"Blind taste test" between Sucks and Pliny the elder

Have you had them both before? Sucks tastes completely different from Pliny, so easy to tell them apart ... "blind" or not. Give the test to 10 people who have never had them before and 9 of them will go with Elder.

 

I agree, Pliny fresh is nice, but pliny old can easily be beat.

 

Two months is not that old unless it has been sitting on a furnace. I don't think Pliny goes off that quickly. I drink a lot of Elder, maybe if I can save a bottle that long I'll back to back it with super fresh Elder.

 

But you're going against the grain of popular opinion. How dare you.

 

I guess my point in this thread is that it's impossible to not tell the difference between Elder and Sucks. They don't taste anything alike. If you've had them before, you know which one is Sucks and which one is Elder. The only circumstance where a blind test would be valid is for someone who has never had either before. That said, it sounds like a fun experiment

 

Agreed. It is fine that you proved that you like that bottle of Sucks more than that bottle of Pliny, but that is as far as it goes.

 

I've had a 3 week old bottle and a 9 week old bottle. The three week old bottle was insanely delighfull. The 9 week old bottle had lost an insane amount of its aroma, and was nowhere near as good!

 

A little off the subject, but...

I had Blind Pig recently for the first time, and I could have sworn I was drinking Lagunitas IPA. I'd love to do a blind taste test between the two, and I'm doubtful that there's much of a difference... outside of price, of course.

 

"sucks taste different from pliny"

that is just not true.

 

In before someone asks the obligatory question why Heady Topper wasn't part of this taste test.
Its a good day indeed when you can drink a Pliny, Sucks, or Heady. Cheers!

 

Sucks is a definite winner here. Even fresh, Pliny = most overrated beer on the planet.

 

Pliny deserves its praise, its a solid beer, but if people would just stop obsessing about it, it would become more available to everyone else. I can't believe after all these years, people still buy it as regularly as they do in Nor-Cal (whenever I am in SF, I can rarely find it in bottles, the locals just live off the shit!)

 

Sounds like a nice life

 

I'm surprised no one's commented on the age of Sucks in the tasting. If I'm interpreting the bottle code correctly, that was almost a 3-month old bottle (compared to the 2-month old Pliny).

I've never had Pliny (can't get it in VA), but there's still al lot of Sucks sitting around. I might just go pick up one of these older six-packs. I guess the aroma & taste of this DIPA don't vanish into the ether after just a month or two.

 

Was it side by side? I think Jai Alai falls off drastically after about 6 weeks. But I've never been able to save one to compare with a fresh one. I have one now im going to crack with the new batch to really see how much maltier it is, or if it was all just in my head.

 

one of the top beers I ever had was a sucks that was bottled only 5 days earlier. so phenomenally delicious...

no bias of course

 

I had fresh Sucks and Pliny side by side recently. They're similar beers in lots of ways. Couldn't pick a favorite, they both rule.

 

I used to trade for Pliny, until I had Sucks. That being said there are so many really good DIPA's right now, it's a great time to be a BA.

 

Not surprised by these results. Sucks is the superior beer.

 

You've got yourself Founders and Bells in your backyard (among many others), so you're sitting pretty yourself.

 

I agree - I'll probably end up with 1 more 6 pack before they're completely gone. I personally find the whole IPA/IIPA freshness thing a bit overstated on the boards, and I'd have no problem drinking a Sucks that is a couple months old. I have before, and it still tastes great to me.

 

I'm going to save the snarky remarks this time about the outcome and just straight up ask you SUCKS people to please stop buying so much Pliny (if you are) and leave them on shelves for the rest of us. I promise I won't buy any of the SUCKS on the shelves. (especially you San Diego folks)

I'm serious. Anything that cuts the Pliny hype so those of us who like it can find it more easily is a good thing.

 

Interesting. I found a huge disparity between old Sucks & fresh Sucks (when re-distributed in so cal). So much so, I dont buy the sucks that's sitting out now for the same reason. Just know it's gonna drop off.

Unfortunately, I havent came to the same conclusion with Pliny, since I dont let it sit that long.

But I think you could tell blind, nose vs balance...

 

I believe the test, I think Sucks is better than Pliny.

 

That title currently reins with Heady Topper IMHO. In the end, it's all subjective and you are entitled to your opinion and me with mine. Cheers!

 

Sucks is way sweeter than Pliny anyways

 

4-5 week old Pliny is where its at. That's the sweet spot for me.

 

PrE is my favorite IIPA. But I'd rather have two week old Ranger IPA than seven week old Pliny.

 

no, not really possible. I dont think i would have wanted a bottle as old as the later had their been a choice in the matter. but i have excellent taste memory and there was "stale" bitter taste to the second pliny which was no bueno ( still good but not as amazing as the first one).

 

You need to do it double blind. Not knowing what is on the table. Look in to the procedures.

 

Sucks got my vote as well. Just my preference.

 

They're both great beers but with freshness being equal, I'll take Sucks over PTE.

 

I think Sucks is hands down better. I live in Northern CA and think that there are so many beers better than Pliny. Sucks is more evolved IPA than Pliny, much more floral.

I think the best IPA out there is Hop Shortage by Knee Deep.

 

You're first post ever talking about evolution...then you go on to say the best IIPA out there is Hop Shortage. Just had to contradict myself from above, didn't I?

 

A bit harsh...Just razzin' ya some. 100% disagree with both statements, that is all. Cheers!