Voodoo Doughnut Pretzel, Raspberry & Chocolate Ale | Rogue Ales

3.66/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

From notes taken 04/13/16:

Semi-opaque, dark brown. More like a Porter or Stout in appearance. Creamy, film-forming, light brown head of moderate retention. Smells predominantly of milk chocolate, maybe the beginnings of some tart, dark, fruitiness. Very much the same on the palate, but some light coffee and toffee notes, and tartness slightly more forward than in aroma, but almost more metallic than fruity. I was hoping for more overt raspberry, or even pretzel. That said, as a Brown Ale, this is quite good. There’s a subdued toast and bread character, that may be imparted from the pretzels, so that’s something. Light leathery, earthy hopping, and some peppery goodness, brought out in the finish. Medium- to full-bodied, spritzy but thick at first, mellowing almost to velvet. Mildly astringent and acidic, making my teeth chalky.

★ 845 characters

3.56/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 3.5

**
08/26/2014
Aroma: raspberry and chocolate, a great combination. Appearance: black-brown. No head. Purple-ish hue when down to 1-2 oz in glass. Taste: medium bitter chocolate with fruity finish. Malty.Feel: mostly flat.Best of the rouge-voodoo set. Shared bottle with family on vacation with dessert of chocolate croissants, sticky buns, and white choc mac nut cookies. Yum."
**

★ 380 characters

3.92/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours an initial toffee color but forms a dark chocolate brown in the chalice. The head is beige/creme colored and 3 fingers high, leaving broken lace behind.

Aromas of cocoa powder, a little salt, bready pretzel, and a touch of raspberry sorbet. Maybe a little banana too? Just overall frutiness with lots of chocolate.

Flavor is not horrible; it's got a sort of two dimensional chocolate covered pretzel which really gets loud at the finish. In between there are notes of cocoa powder, baked malts, dashes of salt, and estery yeast. It actually drinks like a very nice tasting porter. Each sip is different, this one here just revealed a bunch of raspberry. It's like drinking a mystery.

Feel is highly carbonated with a nice mineral quality to it, a touch of dryness towards the end.

Overall, this is my first Voodoo Doughnut beer, and it's not really all that bad. If you look at it as a porter rather than a mishmash of ingredients, it actually remains quite enjoyable. The price tag is hardly justifiable though, but I'm glad I got a chance to try this.

★ 1,066 characters

2.17/5  rDev -39.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.75

All I tasted was astringent bitterness and what tasted like a very artificial version of raspberry. No balance; flavors do not blend smoothly. Yuck. Just yuck. I have had some excellent beers by Rogue. This is not one of them.

★ 231 characters

3.52/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Aroma: raspberry-chocolate candy

Flavor: raspberry, chocolate, medium and dark malts in a mix with much better balance than the aroma suggests. Adequate hops to keep this from being too sweet overall, although it does hit the tongue with a lot of sweetness.

Feel: medium body with low carbonation and seems a tad too low.

O: interesting and strongly flavored.

★ 364 characters

3.85/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Purchased a bomber that had been on the shelf a few months then I sat on it for a few more and probably shouldn't have. Smells exactly like it should raspberries and chocolate. Taste is overly sweet with the raspberries. Almost like shock top raspberry wheat. Blehk. Definitely not as atrocious though. I'm still enjoying it. No salty from the pretzels present. No pretzel noticeable at all which would balance it out nicely but that's probably my fault. I hope I get to try it fresh next time. Recommended if it suits your interests

★ 533 characters

4.26/5  rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Now im not a big fan of dark ales as a rule. But this one was so unique I couldn't not try it. It is very chewy and the aroma is straight sweet. Once you are in it the flavor and feel makes this a solid drink. All the right flavor notes in all the right places with the chocolate and doughnut on the intake and a raspberry on the back end. The best part is that the chocolate did not overpower the rest of the flavor notes. Good novelty beer not a daily though. I recommend it.

★ 477 characters

3.98/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours dark cola color with a half inch tab head

Smells like chocolate and dark fruits

Tastes like chocolate up front. Milk chocolate too, this is a sweet beer. The raspberry comes next. Closer to raspberry jam, again, this is a sweet beer. Not much in theme way of pretzel. Some yeasty notes but nothing approaching pretzel. I'm not mad about it though.

Mouthfeel medium body

Overall- decent brown ale for those not averse to sweetness. I have only tried two of the Voodoo beers, the lemon one being the other and this one is a much more seamless weaving together of flavors. Worth a shot for sure.

★ 602 characters

3.98/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

besides being a really good looking bottle, this beer was pretty darn good. I expected an overload of sugar/sweetness, but Rogue did a great job making this beer taste just how the name described it. A lot of chocolate and raspberry in the smell. The taste has all of the chocolate, raspberry, breads/pretzel. But the best part is it really has a doughnut flavor. They were able to get the glazed icing flavor in there, to my surprise.

Didn't expect much when a friend bought this for me, but I would gladly get this beer again

★ 529 characters

3.91/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

Interesting beer, a nice rich taste and good head, somewhat chocolatey but didn't get the raspberry that I expected. Good colour without a nice aftertaste. Overall, a nice beer, would recommend.

