[vorlaufthegreat]

Had this beautiful beer on tap tonight at the Cheeky Monk. Poured a deep golden orange with small white head. Lacing was great coating, the entire glass. The aroma was very piny and could be smelt from feet away. The taste was grapefruit and piny, with a very balancing malt backbone. As the beer warmed the earthy tones became much more noticeable. The high alcohol was nowhere to be found in this very complex beer. On a side note, Cheeky Monk did a terrible job of setting this event up. They had people standing in two different areas of the bar/restaurant to buy their tickets for Pliny that wasn't going to be sold for another half hour. Once they started selling the tickets they made the mistake of giving certain people.... "cough cough" me and three others I was with, two redeemable tickets for the beer. They only had a 5 gallon keg with 10 ounce pours and 8 of those drinks went to our table before they knew they weren't distributing it properly. Normally I would be the first person to correct such a mistake even if I was the one benefiting from it, but due to such poor organization on Cheeky Monk's part and the attitude of the hostess we had during the event I'd like to thank you for the free $40 worth of beer  I only post this little side note because I know that employees of Cheeky Monk will read this. Sorry for the rant fellow home brewers, needed to get that off my chest.       

[euge]

I'd love to taste a RR beer. Sadly not available locally. Hah! The Cheeky Monk crew will know who it was. Hilarious.

[vorlaufthegreat]

They definitely will know who it was and if they don't.... I was the first Pliny served  Euge R.R. has become one of my favorite brewery's. Any chance you can get to try out any of their products should be top on your list. Luckily here in Denver there are some stores that have Russian River products most of the time. Gonna drink a Pliny the Elder here in a few but I'm sure it will be left in the dust after my taste buds have been graced with the younger tonight. Btw Euge, I got a good Double Bastard photo for ya once my phone is charged.

[timberati]

RR is just over the hill from me (1hr 15min one-way) but I prefer Third Street Aleworks. There's no accounting for taste. Mind you, I've only had Pliny the Elder not the Younger, and I like Vinnie's attitude/ethic. I just like Third Street's pale ale better with a burger and RR doesn't serve burgers.

[hopfenundmalz]

RR is just over the hill from me (1hr 15min one-way) but I prefer Third Street Aleworks. There's no accounting for taste. Mind you, I've only had Pliny the Elder not the Younger, and I like Vinnie's attitude/ethic. I just like Third Street's pale ale better with a burger and RR doesn't serve burgers.

Vinnie said that in the kitchen, the kitchen staff has a sign "If you can't bake it, we don't make it".
The investment in the kitchen is much less that way. 

[weazletoe]

I tried it a while back. My assesment? Lightly carbonated, warm chewing tabacco spit. 3/4 the bottle went down the drain, and I demanded my distributor immediatly cease carrying it.

[tschmidlin]

I tried it a while back. My assesment? Lightly carbonated, warm chewing tabacco spit. 3/4 the bottle went down the drain, and I demanded my distributor immediatly cease carrying it.

The younger isn't bottled.  Are you talking about the elder?  It's delicious.

[weazletoe]

Well that was put in the wrong thread.......That was for the Three Philosophers thread.......Please forgive Mr. Pliny. 

[tschmidlin]

I'd say you're not far off on the Three Philosophers though.