-
Stop lurking! Stay logged in to search, review beers, post in our forums, see less ads, and more.
— Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Pliny The Elder
Russian River Brewing Company


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Russian River Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
Ranked #3 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 100
Ranked #34 - Avg:
- 4.64 | pDev: 7.76%
- Reviews:
- 3,963
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Saturday at 10:58 PM
- Added:
- Aug 24, 2003
- Wants:
- 7,642
- Gots:
- 4,829
SCORE
100
World-Class
100
World-Class


Notes:
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!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bros:
None found.
Reviewed by whitro17 from Florida
4.67/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.67/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Look - clear and gold in color, aggresive pour with a soapy white head, lacing is scattered
Smell - floral, tropical, grapefruit
Taste - grapefruit, piney, fruity, sweet malt
Feel - medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering fruity and piney bitter finish
Overall - Has a bitter finish that's subdued by a candied fruit flavor that lingers. It settles in so nicely and it makes you want to take another sip. You have to restrain yourself. Incredible tasty brew that goes down way too easy. This whale has been on my list for years and it did not disappoint. I envy all the BA's that are able to get this on a regular basis. I paired Pliny the Elder with I Need You Tonight by ZZ Top. You should too. Enjoy!
Saturday at 10:58 PMSmell - floral, tropical, grapefruit
Taste - grapefruit, piney, fruity, sweet malt
Feel - medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering fruity and piney bitter finish
Overall - Has a bitter finish that's subdued by a candied fruit flavor that lingers. It settles in so nicely and it makes you want to take another sip. You have to restrain yourself. Incredible tasty brew that goes down way too easy. This whale has been on my list for years and it did not disappoint. I envy all the BA's that are able to get this on a regular basis. I paired Pliny the Elder with I Need You Tonight by ZZ Top. You should too. Enjoy!
More User Ratings:
Rated by JoeMcCraw from California
4.84/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.84/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
It's truly excellent and because of demand is a reliably fresh beer. Beautiful clarity, great hop flavor and clean finish. A+ beer.
Apr 17, 2023Rated by Sandis from Minnesota
4/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bitter with a forward grapefruit flavor.
Mar 24, 2023Reviewed by Tsar_Riga from Indiana
4.68/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.68/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Pours clear, golden and beautiful, short head, small bubble lacing. Smell is floral and pine, flavor is bright and adds deeper notes of earth and limestone, a hint of grapefruit, and a close with pith. Very well dialed in, the result is powerful without punishing. Superb.
Mar 22, 2023Reviewed by dcotom from Iowa
5/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Quite possibly the perfect beer. Sampled six weeks past the bottling date. Poured from 0.5-liter bottle into a thick-stemmed crystal goblet. Golden colored body, with a thick white long-lasting head that left lots of pretty lacing as it settled. Perfectly balanced, with just enough caramelly malt sweetness to provide structure while allowing the hoppy goodness to shine through. Big flavors of pine, orange, and grapefruit, with a floral note and lots of resiny bitterness. Each sip makes you want another, and it's so drinkable that you might forget that this a relatively big beer. The finish is crisp, with notes of orange zest lingering on the palate. What more could you want?
Mar 19, 2023Reviewed by Scrapss from Pennsylvania
4.24/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured from the bottle into a Nonic pint.
A: crystal clear light gold color with a nice 2mm head. Head dissipates to a 1mm full disk and very nice lacing grabs the glass with tenacity.
S: lemony fresh and aggressive west coast profile hop with a hint of light malt hiding at the edges. Yeast is inoffensive and minimal.
T: very good west coast hop profile with a solid grapefruit bitterness but not so aggressive that it becomes fatigued. Malt is light and appropriate.
M: body is medium light with a slight dryness and no cloying sweetness. Very nice finish with a hint of ultimate slickness that just works.
O: you should try it for a classic west coast vibe that just hits on all cylinders. Excellent.
Mar 11, 2023A: crystal clear light gold color with a nice 2mm head. Head dissipates to a 1mm full disk and very nice lacing grabs the glass with tenacity.
