Hop heads rejoice! Pliny the Younger — the world’s most famous triple IPA — will return to Sonoma County March 20 through April 2, marking the 22nd annual brewery release of Russian River Brewing Co.’s sought-after beer.
In February, early birds eager to be among the first to taste this year’s brew flocked to select bars and restaurants for its limited draft distribution. But it’s the main release at the brewery’s Santa Rosa and Windsor taprooms that typically draws thousands, some who wait hours to purchase pints, Pliny merchandise and bottles to-go.
This year’s Younger
While Pliny the Younger’s base recipe remains fairly consistent, the hop bill can vary from year to year. Although the newest brew features the same hop varieties as last year — Simcoe, Amarillo, Tangier, Citra, Mosaic, Nectaron and Warrior — the proportions vary.
For Younger 2026, a whopping 9 pounds of hops were used to produce each barrel of beer, including 3 pounds in the brew kettle and 6 pounds during the triple dry-hop process.
The resulting beer exudes bright citrus aromas of orange and grapefruit, with notes of candied tangerine, stone fruit and resinous green pine that lead to a clean, bitter finish. At 10.25% ABV, the beer remains remarkably balanced and ultra-drinkable, a testament to head brewer Vinnie Cilurzo’s talents…