Let’s get one thing straight: you have to understand what Rogue Ales is trying to do with their Voodoo Doughnut Chocolate Peanut Butter & Banana Ale to truly appreciate it. Some folks have tried it and said that they don’t like the way the flavors work together, and that’s fair enough. Personal taste is, after all, a very subjective thing.

Looked at more objectively, though, Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Chocolate Peanut Butter & Banana Ale is a beer that’s trying to emulate the flavors of a Doughnut. You can't really dismiss it as a gimmick, then, because that’s not what the brewer is fater. They are saluting the Northwest’s famous Voodoo Doughnuts chain with beers crafted after some of their signature desserts. And they have in my estimation succeeded.

I’ve only tried two of these beers so far actually, and there are currently four of them. Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale has been my favorite. I’ve yet to try the Pretzel, Raspberry and Chocolate Ale, and have yet to see the newly released Lemon Chiffon Cruller Ale. But I will given time.

Anyway, here’s what Rogue says about the Voodoo Doughnut Chocolate Peanut Butter & Banana Ale on their website:

Rogue Ales has again collided with Voodoo Doughnut to create Chocolate, Banana & Peanut Butter Ale! This unique artisan creation contains a dozen ingredients including chocolate, banana and peanut butter to match Voodoo’s "Memphis Mafia" doughnut- a nod to Elvis' entourage.

Ingredients listed there:

Malts: 2-Row, C-150, C-175, Carafoam Special II, Chocolate

Hops: Rogue Farms Revolution & Independent

Specialty: Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & Banana Extracts

Yeast & Water: Free Range Coastal Water & Pacman Yeast

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Chocolate Peanut Butter & Banana Ale has an alcohol content of 5.3% by volume and 25 IBUs. My one quibble is the price, this one ran me $10.99 when I bought my bottle last summer and the series now runs around $11.99 a bottle, albeit for a 25.4 ounce 750 ML bottle. If you can’t find it near you, you can order it on Rogue’s website for $13 plus shipping. Rogue ships beer to most states.

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Chocolate Peanut Butter & Banana Ale pours to a dark brownish color with a huge thick head of rocky tan cauliflower foam and a very enticing nose of chocolate and banana. Indeed, there’s a little creamy phenolic banana that helps give the impression of a banana split. Taking a sip, the chocolate comes out for me up front followed by the fruity, smooth banana notes. The peanut butter is the most subtle component here but you do get a little nuttiness before the dark chocolate takes over in the finish. That finish is a tad roasty and fairly dry. I am really enjoying all the flavors here, and the banana and nuttiness really work well with the rich dark chocolate. I think I would just like a little more peanut butter flavor to appear.

Rogue is going after the flavors of a Doughnut, and I would say they have succeeded. Except this is better: its beer. Dollars to Doughnuts I’d buy it again.

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