I have found my Pliny Killer

Sure but that's not what I'm saying. My point is that tiny breweries with highly limited output, especially ones that only make one beer, have more of an advantage in making better hoppy beers than bigger breweries, as good IPAs are contingent on freshness and availability of hops.

Even though it can be (sort of) tough to get and is still really hyped, Pliny is a shelf beer for most of us here in CA - available throughout basically the entire state, year round.

 

pipeworks in chicago has come up with their own pliny killers. ninja vs unicorn and citra ninja are amazing.

 

No, yellow is the best color. It used to be blue until I saw yellow for the first time. And only jerks like red.

 

Pliny is just old school west coast. It needs an upgrade.

 

Alpine Duet and Ballast Point Sculpin come to mind.

Don't forget where these beers come from though, not a single IPA/DIPA listed on this page would be there if Pliny hadn't come first.

 

They're both fantastic beers. I'm fortunate to have access to both of them regularly and I always seem to have both in my fridge. Head Hunter is a little more dry and more bitter but not quite as tropical. I love them both though.

 

Nah. It's a classic.

 

Was the Kiwi from the newest batch? Growler or bottle. I had a frsh growler 2 weeks ago that may have been the best heavily hopped beer I have ever had. Double Sunshine is another one bro... So damn good.

 

that's debatable. Also columbus ipa. they have ipa's down in ohio.

 

Spot on man... The future of hoppy beers is with those Kiwi hops. You should try to get some Kernel stuff. What they are doing with the Kiwi/Aussie hops is crazy good.

 

I've been searching for Head Hunter for quite some time in NY. Any sightings by fellow NY'ers? Or should I search some of the online beer shops? Recently I've been drinking Founders Centennial IPA. Good stuff and plentiful here in NYC.

 

My go to is HH or Rajah only because I live minutes from each brewery. If I lived close to a place that sold all the other fine brews mentioned in this thread they would be my go to.

My overall favorite is HH. And I drink a lot of it.

 

Just had my fist Head Hunter the other day. I really enjoyed it but I prefer Pliny to it. Head Hunter isn't even my favorite Ohio IPA I have tried (a testament to the Ohio breweries), White Rajah takes that honor for me.

I like Pliny but it isn't my favorite IPA/IIPA either, just high on the list. I also find is MUCh BETTER on tap than via a bottle.

 

I was actually just teasing you about a reversal of causality in your post, not anything more than that.

That being said, I don't know about your first paragraph, since bigger breweries can probably negotiate better deals with the hops suppliers (the supplier would likely take care of his big accounts first, I'd suspect) and might have better distribution networks.

 

Had my first Kiwi Rising the other day. I bought the first one off the shelves at Muckey's in Lakeville. That was an awe-inspiring first sip, what an amazing beer (the best IPA/DIPA I've had yet including Meadowlark) Ok now my Jack's Abbey fanboy plug is over.

 

Rozi's in Lakewood,OH is about 20 minutes from Fat Heads production facility. And they get weekly shipments of fresh HH. Occasionally they get Rajah. But it never lasts and shipments are pretty infrequent. And they ship anywhere in the US. Give them a call.

 

Watch out for the Framinghammer and BA Framingham this winter..... Those will kick your ass and blow your mind too. Jack's Abby is killing it right now. Solid solid new brewery.

They use the Galaxy hops (Kiwi) in Meddowlark too BTW which is probably why you like that too.

 

That's true to an extent but it's undeniably harder to produce a beer that's as hop heavy and contingent on freshness as Pliny when you're a brewery the size of RR (in comparison to Alchemist, Lawsons, HF, Alpine, etc).

 

We're kind of saying the same thing