Beer drinkers, especially those on the West Coast, have probably seen, enjoyed, or at least heard of Pliny the Elder. Well, it turns out that it’s not even Russian River Brewing Company’s best IPA.
Pliny the Younger is a special release Triple IPA that brings beer drinkers out of the woodwork just to get a taste. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that it’s the WORLD’s FIRST Triple IPA. But that fun fact is relatively uninteresting compared to everything else.
Let’s take a look at Pliny the Younger.
Pliny the Younger: Flavor and Profile
One thing that makes Pliny the Younger so special is that it doesn’t drink like a IIIPA. Pliny the Younger is a quadruple dry-hopped IPA that comes in at 10.25% ABV, but you wouldn’t know it from a taste.
The Younger’s flavor profile is very hop-forward, but surprisingly juicy for a West Coast product. Simcoe, Amarillo, Tangier, Nectaoron, Citra, Mosaic, and Warrior hops all come together to create a symphony of stone fruit flavors with a hint of woodiness.
Despite the high ABV, Pliny the Younger is inoffensive in nearly every way; even my non-beer drinking wife thought it tasted “pretty good.” If you took a sip and had to guess the ABV, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this for a more traditional IPA level of around 6-7%.
Why is Pliny the Younger So Rare?
Pliny the Younger is the culmination of a stupid combination of hops, and it’s quite expensive to make. I also imagine it’s relatively time-consuming for an IPA brew. All of this combines for a beer that nobody can just make at any time.
So, Russian River brews this beer once a year and releases it over 2 weeks. Yes, you can only get Pliny the Younger on tap (or in bottles) at the brewery during a small annual window.
Some other locations will get Pliny the Younger before that 2-week period. But if your local taproom is getting a keg, don’t expect it to last more than a day.
Pliny the Younger: Other Fun Facts
Let’s just rattle off some fun facts about Pliny the Younger, just to give you an idea of how big this beer really is.
- World’s first Triple IPA
- Currently #15 beer in the world on Beer Advocate
- First bottled in 2021, but good luck finding any
- In 2020, the annual release brought $5.1 million in tourist impact to Sonoma County (Russian River’s home)
Where Can I Get Pliny the Younger?
Pliny the Younger will be available at Russian River Brewing in bottles and on tap from March 20th to April 2nd in 2026. However, Russian River also distributes kegs of Pliny the Younger, so there’s a decent chance your local West Coast taproom could be getting some (assuming they haven’t run out already).
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