Ok, it's just "Pliny The Elder", but it's not often that some poor guy like me gets one of the highest rated IPAs on the planet out in the midwest. (#7 on Beer advocate, and #3 Double IPA on ratebeer.com). I took my nerd-dom to a new level and did a beer exchange with a fellow beer nerd who happens to live in Portland, OR. He sent me a bevy of top notch stuff I can't get out here, including the aforementioned PtE, and I'm hoping to return the favor sometime soon. Needless to say, you cannot find this brew out in the midwest, but if you ever get a chance out west, go for it.
Either way, the arrival of the package, which had the beautiful bottle of Pliny sitting on top was borderline "big O" inducing. It was almost a beer-gasm before I even tasted the beer...which definitely would have been a first. Now, I don't go absolutely ape-shit over IPAs, in general, but I do like beers of all styles in the sense that I really enjoy drinking anything that is really well crafted. I figured this wasn't highly rated because it was some obnoxious kick to the head in hops, but because it was still an uber-hopped beer that was well balanced, and well put together. This was all true.
So, let's review, shall we:
As far as I know, this only comes in the 16.9 oz bottle, like the one I received (outside of a few chances to find it on tap in the NW USA). Pretty cool, simple label, brewed by the Russian River Brewing Company out of Santa Rosa California. Looks like this one comes in at 8% abv, which will no doubt help the drinkability, as some big IPAs can get to the 10% level or plus...and that's a bit much even for a big dog like this. The most interesting part about this beauty, however, is that all over the bottle are statements pleading with you to drink the beer fresh, don't age it, and keep it cold. A lot of beer guys, like myself, get their hands on the good stuff whenever they can, regardless of whether they'll drink it right away. We'll grab it, throw it in a dark, cool area, and figure since it's probably a high abv beer, that it will age. Not this guy, they emplore you to drink it ASAP: "Consume Pliny fresh or not at all." This one was bottled on 3/22/10, so I think I was alright.
Beer pours a pretty cool heavy golden-orange. It's murky (not sediment, just thick), and looks really chewy...in a good way. Decent finger or so of bright white head, and as with most good IPAs, some really nice lacing. I was drinking it out of my mini La Trappe chalice/snifter thing.
Smell is of course, initially citrus dominated...but not just grapefruit. There are also some oranges, maybe a beat of peach and apricot, and a little whiff of alcohol presence. I'm getting to the point where I don't think that's a bad thing, anymore as long as it's just a touch. If done right a nice twinge of boos brings it all together. It's still a touch cold, but there is a nice doughy malt in the nose, some biscuity goodness.
Taste is a big fruity, citrus smack, just like in the smell. The fruit comes and goes kind of quickly and lets a decent amount of that malt in there. The malt though, also finishes crisp and extremely clean. And maybe the most interesting part of the drink is the hop bitterness, which comes literally like 2-3 seconds after the drink. The sensation with the bitterness is really cool. None of the flavors are extremely top notch (although the fruitiness of the hops is really nice and crisp, never overwhelming or too coating on the tongue), but the real great thing about this taste is the way it is layered. There is a very distinct 3-4 taste sensations, which is, in my opinion, what often separates the really great brews from the rest of them.
End of the day, this is really a top notch beer. I'm not going to go nuts on my rating because IPAs simply aren't my favorite style. I am really enjoying them more and more each day, but I still don't crave them like a top notch quad, or even an impy-stout. But, regardless of what you like, you have to absolutely appreciate that elite craftsmanship of this brew. The flavors are layered, balanced, and never overpowering.
Verdict: 8.5/10
Cheers, bitchez.
You are a poet indeed. Tasty.
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