good normal pliny still is, a true classic that hits every time, and i know this is double dry hopped and everything, but its real approachable, less bitter and intense than expected and way lighter in body, this is so clean, even kind of delicate for what it is, tidy to an impossible degree and unrivaled in overall quality for sure, a treat to drink on, but somewhat less striking in terms of uniqueness than i expected it to be, not sure why, but i guess i didnt really know what i was getting into with this one. positively resplendent and glowing in the glass, sunshine yellow colored, remarkably clear, frothing white suds on top, looks dialed in, super bright, and less substantial than anticipated, very inviting. this tastes like it smells, which is great because for one it smells amazing, and second, for being as dry hopped as it obviously is, there really isnt an appreciable drop off in the flavor from what is in the nose here, the pungent and fresh hop nuances all come through beautifully. i get layers of fruit from white wine grape to green pear, some obvious citrus in the form of meyer lemon zest and maybe a bit of fleshy pink grapefruit, i get some dankness and a faint fuel thing, and maybe a little mosaic catty character, but the appealing and alluring side of it, white coconut, lychee, and even elderflower as well, a hint of clover honey in the middle as the grain shows itself, but its on the dry side overall, nothing at all from the yeast, robust but also easy, little wrinkles of flavor all over the palate, most complex when not freezing cold as most beer is, but this warms up exceedingly well if you can be patient enough to let it. kiwi fruit, melon rind, hash oil, lemon candy, faint graham cracker, nice minerality and overall water chemistry, impossibly tidy on the ferment, like absolutely clean, really expert, and the bitterness is right on, enough to crisp it up but not enough to be permanent on the palate, each sip is new and thats one of the best parts of this. crazy light body, upbeat carbonation, not real exotic on the hops but so beautifully dosed and forward here. elite quality ipa, no sign at all of its alcohol strength, drinks like its 4% abv, doesnt present as an imperial at all, and as good or even better than i expected it to be, these guys are on the top of the heap for a reason, and its obvious in this one. not overrated in the least.

 

 

 

Pours a somewhat translucent gold with good head, carbonation, and lacing. The smell is a bouquet of tropical fruit with the herbal hops wafting up. The taste is fantastic: stings the tongue as the triple hopping does the trick. Tastes like a jacked up Pliny with a smooth, tropical fruit ale hiding behind the initial jolt. Pineapple, guavo, mango, and red grapefruit. It’s also quite dry, but oh so drinkable. My third beer from Russian River and so glad my son brought me one as it’s not to be missed, cheers!