Rogue Ales -- Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale

Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale by Rogue Ales in Newport, Oregon.  Mmmm bacon.  I have to admit that at first I was a little scared just based on the Pepto-Bismol pink bottle with the scary looking dude on the front. 

Our friends Dale and Stefanie were up in Portland when Rogue was selling this beer by the case.  They said they had to go to a loading dock to get it.  Sounds a little strange, but this is a strange beer.  We had some people over one night, and Dale and Stefanie generously brought three bottles with them to share with everyone, so that's how I stumbled into the voodoo world.  Thanks, Dale and Stephanie!

Rogue has been around since 1988 and is well know for its high quality craft beers.  Voodoo Doughnut is a Portland, Oregon establishment that makes a wide array of doughnuts, including the Bacon Maple Bar.  Rogue collaborated with Voodoo to create Bacon Maple Ale.  Since they were working with a bakery, of course, they had to have a baker's dozen for ingredients.  Of the 13 ingredients, there are various malts (including a couple smoked ones), applewood-smoked bacon, and pure maple flavoring.  The alcohol content is neither on the bottle, nor the website.

The taste?  At first, it was sweet like maple, but then I noticed more of the bacon flavor, and then it was smokey on the end.  Looking at the taste as a whole, I would say that first this is a pretty smokey and malty beer, and second, its a little sweet.  The pours toward the end of the bottle have some tiny black grains that sink to the bottom, which I presume are from the bacon.  We put it in the freezer for a little while at my house before opening them.  Dale said it tasted better super cold than just regular refrigerator temperature.  He said that it tastes smokier when its not as cold.  I had the third bottle the other day and I have to agree that it does taste smokier when its not as cold.

I had some left over in an open bottle so I put it in the fridge and then had the rest for breakfast.  I have to say, it makes a good breakfast beer since it tastes like maple syrup and bacon.

In sum, this one was like the Snakes on a Plane of beers -- you know what you're going to get based on the title.  Its worth the adventure and the curiosity for the brave who want to try a beer that is truly unique.