Pliny the ...

[ryang]

Younger that is.

On tap @ Falling Rock taphouse, Denver, 2/12/2012 (ternary day!)

Quite a scene in the bar.  Doors open at 11am, tapping at 1pm.  Get there early to get a ticket.
When I got there around 12:30, my wife and I got 2 of the last 8 blue tickets.  Blue tickets guaranteed a glass, red ticket most likely.

To kill the 30min wait, I get a 2008 Bigfoot on draft in a snifter (still from Barleywine month).  Wow.
Super rich malts.  Some grassiness and indications of hop, but very subdued.  Malt rocks my nose.  Creamy tan head trims down to a fine lace coating the top of this copper beauty.  Bitterness has faded considerably, but provides enough contrast to the sweet malt to procure near perfect balance.
I'm glad I started collecting in 2010... a good sign of greatness to come.

12:55pm:  Manager gets on top of bar and starts talking over the speakers... "The time has come!"  It's an orderly environment.
People start lining up with tickets in hand.  We had met up with friends at a table, so the waitress brings ours to our table.
We sit there, looking at all these beers.  I can smell it just sitting there.  We are all nervous.  This is a beer consistently ranked one of the top in the world afterall...  Hops.  Hops.  Lots of freaking hops.  Smells of citrus oil, pine forest, fresh hay.  Clearer than I had envisioned. 
A hearty "Cheers" from all at the table.
First sip is crisp, clean, BIG hop.  No perceivable alcohol.  Impressive at 10%.  Hop lingers.  Flavor very similar to aroma... pine, citrus, hay, hint of malt.  Dry finish.  Very dry finish -- quite nice for the hops to rain dance in your mouth.  Bitterness lingers but is not harsh.  Very smooth.  Stays on the tongue a long time. 
I think I can drink the rest of the glass..

I'm glad I had the opportunity to try this exclusive, elite beer.  Was it everything that it's hyped up to be?  No.  Was it a fantastic beer?  Yes.  Anything to improve upon?  I think I would like a bit firmer bitterness.  It was pretty soft.

Overall, a great experience and we (my wife and I) ended up drinking 3 glasses.  They sold out eventually, but it was pouring for quite a while.

Satisfied.

[euge]

Lucky. No I'm not jealous at all.

[Pinski]

Doesn't look like I'll be finding any of the Younger this year either Oh well, I still have lot's of my Pliny the Imposter in the keg and a few bottles for good measure to drown my sorrow.

[oly]

Doesn't look like I'll be finding any of the Younger this year either Oh well, I still have lot's of my Pliny the Imposter in the keg and a few bottles for good measure to drown my sorrow.

Pinski, don't despair. You can still get your Younger... Saraveza will have it at the weekend:
Sun, Feb. 19th - Mon, Feb. 20th: Yes, it’s that time of year again, folks.  Pliny the Younger is back, and we’ll be selling tickets in Saraveza’s Bad Habit Room till they’re gone, this Sunday at 2 pm sharp. Tickets are good for one 8 oz. pour anytime between 5 and 10pm the following day (Monday), and are limited to one per customer.  Come Monday, no lines, no rush; if you have your ticket, you’re guaranteed your pour.
I had my fill (2 8oz tasters   at my local bottleshop yesterday. A nice experience. Check out Saraveza, I had it there last year. If you get a ticket you'll be good to go.
You might check Belmont station as well, I think their younger tasting is upcoming.

[Pinski]

Thanks Oly! I got an email from Belmont St., they're selling tickets for a tasting next weekend too.  Picked up one for Sunday and a pair for Monday after work with my sweetie. 

[morticaixavier]

Well, I MAY have tried the younger finally. The local bottle shop had

"This is not the IPA you are looking for" from "That one Brewery"

20 ounce pints for 6.50. worth it. a very nice big hoppy beer. you could tell it was strong but not immediately. The balance between sweet alcohol and bitter hops was just about perfect. nice citrus aroma. yummy

[euge]

Was it unique?

[tschmidlin]

Well, I MAY have tried the younger finally. The local bottle shop had

"This is not the IPA you are looking for" from "That one Brewery"

20 ounce pints for 6.50. worth it. a very nice big hoppy beer. you could tell it was strong but not immediately. The balance between sweet alcohol and bitter hops was just about perfect. nice citrus aroma. yummy

A 20 oz pint of younger for $6.50?  Either you got a real deal or it was not PTY, and at ~11% it should knock you on your butt.

