Chasing No. 1

So I'm on a road trip of the West. There are many reasons for it: Seeing friends, hiking, experiencing new places, mending from my failed marriage.

But another quest has developed out of the trip: Trying to drink as many of the top 100 beers in the world, according to Beer Advocate.

I bagged a big one last night: Pliny the Younger by Russian River Brewing Co. For the past week, Pliny the Younger has been in a battle for the top spot on Beer Advocate's list with an obscure Belgian beer. So, naturally, I had to taste it.

When I got to Seattle about a month ago, I began calling area distributors to see when they'd get it. Turns out the greater Seattle area only got 13 small kegs for all their customers. I tracked down a bar -- Naked City Brewery -- that was tapping Pliny the Younger on Fat Tuesday. I got up there an hour early and fought for a seat at the bar. They tapped the keg at 5 p.m. sharp and ran out of the beer at 5:06. Luckily, I got glass.

So how'd it taste? Like sucking on a hop cone. For someone who likes hoppy beers a whole lot, that was pretty sweet. Pliny the Younger is a triple India Pale Ale and it's a descendant of the double IPA Pliny the Elder. The Elder has a nice hop bite, but is highly drinkable. The Younger is a whole different animal -- every taste is heightened, exaggerated. It's very piny up front and very sweet on the back end -- almost like a very hoppy barley wine.

It was good, for sure. Having a successful hunt for it made it all the better.

Post script: A day later I went to another Seattle bar I heard was cool, Uber. I was the only person in there around 4 p.m. on a Wednesday, and I was talking with the bartender. I asked about Pliny the Younger. He said they'd be tapping theirs later, on the downlow. I ordered a Colorado beer I like -- Avery's The Beast, a very big beer -- and drank it. When I finished it, the bartender grabbed the glass and filled it up. He slid it to me and winked.

As I brought the glass to my mouth, a sharp pine aroma hit my nose. I smiled at the bartender. He'd tapped Pliny the Younger on the downlow for sure. He'd tapped it right in front of me and silently poured me one. It was even better the second time.

So I had the No. 1 beer in the world on back-to-back days. Not too shabby.


The details:
Name: Pliny the Younger
Brewer: Russian River Brewing Co.
Beer Advocate rank: 1
Style: Triple IPA
Alcohol: 11 percent
Cost: $5.50 for a 12-ounce glass
My Grade: A+
Skinny: It's considered the best for a reason. The piny aroma and the incredible hoppy bite makes the biggest first impression I can remember from a beer. The back end is incredibly rich, making this one ridiculously indulgent beer.