Pliny the Elder is the beer most brewers point to when they explain why hop-forward IPAs took over American craft beer. Russian River Brewing Company brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo built the recipe around 2000 for a Double IPA festival at the Bistro in Hayward, California, and named it after the Roman naturalist who left one of the earliest written references to hop vines. Twenty-plus years later, it is still one of the most sought-after year-round beers in the country, and in August 2026 the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame named it to its second class of Landmark Craft Beers, alongside Allagash White, Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Pete’s Wicked Ale and Alaskan Smoked Porter.
At a Glance
| Style | Double IPA / Imperial IPA |
| ABV | 8.0% |
| IBU | 100 |
| Hops | Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra, Tangier, Nectaron, CTZ |
| Brewery | Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, California |
| Format | Bottles and draft, year round |
| Recognition | American Craft Beer Hall of Fame, 2026 Landmark Craft Beers class |
How It Tastes
Pliny pours a clear gold to light amber with a thick, creamy white head. The aroma leads with pine and citrus, mango, pineapple and grapefruit up front, with a dank, resinous edge underneath. On the palate, a light malt sweetness shows up early and quickly gives way to the hops: pineapple, pear, grapefruit, mango and tangerine layered over a bitter, lingering finish. It is a genuinely well-balanced beer for 100 IBU, restrained enough that the malt keeps the hop bill from turning harsh, which is a big part of why it became the reference point for the style rather than just another hop bomb.
Russian River is explicit that this beer is meant to be drunk fresh: bottling dates are printed on every bottle, and the brewery keeps production deliberately limited so it does not sit on shelves. That freshness-first approach is also why Pliny has a reputation for selling out fast wherever it lands.
“Pliny the Elder is a full-bodied, hop forward Double IPA. Keep refrigerated and consume fresh to best enjoy this beer’s intense hop character.”, Russian River Brewing Company
- Widely considered the beer that defined the modern Double IPA style
- Rated 100 on BeerAdvocate, ranked #3 all time in the Imperial IPA category with over 5,800 reviews
- Complex hop character (pine, citrus, tropical fruit) balanced by just enough malt to stay drinkable at 8% ABV
- Named to the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame’s 2026 Landmark Craft Beers class
- Deliberately brewed in limited batches, so it is genuinely hard to find in some markets
- Best enjoyed fresh, meaning an old bottle from the back of a fridge will taste noticeably flatter than one bought recently
- At 100 IBU it is not for drinkers who find West Coast-style bitterness overwhelming
FAQs
Why is it called Pliny the Elder?
Russian River brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo named it after the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, who is credited with an early written reference to hop vines in his writings.
What style of beer is Pliny the Elder?
It’s a Double IPA (Imperial IPA), one of the beers most credited with establishing that style in American craft brewing.
How strong is Pliny the Elder?
It’s 8.0% ABV with 100 IBU.
Has Pliny the Elder won any awards?
It’s rated 100 on BeerAdvocate and ranked #3 all time in the Imperial IPA category. In August 2026 it was named to the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame’s second class of Landmark Craft Beers.
Why is Pliny the Elder hard to find?
Russian River brews it in limited batches on purpose and wants it sold fresh, so supply doesn’t keep up with demand in a lot of markets.
Looking for something newer in the same lane? See our Partway (Track Brewing Company) review, a hazy, fruit-forward double IPA from Manchester.