★ 194 characters

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

The bottle pours a deep mahogany color with a bit of transparency and a two finger head. The smell is true to the ale's name. I caught whiffs of raspberry, chocolate, coffee, and malts. I was a bit disappointed to find that the pretzel flavor isn't as detectable in the taste as the chocolate and the raspberry. The chocolate is the flavor that hits you upfront and there's a bit of raspberry bitterness in the aftertaste. I'd be interested in pairing this with some vanilla ice cream. The regular price is a bit steep for what you get from this bottle. I'd recommend trying it only if you find it at a discount.

★ 612 characters

4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Opaque, black with a foamy khaki head.
Aromas of chocolate, fruits, yeasty fresh bread.
Tastes of raspberry, chocolate, coffee and, yes, doughnuts (really)!
Mouth feel is dry and some mild bitterness.
Interesting beer. I'd have it again.

★ 238 characters

4.13/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Dark brown, almost black in color....thin head. The aroma is amazing. The raspberry and chocolate smells are intense and engaging. Sweet smelling, and the chocolate is incredible. The taste is semi sweet, with malt and some roast, and the berry. No don't get pretzels, although there may bea little sweetness. Full in body. Edell end beer.

★ 345 characters

3.63/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Not nearly as bad as I recall the bacon one being. Aroma is laden with raspberry and nutty toasted malt, then tootsie roll chocolate.

Flavor reveals raspberry tartness, and a fairly sweet, chocolatey adjunct character. Toasted malt at the finish is a stretch for pretzel. Wouldn't want a bomber of it.

★ 302 characters

3.77/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle: This one pours a dark brown that transmits a little light. There is a fairly good sized tan head on it. Almost no lacing. It has an interesting nose. Salted caramel, chocolate and raspberry notes. Not what you’d expect from a beer, but it smells good. The taste is good. Chocolate with a touch of raspberries. There is actually a bit of a pretzel and salted caramel taste to it. Not too sweet at all. Surprisingly, this works! I would definitely pick this one up again.

★ 485 characters

3.6/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

For what I hope are obvious reasons it seems somewhat trivial to describe the appearance of a 'Pretzel, Raspberry & Chocolate Ale'. Especially since said beer is sold in a neon pink bottle that I wouldn't be surprised glowed in the dark. But for what it's worth, the dark brownish ale isn't quite opaque, there's some highlights, as well as a honeycomb-like topping of head.

I'll give credit where credit is due: this over-the-top delicious smell can be attributed to actual pretzels, real raspberry juice, and chocolate extract which, trust me, isn't as artificial as it sounds. I'm surprised by how 'natural' it smells. I don't feel so guilty enjoying the aroma - it's shallow, sure, but still damn enticing!

I was curious what would come of the first sip - turns out it's equal parts toasty brown malt and sweet raspberry juice. There's enough bread crusts flavour to mimic pretzels (or is that just the real thing?) and the finish is correspondingly dry. In the meanwhile, raspberries are noted clear as day and a double dose of Hershey's-like chocolate is dumped down the back of the throat.

I know there are many out there - myself included - who cut their teeth on Rogue and have a corner of their heart permanently carved out to hoppy offerings like Brutal IPA, Yellow Snow, Old Crustacean or dark beers like Chocolate and Shakespeare Stout. For them this one will seem like a joke.

But in fairness the brewery really couldn't be more straightforward at laying out the expectations for this beer. So don't say you didn't know what you were getting yourself into. And for the non craft beer drinkers out there, one question: into dessert? Then have a Rogue Pretzel, Raspberry & Chocolate Ale. It's a delicious after-dinner tipple sure to tickle your tastebuds.

★ 1,774 characters

4.55/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Interesting beer found at World Market. Tasted the chocolate notes along with some raspberry. Picked up the saltiness from the pretzel. Maybe not one that I would have on a regular basis, but glad I tried it.

★ 211 characters

2.15/5  rDev -39.9%
look: 3 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

If you like these types of beers it may be up your alley. It's a good blend of the flavors, but raspberry hits a little to hard at the end making it too sweet for me. It does make great beer chocolate though.

★ 208 characters

3.77/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Sampled last night on 3/4/15. Seen this a few times and is a seasonal item but decided to try it. Comes in a 22 ounce (750ml) bottle with a painted-on label, as all of the Rogue beers do. Bottle chilled down to 36 degrees F in my beer cooler and poured in to a tall 18 ounce handled-glass stein.

Brew pours a very deep mahogany in color with a good 3-finger foamy beige head that didn't last really all that long. A decent amount of lacing is seen when sipped. The aroma is mostly of raspberries and cocoa powder with a hint of yeast but isn't really all that strong. The taste of chocolate is right up front on the tongue with the raspberry afterwards with a light hint of pretzel and some dark malts. Nothing overpowered anything else for the taste. Thought it needs have a bit more flavor though. Finishes pretty smooth overall and has a medium-body with moderate carbonation. A bit gimmicky for sure and is over-priced and is probably a one time brew for me unless it was on sale for like $5.00 or so.

