Pliny the Elder

I like to start this post with the moral of the story... Perseverance always pays off. If you want "it," work your ass off to get "it," and you will.* Of course, that could just be the Pliny talking ;-)
 
So what do I think of PtE? I think it is an amazing beer! Even if you're not big on the hops (keeping in mind Pliny is a double IPA), it is so well balanced with all the other components that a lot of my hop hating friends even enjoyed it! Only when I tried PtE next to other DIPAs did I notice how good it really was. If you get your hands on PtE, make sure to get at least one other DIPA or IPA to try next to it, and for Darwin's sake SHARE!!! To borrow a pothead term, don't be a "Bogart" with Pliny.

As I've mentioned, I'm nowhere near an expert on beer tasting. The most complex adjectives I use for beer are hoppy, sour, bitter, malty, smooth, chocolaty and (my favorite) tastes like figs. In some ways I don't even feel worthy to talk about Pliny. A lot of people have put way more work into getting it than I have (tenth paragraph).

To stay true to the above about not being a Bogart, I don't want to hold out on everyone. I was able to get my hands on four bottles of Pliny and a nice Snifters worth on tap too! I got two of the bottles from Liquor Mart (I know, big surprise), but I also got two bottles from...Bottles (great place). The bigger surprise was that Backcountry Tap House gets it in (on tap) almost monthly. I've heard of other places that get it in also, but not as frequently. Backcountry has almost as many beers as it has had owners (Nederland joke). Definitely check out Backcountry if you haven't had the chance yet.

I have a feeling if this blog ever gets big a bunch of Boulder Pliny Freaks (BPFs, for I'm sure they will come up again) will be mad at me for making this information so available...Silly Bogarts. When I first bought PtE a guy came into Liquor Mart wearing a Pliny the Elder T-Shirt! My first thought was, "I want one," which was immediately followed by, "This guy is hard core!!!!" Now I have an idea of how girls feel when guys stare at their rack. The dude didn't take his eyes off my Pliny! I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little afraid for my life. Keep a tight grip on your Pliny.
 One of the employees at Bottles told me they hide in back so the dirty bums can't get their hands on it. When I was checking out he laughed at me for showing him my I.D. and said, "Dude, you're buying Pliny." In case you don't know I look like I'm GH induced twelve year old at most. He still checked my I.D. if you're wondering. 
      
Upon the conclusion of writing this post I'm concerned I started with too much of a bang. It can only go down hill after Pliny right? My hope is my writing–specifically my writing about beer–will improve, and I can entice you not with the beer I discuss, but my sweet skills at discussing them. Maybe in a year I will return to write about Pliny again, assuming I'm not diagnosed with celiac disease in that time. And maybe in a year, I'll have sweet beer writing skills! 

I wish all those that choose to look for Pliny luck and an easier time than I had. Words of advice: don't call West End Tavern for help (Stone anyone?), don't be scared to ask employees, impress employees with your sweet beer knowledge, support the business so they don't think your a worthless BPF and most of all don't drink it alone unless you have to!

We Colorado citizens live in a wonderful place for beer! Don't get hung up on one kind. Pliny is great, but there is plenty of other beers in the State (and the World. Probably not the sea though). Enjoy!

Until next time.
Silas
(Grammar is a monster I try not to pay too much attention to. If you notice a mistake, correct it in your brain and move on.)

 *I know there are a whole lot bigger dreams than trying to find a hard-to-get beer, so don't take offense to what I said above. I know the world isn't a fare place and not all people will always achieve their goals, no matter how much perseverance they have. Maybe I should have said, perseverance always pays off with small dreams, and a lot of times with big dreams. To quote the cover of Tommy Boy, "If first you don't succeed, lower your standards." Darwin I love that movie!

The search for Pliny... or: Grrrrrrrrr...

