More beers! The Port Brewing Shark Attack Double Red Ale in bottle from southern California was one of those beers that made me do a double, if not triple-, take. Delicious hops, delicious flavors, firm mouthfeel. Refreshing and delicious. Only had the remainders of a bottle that my housemate had left for me (on day two, no less), but this was delicious full-flavored beer. Yum! I've had it before, but the Dogfish Head Aprihop in bottle from Delaware is always appropriate as the weather warms. Brewed with apricots, the delicious essence (more so than the flavor) of the apricots comes through. Yummy! I've had the Lagunitas Maximus India Pale Ale from bottle before, but this was my first growler from the brewer in Petaluma. I brought it over to some friends who smelled the hops and stepped back in fear, but the delicious sweetness and complexity matches the hops quite well and it is not overhopped or overalcoholed as the smell and description might make one fear. All liked it. Surprisingly delicious and easy to drink. The Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils in can from Colorado, on the other hand, falls flat. Not worth much of a description, it is simply boring. Not flawed, but just reminds me of cornmeal. Come on! Pilsner can do better than that!
For a very different style of lager the Rogue Kells Irish-style Lager from bottle suggested crispness with nectarines and persimmon - a very different lager and one I'd gladly revisit along with the Coney Island Albino Python from bottle in New York which had a fruitiness and balance that I rarely find in a lager--both interesting lagers I'll gladly have again. The Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout in bottle from New York was brewed with Belgian chocolate and is one of those beers that actually achieves the deliciousness of how that sounds. Drinkable and not tiring, could drink a lot more of this. Alas the Stone 13th Anniversary Ale on tap was bizarre--pretty close to undrinkable in my book: inside of a sneaker, fermented rye bread, and the inside of an ashtray. I mean, I like bizarre flavors, but everyone has their limits. Barely able to down half a pint over an hour and a half. Blech!