You may recall I have a history with bacon beers. One of the first beers I ever reviewed for this blog was Rogue's "Voodoo Doughnut" maple bacon ale, and while the concept was interesting, I didn't find it to live up to expectations. However, I'm a big fan of experimental ingredients in beer, and I am an even bigger fan of bacon, so I was curious to see how Funky Buddha might use the ingredients - maple, bacon, and coffee - to complete their beer. That, and hoping for a better combination of these ingredients than Rogue's entry! Let's dive in.
It pours thick and black, with a short stack of dark tan foam. There's some interesting aromas going on, which I can't quite place. The color is black and it can't be candled.
This is great, and I'm really relieved. The beer features a pretty strong start with black coffee, a little oily espresso flavors thrown in, and has an unmistakable (but subtle!) maple taste. Texture-wise, it's milky, strong, and heavy, and there's a slight hint of salt and roasted beans on the finish. The aftertaste is nice and long with some sweet notes.
Overall, a really delicious stout. I can't taste the bacon, but I think this beer is what the Voodoo Doughnut should have been. The coffee flavors are pretty popular in beer, but the bacon and maple aren't (with the exception of Peak's "Maple Collaboration", my first ever beer post on the blog.) I find I liked this attempt much more than the others I have tried. The maple and coffee are nice, and perhaps the bacon element is the salt that I tasted on the finish of the beer. Regardless, I thought this beer was great in both taste and texture, and I'd definitely drink it again. I wish I could get a couple to cellar. This is a perfect beer for fall (but also great to drink now, in summer!)
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