Russian River Pliny the Elder

Named for the first century Roman scholar who is thought to have been the first to mention hops in writing, this beer is loaded with Lupus Salictarius (botanical name for hops). While some breweries are secretive about their recipes, Russian River proudly proclaims that its hop bill contains a collection of the potent Amarillo, Centennial, CTZ and Simcoe hops. The aroma features a bouquet of grapefruit, floral, citrus and pine, and the flavor is full-on pure hops, which lingers on your tongue for a persistent aftertaste. With an IBU (international bittering units) of 100, the limit of what the human palate can taste, it’s not harsh or overly bitter, a testament to the well-balanced malt. The bottling date is printed on the bottle, as this beer is meant to be enjoyed when it is freshest. Made in a limited supply, it has developed a bit of a cult following, and finding it outside of California can be tricky.