This beer is like that random deep-fried carnie food truck at the fair: you have to try even though you know it’s going to be gross. I was lucky enough to have  Funky Buddha’s Maple Bacon Coffee Porter at Hunahphu Day this year, and given that Funky Buddha’s was rated a 98, and Voodoo Doughnut is rated 76, I knew I was in a world of hurt. I didn’t want an entire bottle to myself and graciously Jon was willing to split the bottle he picked up from Hoosick Street Beverage.

We cracked open the bottle and immediately gave it a whiff. You know how imitation liquid smoke smells like? Well think imitation liquid bacon. It simply overpowered any other aromas going on in the bottle. A quick pour into a Duvel tulip yielded the same scent. The beer was a bit cold so I decided to let it warm up for a few. This did not improve the aroma. Maybe some maple trying to sneak it’s way out but I could have just been looking too hard for it.

The white head consisted of small bubbles that dissipated quickly leaving a small white ring around the edge of the glass. Clear to slightly hazy in appearance.

I had the same reaction at first sip and the aftertaste: imitation bacon bomb. Any kind of maple or bready (read:doughnut) flavors trying to make it’s way out were immediately crushed by imitation bacon.  Medium bodied mouthfeel with medium-to-high carbonation.

Overall, this beer sucked and I wouldn’t drink it again. We had a pretty tough time finishing the bomber between just the two of us. If you’re going to try this yourself, split it with four friends. Preferably with a bacon and a doughnut to undo the aftertaste that is going to stick around in the back of your throat for a while. Or you can wash it down with Utopias like I did. Whichever.

At most, Voodoo Doughnut is a gimmick like all of the other products on the market right now riding on the bacon craze like baconaise, bacon perfume, and bacon scented candles. And good for Rogue, I’m sure they sold a shit ton of these beers. Now that this puppy has been crossed off the bucket list I can move on with my life.