[Pinski]

Well, I MAY have tried the younger finally. The local bottle shop had

"This is not the IPA you are looking for" from "That one Brewery"

20 ounce pints for 6.50. worth it. a very nice big hoppy beer. you could tell it was strong but not immediately. The balance between sweet alcohol and bitter hops was just about perfect. nice citrus aroma. yummy

A 20 oz pint of younger for $6.50?  Either you got a real deal or it was not PTY, and at ~11% it should knock you on your butt.

I was going to make the same comment regarding a deal. I paid $12 for a ticket to a Pliny tasting. The ticket entitles the holder to one glass of the Younger and one of the Elder.  Not a screamin' deal but I finally get to try the fabled Younger and half the fee goes to a charity fundraiser so I'm OK with the hype helping out a good cause. 

[tschmidlin]

I was going to make the same comment regarding a deal. I paid $12 for a ticket to a Pliny tasting. The ticket entitles the holder to one glass of the Younger and one of the Elder.  Not a screamin' deal but I finally get to try the fabled Younger and half the fee goes to a charity fundraiser so I'm OK with the hype helping out a good cause. 

That seems more like it, I think it goes for about $6 for 10 oz around here, but I haven't had it in a couple of years.

[skyler]

Well, I MAY have tried the younger finally. The local bottle shop had

"This is not the IPA you are looking for" from "That one Brewery"

20 ounce pints for 6.50. worth it. a very nice big hoppy beer. you could tell it was strong but not immediately. The balance between sweet alcohol and bitter hops was just about perfect. nice citrus aroma. yummy

According to a few who were there, Taylor was having a little fun with everyone and that was actually a DIPA from Berryessa.

[morticaixavier]

Well, I MAY have tried the younger finally. The local bottle shop had

"This is not the IPA you are looking for" from "That one Brewery"

20 ounce pints for 6.50. worth it. a very nice big hoppy beer. you could tell it was strong but not immediately. The balance between sweet alcohol and bitter hops was just about perfect. nice citrus aroma. yummy

According to a few who were there, Taylor was having a little fun with everyone and that was actually a DIPA from Berryessa.

entirely possible. The staff was obviously in on some kind of joke. regardless, it was delicious and strong. I'de beleive 11% i'd also beleive 9% not less than that though. I was fairly toasty after my one pint.

[Pinski]

entirely possible. The staff was obviously in on some kind of joke. regardless, it was delicious and strong. I'de beleive 11% i'd also beleive 9% not less than that though. I was fairly toasty after my one pint.

I love when that happens! My girlfriend gets a bit lippy and giggly after just one glass of my Pliny the Imposter. 

[ryang]

$8 for 10oz glass when I had it.

[Pinski]

Was it unique?

I finally had a chance to have a couple tastings of Pliny the Younger last weekend.  It was really good. OK, really, really good.  To Euge's question, "Was it Unique?" I would say it is as unique as a son is to a father, which in this case seems entirely appropriate. My impression of the Younger compared to much more exposure to the Elder is that the two brews are very similar as you would expect. My expectation was to find the Younger bigger all around, however as I compared the two side to side I found the Younger to have bolder, fresher, better hop aroma and flavor and the Elder to have a more pleasing ovarall depth of complexity.  What is striking to me about the Younger and consistent with the roots of the Elder is the fantastic balance achieved in both of these beers.  Younger weighs in at 11% and the Elder at 8%. These are BIG beers.  They are both so well and similarly balanced however, that I don't get a sense of "Wow, that's strong!" when drinking either.  In fact, during the first tasting I asked the tender to verify which was which again, somewhat shamefully. I went home last night and had SN Bigfoot Barleywine that came in at 9.6% and got a much bigger alcohol impression.  My thoughts are that while the Younger is a great beer the apple didn't fall far from the tree in my opinion.  I don't see myself going to great lengths to acquire more of the Younger unless the opportunity presents itself when the Elder comes around often enough to provide a nice treat. I'd be curious to hear what other folks think of the Younger.  My girlfriend said she prefers our Pliny the Imposter, and my Grandma thinks I'm handsome too.

Cheers!