Pliny the Elder lover looking for a second relationship

I understand your plight. My East Coast friends insist that Heady is better, but I don't even like comparing the two. Pliny is a true, West Coast Style IIPA, very clean, very crisp, and needs to be enjoyed fresh for best taste. HT is thick, full of residue, and can age for many, many months in the can (it changes with age, but never goes "bad"). So I don't even put them in the same category.

Alpine Duet and Pure Hoppiness, Stone Enjoy By, Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf (when fresh), Toppling Goliath Zeelander, Societe Roustabout are all good substitutes. I hear that Noble Ale Works is putting out awesome IPA's, as well as Beachwood. Bling Pig is never a bad way to go, either.

Kern River Citra and Just Outstanding are great, too. Simtra is one of my favorite beers of all time (I know, not a IIPA and nothing like Pliny...)

 

I too have had 3 month old Heady (stored at room temperature, no less) and would agree with your statement, at least as far as IPAs are concerned. It's been awhile, I miss it. Unfortunately I haven't had the pleasure of trying the 3 you mention

 

I would suggest that you try to stick with the stuff local to you. There are indeed some DIPAs coming out of the Northeast that are similar, but they aren't going to taste the same after the travel.

Have you tried Bear Republic Cafe Racer 15? It has a little bit more malt backbone, but a lot of similar qualities.

How about Anderson Valley Heelch O' Hops.

Ballast Point Sculpin is another good option, maybe a bit milder but I find it to have a lot of the same fruity hop characteristic.

PS- I just got a one week old Heady Topper. It is delicious, but that beer is just way too over-hyped!

 

Is this really a thread about finding another good DIPA in California??? Embrace what you have been given in your amazing beer location and suck down all the amazing West Coast IPAs and DIPAs you can. Hanger 24 DIPA is very good IMO. I also had Karl Strauss Big Barrel recently and it tasted like a pineapple exploded in my mouth.

 

MoreBeer.com has a PtE clone kit (extract or all-grain). I've made the extract before and everyone thought it tasted almost exactly like PtE. I do full boil, so that helps with getting the hop flavors right, but I bet you'd still get great results with partial boil.

 

I tried Lagunitas Suck for the first time last night(We had a free tasting in town). I was extremely pleased with the flavor. That proved to me that Lagunitas knows how to make a great DIPA without overdoing it unlike a lot of American breweries.

 

Stone's Enjoy By is my Pliny.

 

After several samples of both, I prefer Blind Pig over Pliny.

 

Sculpin is very good, but isn't as "clean" as Pliny. The only thing I've had that comes close (and this is a VERY disputed opinion, mind you) is Figueroa Mountain's Lizard Mouth IIPA. Unfortunately, they're not bottling it yet if at all.

The good news is, from San Jose you're about a 4 hour drive from the Fig Mtn taproom in Buellton and if you go on a weekend, it's a short ride to Firestone Walker and the Barrelworks. Make the trip, you won't be disappointed (regardless if you think my comparison to Pliny is crazy).

 

Stick with California and drink Firestone Walker's Double Jack.

 

This is a great thread but I must ask, If you were already head over heels in love with your significant other - (Wife, Girlfriend, Boyfriend, Husband, Dog, Cat, Turtle or whatever) but wanted to find a second "relationship", would you really want someone who most closely resembled the significant other? Or... would you want something somewhat different?

 

Brew your own for a paradigm shift...sorry (Pliny still a great beer...no lightning, please)

Yes, I masturbate

 

societe in San Diego.... I believe they have mail order. it tastes identical to pliny because it is made by the same guy who helped make pliny at RR.

 

I say Sucks!!

 

STOUTS!! barrel-aged STOUTS..... try a Black Tuesday. Firestone Sucaba. Firestone DDBA. there's a world of good stuff out there!