Pliny The Young:Ain't what it used to be...

[OldWorld]

I had this beer every year since the pub opened. I remember it being much more aromatic and smooth. There was a noticeable smoothness to it. Pliny The Younger was once smoother than Pliny The Elder.

I have noticed over the last two years that Pliny The Younger has a much more hot on the palette alcoholic presence. It's not as cloying as it used to be.

I honestly think it tastes more like malt liquor these days. Oddly enough people will wait hours in line for it.

I think the Drakes Denogginizer is a worthy competitor. For a bottled beer it retains a very nice hop presence and smoother malt backing than Pliny or Pliny the younger.

Fans of Russian River brewing seem to have a favorable bias and close minded pallet. Even Mr. Cilurzo himself finds it humorous that Pliny The Younger was once declared the best beer in the world.

 

[HopSong]

Well, I tell ya.. My closed minded pallet is heading down there after the SuperBowl. I have not experienced your complaints in the beer. I'm sure there are other good competitors.. but, beings RRB is just a few miles from my door.. I'll enjoy my closed mind a couple days out of the year. :rockin:

 

[ktblunden]

And yet, regardless of how much you complain about RR you continue to give them your money.

 

[aiptasia]

It ain't all that. To be honest, my first bottle of pliny was disappointing. You know when you build something up in your mind and buy into the hype, only to finally land some and then you realize it's not what you expected. You know what's good about pliny the elder? It has no faults. It's so balanced and reserved that it couldn't possibly offend anyone. It's excellent, but it ain't all that.

I'd rather drink something with more hops presence in it.

 

[HopSong]

Maybe it's too old.. I enjoy it out of the tap. Wish I could bring home a growler or PtY.. Yah, I love PtE and have it year round.. but, I don't buy it bottled.. just from the brewery. M M M MMMM.

 

[Xpertskir]

I had this beer every year since the pub opened. I remember it being much more aromatic and smooth. There was a noticeable smoothness to it. Pliny The Younger was once smoother than Pliny The Elder.

I have noticed over the last two years that Pliny The Younger has a much more hot on the palette alcoholic presence. It's not as cloying as it used to be.

I honestly think it tastes more like malt liquor these days. Oddly enough people will wait hours in line for it.

I think the Drakes Denogginizer is a worthy competitor. For a bottled beer it retains a very nice hop presence and smoother malt backing than Pliny or Pliny the younger.

Fans of Russian River brewing seem to have a favorable bias and close minded pallet. Even Mr. Cilurzo himself finds it humorous that Pliny The Younger was once declared the best beer in the world.

"Ive been drinking it since before you knew it was cool, and now it's not as good as it used to be"

Whatever you need to tell yourself to feel good about yourself.



I for one have not had the younger. I have had elder in a few different years and iterations and when fresh, its a very solid DIPA, likely top 10 and surely top 20 in my book.

Russian river makes some good and some great beers. The long and the short of it is that most beers with an extremely limited release are more for the beer geeks that like to pound their chest about exclusivity and their superiority for having tasted it(see most of the BA highest rated beers for proof). Rarely do those exclusive beers live up to the build up or price, and that's typically the fault of the drinker and their head.