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Pliny the Elder is one of the most coveted Double IPAs in the United States and perhaps the world, created by Vinnie Cilurzo in Santa Rosa, California, who set the parameters for one of today’s most popular IPA substyles.

It is a beer brewed with Amarillo, Centennial, CTZ and Simcoe hops, well balanced in malt, hops and alcohol, moderately bitter with a fresh floral, citrus and pine hop aroma.

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Pliny the Elder Recipe (Clone)

Pliny the Elder was created in 2000 as a special brew for the beer festival organized by Vic Kralj, owner of the Bistro in Hayward, California, in which only 10 breweries took part.

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Specifications

Yield: 22.7 liters
Original Gravity: 1.072
Final Gravity: 1.011
ABV: 8.2%
IBU: 90
SRM: 7
Boil: 90 minutes
Efficiency: 75%
Total time: about 3 weeks (3 hours 30 minutes of brewing, 1 week of fermentation, 1 week of dry hopping and 1 week of carbonation)

Ingredients

6.01 kg (13.25 lb) two-row Pale malt
272 g (0.6 lb) Crystal 45°L malt
272 g (0.6 lb) Carapils malt
340 g (0.75 lb) dextrose
99 g (3.5 oz) Columbus hops, 13.9% a.a. (90 minutes)
21 g (0.75 oz) Columbus hops, 13.9% a.a. (45 minutes)
28 g (1.0 oz) Simcoe hops, 12.3% a.a. (30 minutes)
28 g (1.0 oz) Centennial hops, 8% a.a. (0 minutes)
71 g (2.5 oz) Simcoe hops, 12.3% a.a. (0 minutes)
28 g (1.0 oz) Columbus hops, 13.9% a.a. (dry hop, days 12 to 14)
28 g (1.0 oz) Centennial hops, 9.1% a.a. (dry hop, days 12 to 14)
28 g (1.0 oz) Simcoe hops, 12.3% a.a. (dry hop, days 12 to 14)
7 g (0.25 oz) Columbus hops, 13.9% a.a. (dry hop, last 5 days)
7 g (0.25 oz) Centennial hops, 9.1% a.a. (dry hop, last 5 days)
7 g (0.25 oz) Simcoe hops, 12.3% a.a. (dry hop, last 5 days)
1 pack of White Labs WLP001 Ale or Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast

Water Profile

To recreate a Pliny the Elder, the water profile is key to highlighting the distinctive hop character and ensuring a clean base that complements the balance of bitterness, maltiness and freshness.

This profile favors sulfates to intensify the pleasant, dry bitterness typical of a Double IPA.

Calcium (Ca): 50–150 ppm
Magnesium (Mg): 5–15 ppm
Sodium (Na): <50 ppm
Sulfates (SO₄²⁻): 200–300 ppm
Chlorides (Cl⁻): 50–75 ppm
Bicarbonates (HCO₃⁻): <50 ppm

Instructions

Start by heating the mash water and adjusting the pH to between 5.2 and 5.4. Add the malted grains at 66–67°C (151–152°F) and hold for 60 minutes. Perform a mash-out by raising the temperature to 77°C (170°F). Sparge the grains until you collect about 30 liters (8 gallons) of wort.
Bring the wort to a boil and add the dextrose. Continue with the hop additions according to the recipe. With 90 minutes remaining, add 99 g of Columbus. With 45 minutes remaining, add 21 g of Columbus. With 30 minutes remaining, add 28 g of Simcoe. At the end of the boil (0 minutes), add 28 g of Centennial and 71 g of Simcoe.
Cool the wort quickly to 19°C (67°F) using an immersion or counterflow chiller. Transfer the cooled wort to the fermenter and aerate it properly. Pitch the yeast and ferment at 19°C (67°F) until fermentation activity stabilizes. This stage ensures complete attenuation and a clean profile.
Transfer the beer to a secondary vessel to clarify and add the first dry hop charge (28 g of Columbus, 28 g of Centennial and 28 g of Simcoe). Leave it in contact with the beer for 7 to 9 days. Add the second dry hop charge (7 g of Columbus, 7 g of Centennial and 7 g of Simcoe) during the last 5 days to intensify the hop aromas.
Clarify the beer, measure the final gravity (about 1.011) and bottle or keg it, taking care to avoid oxidation. Let it carbonate for another 1 to 2 weeks before serving.

Final Tips

Following a recipe like this lets you replicate one of the most influential beers in the world while also gaining a deep understanding of how the elements that define a great IPA interact.

With practice, patience and respect for the process, you can go beyond imitating Pliny and create your own versions that carry your signature as a brewer.