★ 1,006 characters

2.88/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 2.75

Numerous bottles just turned up at the local 7-11 at $6 a bottle. Absolutely refused to pay the asking price. IMO the best beers taste like pretzels, but taste none here. At $6 a decent brown ale. At $12 a friggin ripoff. My only real problem with it- no body, watery as if nobody tried to brew anything but a freak show. Boo Rogue

★ 331 characters

3.34/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Comes across something like a sweet stout, but missing a lot of the chalk, smoke, coffee, etc. you'd expect. In the end, probably a bit too sweet. Novelty beer, an after dinner thing.

★ 183 characters

3.87/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

750 mL bottle picked up at the LCBO; bottled Sept 20 2014 and served slightly chilled. Previously, I'd been passing on the chance to try these Voodoo Doughnut collaboration ales, but the addition of raspberry was enough to make me curious about this one.

Pours a deep, opaque brownish cherry-cola colour, generating one inch of frothy, light tan-coloured head that seeps away fairly quickly over the next several minutes. A thin, filmy cap and collar survive, accompanied by some scant patches of lace. The aroma is reminiscent of a confectionery, with hefty helpings of milk chocolate, vanilla and raspberry syrup sweetness overlying the notes of brown sugar and roasted malts. Hints of toasted nuts and baker's chocolate also come through, and are especially prominent off of the bottle itself.

Appealing taste, but the pretzel and raspberry seem to take the back seat, with chocolate being the driving force behind much of the flavour profile. Bready dark malts, milk chocolate, pretzel and toasted nuts meld nicely with notes of black cherry and raspberry. The bitterness ramps up a little at the tail end, with dark chocolate, coffee and an earthy, roasty quality coming to the fore. Some lingering cocoa and raspberry syrup flavours in the aftertaste, amplifying the "dessert beer" vibe that this brew already had going on. Relatively light-bodied, with moderate carbonation levels - it feels somewhat crisp, but also a bit thin given the rich, sweet flavours. A more substantial body would be appreciated.

Final Grade: 3.87, a B+. Rogue's Voodoo Doughnut Pretzel, Raspberry & Chocolate Ale is definitely a bit gimmicky - but all things considered, this brew turned out pretty well. As a big raspberry beer fan, I could do with a bit more representation from that particular ingredient - but as it stands this is still an interesting malt-forward beer that would make a perfect companion for a chocolate-focussed dessert course. I'd say this one is worth a look, but not something I'm likely to return to in the near future.

★ 2,035 characters

3.66/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured a transparent reddish brown body with a thin cap of off-white foam. It looks like a fairly decent brown ale, nothing off about it. Scents of milk chocolate mixed with raspberries, nutty malt aromas, and a light hint of a salted pretzel-like aroma. Overall impression of aroma is of a fairly simple overall bouquet that displays the advertised ingredients quite nicely with nutty, malty aromas in a secondary role letting you know this is a brown ale base. Rather pleasant, but lacking in depth. Flavor begins lightly sweet with notes of semi-sweet chocolate and lightly tart raspberries, and a light hint of pretzels mingling with rich roast malt flavors in the background. Middle is medium-dry with notes of sour raspberries becoming more pronounced, mingling with a rich chocolate flavor and a bit of nutty malt. Finish is medium-dry with notes of semi-sweet chocolate, roast malt and light amounts of black coffee mingling with pretzel-like flavors. Aftertaste is chocolate, roast malt and light notes of pretzel. Overall impression of flavor is of a surprisingly dry beer. Not overly so, but not near as sweet as expected. It is heavier in darker flavors, including both chocolate and malt, and raspberries only lend a slight sweetness. It is a nicely flavored beer, if a bit simple, and it does exhibit all its unique ingredients which is a plus. Mouthfeel is light bodied with medium-low carbonation and a smooth, session ale feel with a very light acidity from the raspberries. Overall impression of mouthfeel is of a beer similar to a porter in character. Overall this is a good beer. It takes some unique ingredients and manages to showcase them in both aroma and flavor, which is more than many experimental beers can accomplish. Aiding this is a smooth, sessionable mouthfeel that is quite pleasant. A fairly good experiment, even if the end result isn't completely amazing.

★ 1,892 characters

3.47/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

This beer looks pretty good, pouring a deep brown with a nice two finger head. The smell was as expected...full on raspberry and chocolate, almost too much. Taste was surprisingly not as sweet as I expected. It was dominated by the raspberry and chocolate promised and there is very little of the base brown ale to be tasted. The raspberry leaves a bitterness and odd aftertaste behind and this is one of the more unpleasant aspects of the beer.

Shocked that this beer was not overly sweet, but still not surprised at what I got.

★ 534 characters

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.75

L: Dark brown, not quite stout colored as you may imagine from the beer's name
S: Sweet chocolate, fruit notes. Has a smell that reminds me a bit of the scent of certain pipe tobacco's
T: The sweetness/chocolate is initially overpowering. Subsequent sips proved to be better although I did not detect the pretzel flavor.
F: nothing out of the ordinary, low carbonation levels
O: Interesting beer. Not something I would probably go for again, but was worth a try based on the strength of Rogue's other offerings. Generally too sweet for my taste.

★ 554 characters