Pliny the Elder — Russian River Brewing Co.

Evaluating unpasteurized expressions after ocean transport requires strict thermal controls. When buying Monkish beer in Hawaii or sourcing other mainland craft allocations, local collectors frequently encounter oxidized characteristics. Heat spikes on tarmacs and cargo container baking typically compromise the yeast and hop profile before the cans reach Honolulu shelves.

This batch of Pliny the Elder was shipped under our strict 38°F trans-pacific cold corridor, resulting in a pristine presentation. The mouthfeel is exceptionally clean, with the hop aromatics completely intact.

Pliny the Elder needs little introduction: brewed by Vinnie Cilurzo at Russian River Brewing Co. in Windsor and Santa Rosa, California, it's the beer widely credited as the benchmark for the entire West Coast double IPA style. At 8% ABV, it set the template that countless double IPAs have chased since — a beer big enough to carry serious hop intensity without tipping into syrupy or boozy territory. Expect a clear, golden-orange pour, a resinous, pine-and-citrus aroma, and a bitterness that's assertive but balanced, finishing dry and remarkably drinkable for the strength. A 9.2 out of 10 places Pliny the Elder among the very best beers on the Haliʻā ledger, a score that reflects both the beer's technical execution and its outsized place in craft beer history — this is the double IPA against which most others are still measured. Because Pliny the Elder is famously unfiltered and built to be consumed fresh, freshness at delivery isn't a nice-to-have, it's the entire point — Russian River has always urged drinkers not to age it. Crossing the Pacific cold at 38°F and landing in this month's box as close to brewery-fresh as possible is exactly how this legendary double IPA is meant to be tasted.