Mad Duck Brewing 'Pub Ale'. 5.2% abv. 41 IBU. Hazy honey color. Thin white head. Excellent retention, superb lace. Nose of herbal hops, light caramel malt, light fruit notes, toffee notes as the temp drops. Front taste of caramel, mild bitter earthy hops, grain. Aftertaste of light roasted malt, distant herbal hops, earthy bitter sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is carby, warm, dank.

This is an excellent ale, a simple beer that hits its marks well, though it may have been kegged a touch too early. The aroma features herbal hops up front, a contrast to its malt forward taste, but with notes of fresh grain rather than malt. The subdued hop profile, particularly in the aftertaste, also suggests a beer that was packaged before its time. Still, this was an enjoyable brew, young as it may be. Recommended.

I had Mad Duck's pub ale, as well as their IPA, at the grand opening of their sterling new brewpub, so it very well may be the case that their beers were rushed into the kegs to meet their big opening. Knowing this, I will surely return to try this beer again once their operation is has been running a while and their beer production has its kinks ironed out. I have a feeling their house beers will be improved over my first visit.

From the brewery:

"One of our early favorites. Toasted crystal malts make this beer a rich copper/amber hue. Toffee and caramel flavor along with apricot and peaches make the Pub Ale rich and rounded."

[source: brewpub menu]

Boddingtons Pub Ale. 4.7% abv. 27 IBU. Gold-orange color. Nearly two inches of thick, creamy white head. Outstanding retention and excellence lace, as is often the case with nitro can beers. Nose of biscuit, faint floral. Front taste of light malt, white bread, distant floral hops. Aftertaste of mildly bitter hops, grain, sweet malt back. Full body. Mouthfeel is creamy, smooth, warm.

This is a wonderful beer. An old favorite. It's creamy, smooth, mellow, yet with a rich full body. Bready backbone with floral-sweet notes and that legendary head. Though tame by modern hop-forward tastes, this is one of those old standards that serves as a benchmark upon which all other "British draught bitters" are compared, a classic that's been brewed for two centuries running. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Boddingtons has been enjoyed by beer drinkers in England for more than 200 years, and is well known for its creamy head and smooth body. Boddingtons is a refreshing, smooth beer renowned for its golden colour, full-bodied flavour and malty, moreish taste with smooth, tight creamy head."
[source: ab-inbev.co.uk]

Full Sail Brewing 'Double Bock' Lager. 7% abv. 34 IBU. Dark brown color. Finger of cream colored head that falls quickly to a brief collar. Poor retention. No lace. Nose of rich caramel malt, chocolate notes. Front taste of dark roasty malt, chocolate, black coffee on the back. Aftertaste of bittersweet chocolate, raisins, espresso. Thin-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, flat.

This is a good malty beer with a few flaws that you may or may not overlook. The tall flavors of caramel and chocolate are coupled well with notes of coffee and dark fruit but are underminded by low-to-no carb almost immediately off the pour. The rich aroma is an excellent first impression but the flat mouthfeel and thin body are an unfortunate last impression. All that being said, try this brew if you love rich malty flavors with touches of fruit and coffee. This beer's strengths may just outweigh its weaknesses. Mildly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A rich, full-bodied lager with hints of caramel, coffee and chocolate. LIMITED EDITION LAGER - AVAILABLE FOR 90 DAYS ONLY. JANUARY-MARCH. After a long day on the mountain carving turns in deep powder, snowboarders and skiers make their way down the mountain to warm up and relive all those great runs in our pub. Our Double Bock helps fuel the stories of deep powder and epic yard sales. Double Bock is lush and full-bodied with hints of caramel, coffee and chocolate in the aroma followed by flavors of caramel and dried figs with a long creamy smooth finish. Brewed with 2 row Pale, Munich, Caramel, and Chocolate Malts and hopped with Santiam and Perle hops, this gold medal winner will be available in six packs on draft."

[source: fullsailbrewing.com]

Retention was very low. This pic was taken three minutes after the pour.

Full Sail 'Wassail' Winter Ale. 7.2% abv. 56 IBU. Dark brown in color, nearly black. A finger of thick head slowly falls to half. Good retention, outstanding lacing. Nose is malty, sweet, spicy, alcohol. Front taste is roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, dark fruit. Aftertaste has a nice long sustain with strong alcohol, ample piercing hops, caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate. Dry finish, a contrast to its sticky mouthfeel. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is thick, sticky, creamy, warm-hot. This is an excellent winter warmer. Fans of winter/xmas beers should seek out this limited edition brew. Highly recommend.

From the brewery:

"This holiday treat is deep mahogany in color, has a full malty body and a pleasantly hoppy finish. LIMITED EDITION ALE - AVAILABLE FOR 90 DAYS ONLY. OCTOBER-DECEMBER. A few unmistakable signs tell us when winter has arrived here in Hood River. The waterfalls in the Gorge start kicking out the jams. The snow report for the backcountry regains its hold over us. And the Wassail starts flowing once again. We’ve brewed Wassail every holiday season since 1988, and it’s now as much a part of the festivities as sharing a roaring fire with our closest family and friends. It's no wonder this multi-medal winning Winter Warmer is one of our favorite beers to brew. Choosing our ingredients for Wassail is like taking time to choose the perfect gift. Each year we carefully select the best hops and malts to brew this special beer. This year’s Wassail is brewed with a range of caramel malts and dark chocolate malts giving it a deep mahogany color and a full malty body. We used a blend of Pacific Northwest hops for a pleasant hoppy aroma and finish creating a deliciously balanced beer that appeals to both hop and malt lovers alike. In other words, a Christmas miracle."

Head retention was good, but the lacing was magnificent, all the way down.