S: lemony fresh and aggressive west coast profile hop with a hint of light malt hiding at the edges. Yeast is inoffensive and minimal.
T: very good west coast hop profile with a solid grapefruit bitterness but not so aggressive that it becomes fatigued. Malt is light and appropriate.
M: body is medium light with a slight dryness and no cloying sweetness. Very nice finish with a hint of ultimate slickness that just works.
O: you should try it for a classic west coast vibe that just hits on all cylinders. Excellent.
Reviewed by selimoidar from District of Columbia
5/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
To me this beer is perfection. The key to success here is the undeniable malty foundation. With such a sturdy base the high floral and bittering notes of the hops really stand out as contrast and the entire sip becomes a journey. Hops for hops' sake is fine in the right vehicle, but this one is about balance. From first sip to last I dare anyone to find a better beer ounce for ounce.
Feb 21, 2023Rated by WayneManor from Washington
4.68/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.68/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Look: Bright yellow. Beer hall looking beer
Smell: piney hoppy
Taste:Bright. slightly Bitter, grpaefruit
'Feel: Carbonated nicely not heavy
Feb 19, 2023Smell: piney hoppy
Taste:Bright. slightly Bitter, grpaefruit
'Feel: Carbonated nicely not heavy
Rated by Dakin from Utah
4.63/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.63/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Not sure if it's a 100 in my book, but it's a pretty good smooth west coast IPA
Feb 19, 2023Reviewed by JBWHOME from Washington
4.58/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.58/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Finally got to try this beer. Slightly concerned the high IBU would be a bit too bitter for me. I read they have many hop editions throughout the boil. The taste really reflected this technique. A very balanced taste of grapefruit with a slight bitterness throughout the mouth feel. It was served on draft with a slight white head that dissipated fairly quickly. It had a clear golden appearance. I enjoyed this beer.
Feb 11, 2023Rated by michaelwmarr from California
5/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Best bottled beer I've ever tasted!
Jan 31, 2023Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota
4.76/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.76/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
510ml bottle. Label is stamped with the bottling date of '111822'. Purchased at the taproom store.
Nearly clear, light pale gold colored body. Two fingers of puffy white head. Leaves some scattered webs of lacing.
Aroma, as described, is intense with pine, citrus (more orange and tangerine than grapefruit), and floral (aromatic).
Taste is initially sweet with citrus (again orange and tangerine), then comes the bitterness of the pine. Also has a floral expression. Very full of flavors. Aftertaste is more of an afterglow of the original flavors, with some vegetal hops lingering as long as one may want to wait before taking another sip.
Fuller mouth feel. Has a soft texture. Very good carbonation.
Very well balanced with the malts and hops. Such a good mix of nose and flavors among the citrus, pine, and floral components. Definitely is a Goldilocks beer, and one that I would prefer more than most NEIPAs. This is because there is more bitterness here, which balances so well with the sweet and floral notes. Also the Santa Rosa taproom is so mellow and energetic at the same time, with that certain Sonoma vibe.
Dec 23, 2022Nearly clear, light pale gold colored body. Two fingers of puffy white head. Leaves some scattered webs of lacing.
Aroma, as described, is intense with pine, citrus (more orange and tangerine than grapefruit), and floral (aromatic).
Taste is initially sweet with citrus (again orange and tangerine), then comes the bitterness of the pine. Also has a floral expression. Very full of flavors. Aftertaste is more of an afterglow of the original flavors, with some vegetal hops lingering as long as one may want to wait before taking another sip.
Fuller mouth feel. Has a soft texture. Very good carbonation.
Very well balanced with the malts and hops. Such a good mix of nose and flavors among the citrus, pine, and floral components. Definitely is a Goldilocks beer, and one that I would prefer more than most NEIPAs. This is because there is more bitterness here, which balances so well with the sweet and floral notes. Also the Santa Rosa taproom is so mellow and energetic at the same time, with that certain Sonoma vibe.
Pliny The Elder from Russian River Brewing Company
Beer rating:
100 out of
100 with
15638 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!