Pliny The Younger 2018

I don't know what's going on at Boneyard, but there really seems to be a lot of batch variation of late. When it's good, it's fantastic, but over the past year I've encountered several batches of Notorious that were so sweet and malty, the beer was almost undrinkable.

The BierStein down in Eugene always gets a keg of PtY, and they always pair it with a couple of other TIPA's in a flight (if you so desire). One of those is always Notorious (or at least it has been in the past), so I've had the opportunity to try both beers side by side. Personally, I've always found that the two beers have more in common then they have differences. Notorious typically is a bit sweeter than younger, but the times I've tried them side by side, there hasn't been a huge difference. Mouthfeel and level of bitterness has been very similar, as has been drinkability. Some years I've preferred PtY, and some years I've preferred Notorious. They're both very good TIPA's, IMHO.

 

That's a pretty expensive "experience" you're describing.

If one can afford it, then I would second your recommendation. The rush you get when you finally get into the pub, order that first glass of younger and have the waitress set it down in front of you (the entire time worried stiff that the keg is going to blow just before the bartender pours YOUR glass...), it's like no other in Beerdom.

That being said, you're talking about a very expensive younger experience, and I do think it's possible to have a pretty good time drinking younger without actually going to the source (which I feel as if I can safely say, having had it in SEPA, Portland Oregon, Eugene and Santa Rosa). Is it a lesser experience? Without a doubt. But still eminently enjoyable, I would argue.

 

For whatever reason, some of my best beer experiences have coincided with PtY events as well (like yours it sounds like). I can't top your story (and wouldn't want to try), but...

It's March 2009, and I live in Baltimore. As you probably know, SEPA is the only place on the East coast where RR distributes. As it turns out, younger release in the philly area happens to coincide with one of the early Philly beer weeks (it now take place in summer I believe). A number of places in town are having younger events as part of beer week, and the one at Local 44 looks particularly interesting. They're opening up extra early for their event, and I convince my girlfriend that we should drive up to Philly the night before, do some stuff in Philly, spend the night there and then head over to Local 44 early for the event. Incredibly, she agrees (did I mention we're married now?).

It's colder then hell in Philly, but even so, we arrive around 8:20 AM, and so roughly 40 minutes before opening bell. Much to our surprise, the place is already open, with a smattering of customers in the pub (the manager mentioned they opened early, as they didn't want folks to sit out in the cold in line, waiting for the pub to open). Even so, we have no difficulty finding a place at the end of the bar. On the chalk board behind the bar, the pub boasts that they have the most RR beers on tap East of Santa Rosa - they have 7 RR beers on tap). We hang out for roughly an hour and a half (the place is completely packed by the time we leave), after enjoying a couple of glasses of younger and elder. A buddy of mine is parked next to us, and he mentions that he just heard of a silent tapping of younger over at the Memphis Taproom. We both figure that has to be complete BS, but what the hell, the taproom isn't that far away, so let's go see (even though we both agree we really don't need any more younger). After a few missed turns we arrive at the taproom, only to find out it's all true. The place is nearly empty (in stark contrast to the Local 44), but sure enough, they're featuring younger on the tap list, for $3.50 a 12 ounce glass! I take one look at the taplist and younger price, and mention to my GF that I guess I haven't had too much younger after all (as I hand her the keys to the car).

Been almost 10 years, but I remember it like it was almost yesterday. Good times!