 Pliny the Elder, 

I really wanted my first post to be about drinking this beer. Instead it will be about how much I want to drink this beer. I've met few peoples who've had the good fortune of drinking Pliny, the Double IPA from Russian River. Besides the select few (one of which went to California just to get Pliny from the Russian River Brewery), I know of it only by legend, and because of lucky ducks from California who've posted their love of the brew here.

My search for this beer started long ago, but it only got serious in the past couple weeks. I've heard tell that West End Tavern occasionally gets it on tap so I started there...

Silas [to West End]: Hi, I saw on your website you might get Pliny the Elder on tap soon.

West End: Let me get the bartender.

Bartender: Hello?

Silas: Hi, your website says your gonna have Pliny the Elder in soon.

Bartender: I don't know where you saw that. We have Stone on all of our taps right now

Silas: I know, I saw that on you're website. I love Stone beer, but it says your gonna have Pliny after that.

Bartender: ...We have Stone on tap right now. 

Silas: So you don't know if or when you will have Pliny in? 

Bartender: Come in sometime, we have Stone on tap. 

Silas (cheerfully): Thanks, I will. 

I hope this isn't where I'm headed if I keep loving beer. By the way, did you hear West End has Stone on tap right now? The list does look pretty sweet, but it would be nice if she just said, "no Pliny," or, "go away."

So next I emailed Russian River. The owner and head brewer, Vinnie Cilurzo got back to me!

Apparently Pliny gets shipped once a month to certain vendors, but I would have to ask the distribution Co. to learn exactly when it would be available. So I did. 

I will have you know the distributor did get back to me, but you're a sucker if you think I'm gonna tell you anything more. It was hard work getting this far and I'm not taking any chances! Besides, what if the beer isn't all that it's cracked up to be and you waste all that time trying to get some? Wouldn't it be better to make me go through all the trouble to make sure it's good first? It's only a month after I try it that you could then have some. Heck, if that's isn't what this blog is for then...well...I don't even know what else it would be for.

My guess is it will be a while before I get to try Pliny the Elder (let alone Pliny the Younger...oh yeah there's another Pliny alright), so stay tuned for me to talk about less elusive–but probably not as tasty–beer. Perhaps an Avery? 

-Silas

"Lets drink beer in the spirit of friendship and culture, not escape and release."

-Some hipster guy (but not the Pabst drinking kind of hipster. They should be called Pabsters from now on).

So It Begins

Welcome to my beer blog!!!!!
I made this blog to share with the world all of my beer expertise, for I am the true expert of the beverage. Think of me as your beer messiah: the apostle of ale, the leader of lagers, the prophet of porters, the steward of stouts, the master of... messing with your noggin? In truth, I like to drink delicious beer and I thought it would be fun to talk about it with those who want to listen and share.

If you're looking for someone to tell you about the deep citrus aroma and the pine under tones of a snazz Trappist Tripel, you've come to the wrong blog. Don't get me wrong, I love me $15 bomber of oak barrel aged imperial stout, or a Double India Pale Ale that contains twenty five varieties of hops from all over the world, I'm just not the type to make you feel silly for not tasting the cinnamon in it (if you can taste cinnamon in a liquid that contains four ingredients–of which non are cinnamon–I'm happy for you, really I am).   

I don't know the first thing about proper beer tasting etiquette, but I do know a lot of people that need to move on from Pabst Blue Ribbon as their guilty pleasure. There are too many beers to try in a life time, so why limit yourself to one even if you really really like it?

I write this blog because very few other things in this world have had so much history, time, effort, money and mastery put in to them to result in something so easy to share and enjoy by so many. My goal is not inebriation or to advocate anything like it. As I write this I am carefully considering the fine line between alcohol connoisseur and con-in-a-sewer. We should embrace the enjoyment we receive in the most moderate fashion. Lets drink beer in the spirit of friendship and culture, not escape and release.

Feel free to share you're favorite tea on this blog too!!!! There is hardly a better feeling in the world than a nice hot cup of Oolong and a great piece of literature.

Thanks for reading!
Stay tuned!
-Silas