Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale

Posted by Mike Madaio on Jan 23, 2013 in Beer Reviews | 0 comments

It’s hard to not be intrigued by Rogue’s Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale. This is a beer that’s based on a doughnut flavor. It’s brewed with actual bacon, as well as pure maple syrup, and sold in a ludicrous pink bottle. Though clearly a novelty to some extent, any beer lover would be hard-pressed not to have it on their to-do list.

But is it any good?

After trying it, I’m still not 100% sure. It did feature one of the more intense, intoxicating aromas I’ve ever experienced from a beer. As it sat on the table, over a foot away, I was enveloped in a cloud of fresh maple syrup, intense and satisfying. It was everything I could do to not run for the pancake mix. Sweet, rich notes of maple took the lead on the palate as well, followed by a quick burst of pork fat, and that’s when it got a little weird. And smoky. (The beer’s made with cherrywood, beechwood and hickory-smoked malts.) Of course bacon and smoke go hand in hand, but this smoke was different than smoked meat; it was more like a charcoal pit – initially pleasant, but eventually bitter and overwhelming.

In the end, the Bacon Maple Ale was about what I expected. Interesting to try, fun but odd, and not something to drink a lot of. I’d recommend grabbing a 750ml bottle and a few friends and giving it a run. Don’t forget the pancakes.