Beer Review: Russian River Pliny the Elder

Ok, so here we are. Pliny the Elder. I was going to save this one in order to drink it with a couple of buddies(Sorry Riki and Kenny)but with this Hurricane Gustave and me about to evacuate I figured what the hell. A friend of mine through work, Devon, brought me back this delicious elixer from his trip to Napa which he took with his wine class at University of New Orleans. Awesome choice Devon! Thanks!

So, why the name Pliny the Elder? Who the hell would name their kid Pliny? Who the hell is Pliny the Elder? Well, I looked him up and it gets real wordy and historical and boring so I went to the brewery website and they were kind enough to give us the Cliff Notes version. It reads as follows:

Pliny the Elder was a Roman naturalist, scholar, historian, traveler, officer, and writer. Although not considered his most important work, Pliny and his contemporaries created the botanical name for hops, "Lupus salictarius", meaning wolf among scrubs." Hops at that time grew wild among willows, much like a wolf in the forest. Later the current botanical name, Humulus lupulus, was adopted. Pliny died in 79 AD while observing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He was immortalized by his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who continued his uncle's legacy by documenting much of what he observed during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Thanks professor that was awesome. Now, on to the beer!



Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company

Beer: Pliny the Elder

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

ABV: 8.00%

Recommended Glassware: Snifter, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass

Serving Type: Chalice

Appearance- Nice golden copper color with a descent size white, fluffy head. Lacing was present and stayed throughout the life of the beer.

Smell- Pine. Straight up pine trees. Also has notes of citrus(oranges and grapefruit) and a pleasing maltiness.

Taste- Imagine running through a forest, let's say your being chased by a monster or something(I know, just follow me here ok), and all of a sudden BAM you run right into a bushel of pine tree branches and it all gets into your mouth. Got it? Ok it tastes like that. A pine tree Mike Tyson punch to your mouth. Once you get past the pine tree extravaganza you get a nice hint of citrus and herbs.

Mouthfeel- A little lacking here. It was a bit thin and watery. The carbonation is medium which is nice.

Overall- OK I'm not a big IPA fan but I did my best to judge this beer properly. I had hoped for more balance between hops and malts but as far as DIPAs go I would say this is one of the best I've ever had. At 8% it makes for a very drinkable(sessionable) beer and I'm extremely excited to have been able to try it. Big thanks go out to my boy Devon who brought this back from his trip to Napa.

Score: 4.5 out of 5 Buddhas

Let's Not Forget: Third Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Come on, did you expect anything different from The Beerbuddha?

Beer Review: Jolly Pumpkin Oro De Calabaza

On a nice, cool rainy day such as today I felt like having something big and different. After perusing the beer fridge for a minute I decided on my Jolly Pumpkin Oro De Calabaza. Jolly Pumpkin makes some damn fine beers. Hailing from Dexter, Michigan, Jolly Pumpkin, is notorious for their use of Brettanomyces, which is a yeast that produces a complex flavor profile.

Since I don't live in San Francisco thus missing out on Rob DeNunzio's Brett-tastic food and beer pairing aptly titled The New American Mavericks, I decided to have a little Brett party of my own. Yeah, I know, not much of a party with one beer and one person but hey, I'm a fun dude to hang out with so I enjoy hanging out with myself. That and I didn't think my non drinking wife would enjoy the party after the face of disgust she gave me after trying the beer. Plus, I have to be sober for my fantasy draft I'll be doing tonite with the boys!

Well, I can say I loved the beer and can't wait to get my hands on some more. What I'd really like to see is more similar beers enter the Louisiana market and perhaps do a beer and food tasting on the same scale as Rob's tasting. From the pictures it seemed laid back and enjoyable. Oh well, we shall see! In the meantime, on to the review!

Brewery: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Beer: Oro De Calabaza

Style: Biere de Garde

ABV: 8.00%

Recommended Glassware: Tulip or Over sized Wine Glass

Serving Type: Tulip Glass

Appearance- This beer poured a hazy orange with a nice egg shell colored head which dissipated to a small ring which stuck around for the ride. Lacing was present throughout.

Smell- Wonderful barnyard funkiness with sour green apples, grapes and spicy pepper.

Taste- A nice bready maltiness with sour apples and grapes similar to the smell. It also has a nice spicy pepper note in the front as well. The sour and tartness show up in the finish which is nice.

Mouthfeel- Crisp and clean medium body with high carbonation.

Overall- An absolutely fantastic beer. The two beers I have had from Jolly Pumpkin(this one and the La Roja)have all been excellent beers. This one in my opinion is the perfect substitution for those white wine lovers. This beer is a must try!

Score: 4.5 out of 5 Buddhas