I’m a more recent AHA member and I saw that Pliny the Elder was nominated best beer in America for Five Straight Years?!? I live in Oregon (and even close to Portland) but for some reason I can only find Pliny on tap at a pub 45 minutes from where I live. I can assume, but I wanted to ask if you all thought it was worth the drive.
Thanks for your time, Ladies & Gents.
just for that? nah. I live about 1.35 hours from Russian rivers pub and have yet to go. Have had Pliney and it’s good. but it’s just another IIPA. I’d even go so far as to say I have had better. Living near Portland I would guess you to could have better.
I’m always a little surprised at how much hype there is around RR’s hoppy beers. I can see the reason for the hype around the sours but the hoppy beers are… hoppy. Generally well balanced and very well made. Pliney does not drink like a 8%+ beer
I would. 45 minutes is nothing. People around here drive hours to The Alchemist (2 hours for me) to get a case of Heady Topper ( aka East Coast Pliny).
I drive 45 minutes for my homebrew club meetings, dinner, and halfway home out of Boston on a Friday rush hour (when I used to work there).
Mort…there’s only hype for the people who can’t get it ;)…that and those damned beer rating sites!
Mort - it was on tap in some of the Philly bars.
http://portland.taphunter.com/beer/Russian-River-Pliny-The-Elder
Are you aware of that site^^^
Pliny the Elder-my favorite description, “a license to print money”
IMO an excellent beer, but it’s the driving home that makes me vote no.
Get a few friends together and make a day of it. I’d hope that there are other things to do in that area worth the drive. Find something cool to do then use the excuse of “since I’m in town” and have a couple pints of Pliny!
I also would not drive from Bristol to Waterbury to get a heady topper. Maybe a case of it but not to go to a pub and have a glass. (disclaimer: I have not had a Heady Topper yet and if I find myself near the alchemist next trip back east I will try one.) I did drive right around 45 minutes to go to the Alchemist for dinner back when they were a pub. dinner (with fries and homemade ketchup) and a drink is worth the drive. Just a drink? not for me.
+1 to this
Yes, you must go on this great pilgrimage!
Based on the quality of the beer, it’s absolutely worth the drive. But I got a room nearby and didn’t have to worry about driving far. 45 minutes of driving after a few DIPAs is begging for trouble. Gotta say though, I had IPAs and DIPAs from a few other breweries in CA that I thought were very comparable in quality,ie., Alpine, Bear Republic, Ballast Point. All great breweries.
I feel that part of the idea behind Zymurgy’s Best Beer in America list is just this – to get folks excited about seeking out and trying well-acclaimed beers that they might not otherwise make the efforts to do so.
There are, naturally, limits to the amount of time and resources that one should devote to try and taste any one specific beer (especially when there is great, local brewed beer nearly everywhere these days)…but with that being said, I would encourage you to go out of the way to try a beer that so many others clearly enjoy, year after year…
Cheers!
Mike
Be sure to remember this guy. He wears #91. Brady’s gonna need a case of Heady Topper after partying with him.
What part of town are you in and where do you have to drive to find it?
If you’re close-in, it’s on tap pretty often at County Cork, and now and then at Saraveza.
(They’re just as likely to be pouring Blind Pig which is also worth it)
Seems like it turns up at the Green Dragon several times a year as well.