As noted in the sign up post, I decided to highlight beers I have liked. I know this sounds very surface but a lot of my personal life/hobbies revolve around it. We are homebrewers and I have – as of today – 4,582 unique check-ins on the app, Untappd. I keep track of all beers and rate them there. So, without further ado – P!

Ah the Plinys; the flagship IPA. Russian River in California is credited to this day as the first Imperial IPA, classified as:

An intensely hoppy, very strong pale ale without the big maltiness and/or deeper malt flavors of an American barleywine. Strongly hopped, but clean, lacking harshness, and a tribute to historical IPAs. Drinkability is an important characteristic; this should not be a heavy, sipping beer. It should also not have much residual sweetness or a heavy character grain profile.

You’d know it as the antithesis to a hazy, a west coast IPA. When I was in my IPA phase a few years ago, I longed to get my hands on a Pliny. They only distribute to California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Maine. Ugh! Luckily, I was able to taste Elder at a fest in their VIP area a few years back and then when we went to Denver in 2024, we found some. There are some variations like Pliny the Younger and a special Pliny for President, which my father got his hands on and gifted us.

As an IPA goes, it fits the bill. I don’t hate it but I don’t crave that dank hoppy flavor like I once did. The advantage to these high ABV beers, however, is that you don’t need many to reach your desired goal! Three of these bad boys and you might be down for the count – taking a nap!