Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale - Rogue Ales

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.33/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Definitely a different beer - I struggled through the first glass, but am now starting to enjoy it at the end of the bottle... ?! Heavily smoke-forward, there are definite maple and bacon notes - but overall a bit of a mess.

Pours a hazy light brown with yellowish tinges. Minimal head that disappears quickly. Aroma of smoked meat, with an industrially sweet maple backbone. The flavour starts sweet with a malt basis, albeit no "donut" that I can discern. This transitions rapidly into a smoky, smoky finish – almost overpowering.

A very different beer and glad to have tried it, although buying one bottle would have been enough!

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 00:38:25 | More by hopsolutely

ChaserBD04

Washington

1.36/5  rDev -53.7%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.25

A pretty rough beer. I, for the record, have had the bacon maple bar from Voodoo, and it is delicious. When you try to put it in beer form, it is terrible. The smell is off putting right from the start: a heavy smokiness with a hint of sweet. I read a review on here that says it tastes like dirty grill water, and that's about right. The overwhelming smoke flavor sticks, in a bad way. It stays in your mouth too. Thank god I had other beer in the fridge. I poured out a twelve dollar bottle of this stuff. The only decent thing is the appearance, with a nice thick head and good lacing. After that abandon ship.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 05:22:49 | More by ChaserBD04

Minkybut

Virginia

4.29/5  rDev +45.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I poured this strange beer into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The thought of a greasy beer really worrying me. The beer was a light amber color with tan head that was thick and showing great lacing. Apple wood smoke and maple flavors oozing out of the glass really smelled good. I smoke with apple wood weekly so I know what I'm talking about. The taste was really quite startling. Smokey maplealy taste for sure. I got no bacon taste at all, yet my wife said she did. I liked the beer for a crazy taste experience. I would buy it again to change things up.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 16:35:55 | More by Minkybut

Flight0011

Washington

2.33/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.25

How exactly does one describe an abominatoin, sweet, smokey, salty, malty flavors that don't sit in to well on the palet or in the stomach. To each his own but this beer was not for me.
Poured- alright, decient head
Smelled- sweet and smokey
Taste-... undesireable

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 04:13:57 | More by Flight0011

brewski09

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +54.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Fresh cases of this arrived today in the store, so I picked up a bomber and poured it into a Founders pint glass.

A - Amber/deep orange with a beige head 2cm thick. Very clear and a nice looking beer. The head dissipates fairly quickly for a lower gravity beer.

S - This is where the beer truly shines. Heavy maple with a solid smoke. Reading the bottle, there is cherry malt, beech malt, and the applewood smoked bacon. There is a strong booze that hits you in the middle and then fades into the maple and smoke. This is the maple I wish I could infuse into my beers. Its like the pure maple candy from New Hampshire. The maple and a little smoke win out in the end.

T - The flavor is clearly dominated by the smoke. It leaves me wishing I had some good, slow smoked pork or brisket. The bottle suggests that this beer goes with pork or doughnuts. I am shocked at how well this beer goes with sweet foods. I would say you should try this with a doughnut (bacon or maple glazed if you can get your hands on it) and test the theory yourself. The booze is mild on the taste and the malts (Crystal and Munich) remain in the background aside from the smoke.

M - This beer really sticks around with you on the palate with a heavy residual sugar. The carbonation was also pretty high, so the flavors really opened up on the palate. There is a little bit of astringency in there as well that hides with the IBU (pretty sure its from the smoked malt, almost like a peat in scotch).

O - I wish I had tried this sooner. I was a bit afraid to try it because either you love it or you hate it, but I love it. It has a sweet finish and a lot of smoke. The bacon is in there too, but not too heavy. I say give it a try, but only if you like smoked beers.

4/17/2013

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 23:40:55 | More by brewski09

RickS95

Indiana

2.74/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5

It looks like a beer, nothing to indicate otherwise. It's a pale brown color. Kind of hazy, not clear. Looks rich. The head is a finger of fleeting bubbles. Almost no retention, but eventually you're left with a rich brown beer believe a white ring of small foamy bubbles.

The smell isn't awful as I'd been led to believe. It's strange for a beer, but it's not bad at all. It smells like a smokey maple donut. It almost smells sweet. I can't pick up anything pork-related, but the smoke scent can't be missed.

The flavor isn't there. I can almost pick up a bacon grease flavor, but I'm not sure. There's something there that's weird. Fairly malty early on, but finishes with all smoke and char. Only a slight maple flavor. That bacony greasy flavor lasts well into the finish which is not really appreciated.

It's a combination of ingredients that might taste better on a place than in a snifter. It's fairly sweet, very smokey, kind of greasy feeling, and all that grabs hold of your tongue and won't let go. That malts and maple aren't bad, but everything after that really doesn't work. That greasiness is not welcomed.

