I’m pretty sure I saw it a couple of times when I was in LA last month. The label is hard to miss.
The link I posted above has a list of SocCal places that carry Russian River.
Valley Beverage Company in Sherman Oaks often has Pliny. It’s very good, but I agree it’s bested by a number of IPAs/DIPAs that have come out in recent years, including some local offerings by Monkish, Highland Park Brewery, and Brouweirj West.
I used to love Alpine Duet when I could find it, which was rarely. Sadly, they got purchased by Green Flash three years ago, ramped production way up, and really diminished the quality.
The blond stout is Naughty Sauce and is awesome. The Cinammon Roast Crunch version and Bean Bump (double coffee) are also great.
As a tangent, Firkfest at Anaheim Farmers Park is one of, if not the best beer fest I have been to. All cask beer, mostly 1 off odd variants and while there are lines it is not oversold so there is plenty of elbow room. Coming March 24th. Shockingly low a hole factor for an unlimited sample festival.
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You mentioned that Pliney is brewed year around. I associate Pliney being showing up in February/March around LA. Coolest months to ship?
Pliny the Younger is released on the first Friday of February and sells out quickly. That might spike demand for the Elder.
With refrigerated trucks the weather is not an issue.
If you’re at the Bristol Farms in Westchester and need an IPA fix, get thee down the street to El Segundo Brewing Company on Main Street in El Segundo. One of my favorite local breweries and very IPA-centric. As much as I love Pliny, you’ll get far fresher beer there than anywhere else (Three Weavers, near Randy’s Donuts just borth of Manchester, is also a terrific local brewery). I’d have killed for either of those breweries to have been open when I lived in Playa del Rey, back in the day when just the rumor of getting Racer 5 on draft would send me driving up to the Valley!
You can also get Pliny every once in awhile at Beverage Warehouse in Mar Vista, which has one of the best beer and liquor selections in all of Los Angeles.
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Yay a beer thread. While still an outstanding beer I’d suggest trying our local offerings that have matched and surpassed the Pliny (i’ve been drinking it for a looong time and used to chase all the Younger barrel releases etc). Elder is still dope but I prefer the hoppy things things from Monkish and Highland Park
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Thanks. The problem with ES Brewery is LAX and the tons of traffic I’d have to circumvent/wade through. But I do enjoy their beers too. Same with Three Weavers.
Beverage Warehouse has a great selections. The problem is they don’t cold store their beers. IPAs IMHO are pretty fragile and should be kept cold. When I asked for Pliney (knowing they had it), they gave me the four bottles I was allotted. The bottles were room temperature. I’ve had cold stored Pliney a 4-6 weeks out and could notice the decline. A Pliney stored otherwise would be questionable for me.
Is Pliny no longer a hot commodity? Seems pretty easily found at Whole Foods.
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Combo of things I suspect - it’s old, the style is less in favor (even within the still-popular IPA category), and Russian River greatly expanded production. Still a great beer, just not as rare
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Agreed, but nothing “hits” better than a cold Pliny.
I’m happy they are doing well and I can easily find them at Whole Foods. Win win.
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WCIPAs are still very popular even with the surge of NEIPAs.
Pliny is a big Amarillo, Simcoe, Centennial-driven 8% DIPA. It’s piney, earthy, balanced, and frankly maltier and bigger bodied than most new west coast IPAs. It tastes like the best IPAs of (literally) 20 years ago, and not so much like the brighter, zippier IPAs of today, even in the WCDIPA category.
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I’m glad it’s more common now.
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But there are now so many variations on WCDIPA easily available that even Pliny’s profile isn’t so unique or rare. None tastes exactly like Pliny but if you look at Heady Topper, Double Sunshine, Second Fiddle or Citra they all play. in the same league.
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What’s the play these days? Anything I can reasonably find at a Whole Foods or equivalent?
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NEIPA - many to be found at WF
These are all great beers too. Just to point out they’re all also rather old in beer years, have been around for a decade+ on the low end.
@Ns1 hot, available, local-ish right now (this is also my tinder bio) I’d probably look to Highland Park Brewery, There Does Not Exist, Riip, and (as ever) Beachwood, all of which should be fairly regularly found at Whole Foods or decent bottle shops. You can occasionally catch the very excellent Casa Agria, Green Cheek, Humble Sea, or Cellarmaker on tap. Everywhere and Radiant are good but probably a tier down.
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I picked up 4 Pliny For President at Bristol Farms. Just lying in the fridge. Very nice. The TDH version of Pliny. The Whole Foods and Bristol near me carry Pliny basically all year long now. I suspect as others have mentioned this is due in large part to the expansion of the Windsor facility.
Other good WCIPA you can find in supermarkets and bottle shops
Radiant (Anaheim)
El Segundo
Pure Brewing (San Diego)
For WCIPA I would check can dates and try to stick with newer releases.
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Agreed with you but where can you find the rest of those unless you’re by Vermont or trade for them like the good ol’ days 