Voodoo Doughnut Pretzel, Raspberry & Chocolate Ale
Rogue Ales

4/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

At last, the last of my Rogue/Voodoo Donut backlog & frankly, looking at some of the price tags on these, I am surprised that I pulled the trigger in the first place. These enameled bombers mean that I am unable to see what it happening inside, which never makes me happy. OTOH, many of them have mellowed nicely during their wait for me to get to them. Let's see how this one fares!

From the Bottle: "Ale Brewed with Pretzels and Natural Flavors Added"; "Dedicated to Tres & Cat Daddy, the Rogues of Voodoo Donut"; "[Pairs with:] Donuts, Cheesecake"; "Brewed Using 13 Ingredients: 2-Row, Munich, C120, Chocolate, Black, Kiln Coffee & Rogue Farms Dare (tm) Malts; Rogue Farms Rebel Hops; Pretzels, Natural Raspberry Juice, Chocolate Extract, Pacman Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water."; "No Chemicals, Additives or Preservatives"; "Oregon Brewed[,] Established 1988[,] Oxygen Fixing Caps"; "13.5° Plato*31 IBU*73 AA*78° L"; "100% Pure Rogue".

I Pop!ped off the cap & started a slow, gentle C-Line pour since I could not see what was going on inside of the bottle. I was impressed by several factors, not the least of which was its formation of just under two fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, deep-tan/light-brown head with decent retention. Color was Dark Brown to Very Dark Brown (SRM = > 27, < 34) with NE-quality clarity & garnet highlights. Nose definitely smelled of chocolate & Black (NOT Red) Raspberries! Mmm. I wasn't getting the pretzels, but what would they smell like in beer? Other than the salt, they would break down pretty easily & just become fermentable sugars. No? Hmm. This was primarily milk/sweet chocolate with black raspberries, at least on the nose. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, not quite creamy, but definitely big in the mouth & on the tongue. Time had clearly mellowed this one into something that was quite drinkable, given so many of the older, previous reviews. It was like biting into a raspberry-filled Lindt Lindor chocolate! Theirs are dark-chocolate enrobed where this was more towards milk chocolate, but who's quibbling at this point? I guess that I have to, after looking at the style description. I will grant that it may have been an American Brown at its base, but the adjuncts were pulling it away from that base. No caramel & very little-to-no hop presence means that I have to dun it if reviewing to style & not to personal taste. 8=( Finish was sweet, but not so sweet as to be cloying, which would have totally put me off. It was mosdef a dessert beer, but what would you expect, given all of its adjuncts, meant to mimic a donut?!? I might not want it as a donut for breakfast, but as a dessert beer with some coffee? Yes, please! YMMV.

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1.06/5  rDev -70.1%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Review from notes taken in 2015:

750ml pink painted bottle with a branded pry-off crown cap served into a highball glass.

No bubble show forms as it's poured.

HEAD: No lacing. No head.

BODY: Brownish cola-red. Off-putting. Opaque. No yeast/sediment is visible within.

Appears undercarbonated. Unappealing. I'm not looking forward to trying this.

AROMA: Doughnut. Cloying sweetness. Artificial raspberry filling. Malt extract. Artificial fruit. Sugary. Faint cocoa.

Mild in strength. I find no over yeast, alcohol, or off-notes.

TASTE: Raspberry and vague artificial fruit. Disgusting sweetness. Loads of malt extract. Inauthentic, shrieking artificial flavours.

A chaotic imbalanced mess of a brew. I find no pretzel flavour at all...just off-putting cloying sweetness.

Syrupy blackberry puree. Cough syrup-redolent. Malt choices were poor. Lacks any genuine chocolate.

Depth of flavour is horrid. Flavour intensity is mild.

There's some alcohol warmth in there too, and I'm not liking this at all. The cloying sweetness really brings this beer down. Poorly built stuff.

TEXTURE: Smooth, flat, thin, lumpy, inconsistent, wet, unrefreshing. Too syrupy. Overbearing and heavy on the palate.

Not oily, gushed, or hot, but certainly boozy.

This texture doesn't work at all.

OVERALL: Downright disgusting. I didn't find the pretzel I was hoping for, and even with four people at the tasting this is being served at, we'll be hard pressed to get through the bottle. Truly awful.

F (1.06) / AVOID

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3.03/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

There’s a time and a place for this beer, and it’s definitely a dessert beer. Individual flavors stand out nicely, but it’s overly sweet and syrupy. Might make a nice ice cream topping.

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3.66/5  rDev +3.1%
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.

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3.56/5  rDev +0.3%
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."
**

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3.92/5  rDev +10.4%
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.

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2.17/5  rDev -38.9%
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.

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3.52/5  rDev -0.8%
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.

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3.85/5  rDev +8.5%
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

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3.66/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Fun bottle promising a lot of whacky craziness, turning around to deliver only a mildly flavored brew that isn't even what you'd think it'd be. It's WAY lighter, for one, there's no pretzel, the chocolate and raspberry lie far behind some nutty earthiness, and it's almost medicinal. That said, it's still somehow enjoyable, but barely so.

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4.26/5  rDev +20%
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.

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3.98/5  rDev +12.1%
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.

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3.98/5  rDev +12.1%
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

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3.91/5  rDev +10.1%
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.

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3.75/5  rDev +5.6%
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.

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4/5  rDev +12.7%
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.

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4.13/5  rDev +16.3%
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.

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3.63/5  rDev +2.3%
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.

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3.77/5  rDev +6.2%
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.

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3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
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.

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4.55/5  rDev +28.2%
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.

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2.15/5  rDev -39.4%
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.

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3.77/5  rDev +6.2%
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.

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2.88/5  rDev -18.9%
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

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3.34/5  rDev -5.9%
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.

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