Overall, it just doesn't work in a glass for a beer. I've had sausage donuts where all these flavors worked, but as a drink, it's a check swing called for a strike. Just 15 more ounces to go.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 03:21:45 | More by RickS95

Mebuzzard

Colorado

2.45/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A brown pour from a pink bottle. Who says the eyes have no influence over appetite?

smell was sweet maple and some runny bacon. That's really about it. The aromas fluctuate between interesting and off-putting.

never had any Voodoo Donuts (lines were always too long), but I hope they don't taste like this. Not that the flavor is bad...just waaay too sweet and complicated. Doughy, maple, bacon, and several tons of sugar. Maybe salt? Lotta smoke.
This beer is almost, or maybe is, too complicated. the carbonation is thrown aside by the smoke and sugar gladiators, which is too bad. Something needs to signify the end to each gulp, instead it just whimpers away

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 16:34:38 | More by Mebuzzard

oneeyedhoolie

Maryland

1.19/5  rDev -59.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 1.25 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 1

It tasted like dirty bbq grill water. I expected big things because of the maple and bacon but didnt get either. I tried two different bottles and both tasted the same and neither were pleasant at all. Both had a bbq smell, but nowhere was the maple or bacon evident. In my opinion, a big miss on Rogue's part.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 03:41:17 | More by oneeyedhoolie

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

3.89/5  rDev +32.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - A hazy thick brown color that would only be appropriate to describe as maple syrupy in color. Tiny amounts of carbonatio are visible, keeping a equally tiny thin white head alive.

S - Holy Maple Smoke! Super smoky, like leaving the bacon on the pana little too long, but in a very good way. THe maple is such a perfect complement to the smokiness.

T - The taste emphasizes the bacon and the smoke, like a little too much liquid smoke in a burger. A swish at the end brings out some maple elements, but doesn't challenge the smokiness.

M&D&O - You're gonna have to like smoky beers to enjoy this, and from the forums I take it many didn't like the smoke. Maybe people had some preconceived notions. Regardless, I really enjoyed this beer. The flavors were great, and yes it was really smoky and that may have caught some off guard, but it won't if you go into the experience as a blank slate, ready to enjoy a beer for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 14:18:13 | More by sinstaineddemon

Tone

Missouri

3.15/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3

Pours a clear, copper color. 5/4 inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and good lacing. Smells of strong maple syrup, sugar, hint of bacon, hint of smoke, hint of sweet malt, and a hint of roasted malt. Mouth feel is sharp and clean, with an average carbonation level. The syrup and bacon flavors combine to make a very strong and un[pleasant cloying sensation Does not seem to fit the style of a Smoked Beer, but I'm at a loss as to what category this might fall into (Herbed/Spiced Beer ?). Tastes of strong syrup, slight bacon, hint of sweet malt, sugar, a hint of smoke, and a hint of pale malt.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 13:11:46 | More by Tone

Oxymoron

Colorado

2.08/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 1.75

Pours a crystal clear dark amber color with brown hues throughout. A persistent off white head with good retention and lacing.

The aroma is complicated. Some caramel and hazelnut characters come out up front. Some maple and brown sugar smells as well. A almost plastic quality aroma comes out strongly that I guess is more of the bacon undertone. Some butter notes and a light pancake breakfast note that really questions my objectivity in the name. But hey that is what I get.

The taste is a mish-mash of flavors. Different notes coming in at different times that leaves the palate in chaos. No balance really. At the start the maple dominates up front and though dissipates through the taste, does linger into the finish. Butter and plastic notes come out next but I know that smoke can be misconstrued as plastic. A weird herbal hop note blends oddly with a more salty undertone that leaves a bizarre off wood note on the finish. Some minor esters and a light acrid finish.

The body is moderate but finishes sweet. Carbonation is a bit high which helps with the lingering sweetness but also provides a carbonic bite. Overall I think there is just too much going on. Seems more like a marketing stunt than a attempt at flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 01:41:09 | More by Oxymoron

DavoleBomb

Ohio

1.88/5  rDev -36.1%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 1.75

Poured into a perfect pint. I was excited about this when it first came out, but then forgot about it due to the shitty reviews. Then yesterday, I came across it while I was buying beer so I figured it was time.

2.0 A: Lightly hazed orange caramel color. Two fingers of frothy/foamy yellow-beige head is ugly as hell. Fortunately it doesn't last all that long. Some specks of lacing here and there. Truly an ugly brew.

1.5 S: This smells artificial from the get go. I'm immediately reminded of my homebrewing experiments with adding various nut extracts to beers I already had bottled. Despite plenty of effort, the nut extract always gave off an undesirable smell and taste, so I scrapped the idea and instead used real nuts (which was also about five hours more work) for my upcoming brew. While the real nut brew came out great, this one from Rogue did not. The maple is sickeningly artificial to the point that I can't even tell if the bacon is real from the overlap. The smells like a breakfast platter from a really shitty fast food place. The maple ruins what would be an otherwise pleasant smokiness. It's hard to find anything else underneath, but to be honest I didn't try much since I hate smelling this.

2.0 T: The taste sucks too, but it's still a bit better than the nose. "Pure maple flavoring" is again the culprit behind this travesty of a beer. I don't know what "maple flavoring" is, but it's nothing like maple syrup. I do enjoy the smokiness though. It itself partially redeems the beer. The caramel notes aren't bad either. But getting past the maple syrup flavor is far to difficult to even begin to speak anything truly positive about the beer.

2.25 M: Lighter medium body. Comes off as feeling overcarbonated even though it really isn't. It just has some of that explodes-in-your-mouth feel to it. Lacking creaminess. Not really up to par here either.

1.75 D: I bought this beer out of curiosity, which is a force too strong to fight (at least when it comes to beer), but I can assure myself this will be the last time I ever drink this. Cheers for the second half of the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 01:46:50 | More by DavoleBomb

vicsju1991

Pennsylvania

4.99/5  rDev +69.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I know this is a divisive beer but it does what it wants, which is more thanmost beers do
A- nice semi dark amber, all beer is pretty too me, but I love the bottle art'
S - maple n slightly smoked malts
T- follows the nose very mapley minor smokey notes
M - super drinkable
O - no this isn't the best beer ive had but my god does it try to be special and it is different from anything ive ever drank I love it

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 00:26:23 | More by vicsju1991

circus_cat

Virginia

1.65/5  rDev -43.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

I heard this beer was bad. I have never once heard a good review of it. Yet I just. didn't. listen because I was so curious to try it. Well, let me tell you curiosity killed the cat. Don't make my mistake as has it been slightly worse it might have ruined beer for me altogether. Luckily this scarcely resembles beer.

A: fizzy and orange

S: smoke. That's it. A little meaty bacon smell beneath the smoke. I don't really get maple or donut.

T: Same as smell. Weird and smokey. Like drinking a camp fire.

M: fizzy at first, flat by the time you're half way through a 12-oz pour.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 20:46:15 | More by circus_cat

eric5bellies

Australia

3.34/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Drank from Duvel Tulip

A - Pours a clear copper colour with an off white head that retains quite well. The bottle is very funky.

S - Aromas of sticky maple syrup and smokey bacon

T - Flavours up front of smokey bacon and burnt wood. No sign of any maple or doughnut flavours. Mellows after second sip.

M - Medium to full body and medium carbonation.

O - Enjoyed the smokeyness of this beer, but why call it maple and doughnut ? There really isn't much in there at all

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 10:02:48 | More by eric5bellies

HopsMathias

Ohio

1.65/5  rDev -43.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

I bought this beer because I liked the appearance of the bottle. And who doesn' t like bacon and maple.
Poured from bottle.
Dark coloration.
Nice aromas of sweetness and bacon.
Smoky taste completely overwhelms all other flavors.
Very disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 03:55:09 | More by HopsMathias

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon pours a hazy amber color with a small creamy head that leaves a few spots of lace on the glass as it fades.

The aroma smells like breakfast. Maple syrup and smokey bacon. A little bit of bread and vanilla is also present.

Each sip of this medium bodied beer is smooth, creamy with light carbonation. The flavor is a lot like the aroma. Lots of smoke/bacon and maple. There's also some fruit notes, bread and vanilla at the end. Once gone the maple tends to linger on the palate.

This is a beer you want to share with a few people. I don't think I could drink a pint on my own. It's definitely different and reminds me of breakfast but the smoke and maple dominate each sip. It's a weird combination of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 18:51:24 | More by WanderingFool

beertunes

Washington

1.3/5  rDev -55.8%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Oh, the humanity! Over priced craft brewer teams up with hipster doughnut shop. What could possibly go wrong? I split this bottle with some friends last night, one of the group is a respected brewer. It was unanimous, this beer was terrible. A chemically aroma produced the bacon and maple scent. When I said that this beer tasted like dead hipster, I was immediately corrected, "it tastes like smoked dead hipster".

I truly do not see how this beer gets a score of average. It just reinforces my suspicion of grade inflation here on BA. Avoid this travesty. This beer is making me reconsider being a ticker.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 21:47:56 | More by beertunes

IAmJacksHopTongue

Michigan

2.35/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Served from 750mL great-looking pink bottle. Had this with a bacon cheeseburger, so it seemed like a great match.

A- Typical brown ale color (brown), lots of carbonation but little head retention. Maybe a little lighter in color than I might have expected.

S- My favorite part of this beer; lots of maple, with very slight hint of smoke (which reminded me of bacon). I was optimistic from the smell. Had a bite of my burger and the two were working together.

T- Smoke. And carbonation. The maple seems to have disappeared now. All I get is a very light, very carbonated brown ale with massive amounts of smoke; so much smoke that it lingers for several minutes after I stop drinking.

M- Very light body, vary carbonated.

O- I dropped $14.00 (Michigan prices, so it's probably cheaper elsewhere) but didn't end up finishing it. Drank less than half the bottle. Switched to a Founders Backwoods Bastard, which gave me a better match for my bacon cheeseburger. A little disappointed in Rogue - a well respected brewery - for this beer, but everybody misses once in a while.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 15:33:25 | More by IAmJacksHopTongue

elcrawl

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev +2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

wasn't sure what i was getting into here, but that was the exciting aspect.

A: nothing unusual here, caramel color
S: SMOKE. bacon. some maple.
T: very heavy on the smoke up front. melted into a bacony flavor, with some unexpectedly minor maple sweetness.
M: decent.
O: this thing was a smoke bomb. I think they hit their mark with this, but it was definitely smokey and baconey. worth a try for the curious as it is unique, but i didn't finish my pint let alone the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 02:37:20 | More by elcrawl

vickersspitfire

Texas

2.78/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer is a dark copper color with hints of brown hues and is mildly hazy, and there’s plenty of carbonation. The head is very thick, slowly thins out and remains about a finger thick when settled, its very fluffy and silky looking. There’s a thin wall of lacing, but the beer still looks very inviting. The aroma is pure maple syrup, I wish I could be more elaborate on this, but that’s all my little nose can detect. It light bodied and mildly crisp. At first, all I could taste was maple syrup, but after a few more sips, a sweet flavor, other than maple, dominates the taste buds. Mild hops and a slight brown sugar taste come through as well, the aftertaste is a bit tart and you can’t taste the alcohol in it. Over all, this is a strange brew, not disgusting, just different.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 04:47:12 | More by vickersspitfire

dionito

Washington

1.44/5  rDev -51%
look: 3.75 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.75

A: Dark orange, copper with a nice head that dissipates fast. Only thing on this that might make you think it's beer.

S: smoky and sweet, and then greasy. If you don't know what you're smelling you'd bet its a dirty old restaurant's kitchen right after frying a ton of bacon. Fatty bacon.

T: not sure, I can smell it again but won't drink a second sip. Grease, maybe, and not clean one.

M: disgusting. Feels like drinking bacon fat. I had a single sip a few min ago and still can feel it in my mouth.

O: thankfully I had no great hopes for this thing. The bottle is cool and will stay in the collection. Sorry, not much good to say.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 04:13:58 | More by dionito

washuffizi

Wisconsin

1.4/5  rDev -52.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

A - Good. Dark. Actually looks like it will taste good.

S - Smells like grease.

T - This beer is like drinking semi-warm bacon grease. Gross :(

M - Grease. Gross film in mouth after consumption. Everything eaten within the next hour sucks because of this. Grease!

Disappointed with Rogue. This beer is basically grease. Who would buy this?

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 06:51:48 | More by washuffizi

MRclean

Massachusetts

2.9/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Vessel: Purchased in a 750 ml. bottle. Consumed from a large flared pilsner glass

Appearance: Dark brown with one finger of head

Smell: Strong sweet aroma of maple and some notes of smoky bacon… what did you expect?

Taste: Deep smoky flavor. The maple sweetness is definitely present and the bacon is noticeable but not intensely overpowering like I have experienced in some other bacon themed cocktails. It is definitely unique and very smoky.

Mouthfeel: It has some heft to it but it’s not as thick as the flavor would lead you to believe. I would call it medium/heavy bodied.

Overall: I’ll confess I could not finish the whole 750 ml. I should have waited to “experience” this beer with a friend. It is worth trying simply for the novelty of it but it is not my beer of choice. That being said I commend Rogue for making and distributing it.
Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 21:28:50 | More by MRclean

Hawksfan79

Washington

3.31/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Glass: Snifter

Appearance: Hazy dark red with a creamy white head and thick lacing down the side of the glass.

Aroma: pretty much smoked bacon.

Taste: Smoked malts, bacon, a slightly sweet base, and then bacon again in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Thin and slightly oily with a rather active carbonation.

The taste and mouthfeel are very average I was expecting this ale to be more abrasive or have a better flavor but it just kind of fell in the middle. I made the mistake of drinking the whole 22 bomber to myself, by the time I was getting to the bottom of my glass all the appealing aspects of the flavor were fleeting. The further down the bottle I went the more rich and sickly the bacon flavor started tasting and mouthfeel seemed to get oilier.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 00:20:19 | More by Hawksfan79