Dogfish Head World Wide Stout 2002 (23%)

Formerly brewed at Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Milton, Delaware USA

12 oz bottle special thanks to Firemoose. Pretty dang good stuff. Super dark black oily pour. No light getting through this guy. No head to speak of. Some bubbles, but not many. Would feel that it was undercarbonated if I didn’t realize that the high alcohol tends to do that. Strong aromas of alcohol and chocolate. Flavor also dips into the ainse and mocha. More chocolate and how could you miss the alcohol. It is present in the front, middle, and finish. Very warming but still tasty. I don’t think a 12 oz beer ever made me feel like this one (I swear officer, I only had ONE beer...) 23% wow...Very good, but I still have yet to try the 18%.

Ah, World Wide Stout. Glorious. Beautiful. Luscious. I had made myself a personal bet for the Super Bowl—if Tampa wins, I drink the WWS. If they lose, I drink Milwaukee’s Best Ice. Blessedly, I sample the WWS. Deeper color than the 18%. No head. Nose is sweet and strong, the 23% very noticeable. Stunningly rich. Viscous and vinous. Major impression is a powerful sweetness. Sugars remind me of a good Belgian brown, taste like it’s loaded with Belgian candy sugars. Slightly smoky tinge, lots of maple syrup. Some toffee, maybe some caramel, a mild chewiness. Has a very subtle spiciness, a bit Christmas-ish. Notice some cinnamon, perhaps a bit of allspice. I tend to find barleywines remind me of port or sherry, but this is more fine cognac or brandy. As it warms, the sweetness withdraws a bit, and the strength of the brew asserts itself a bit more. Gets thicker as it warms, taking on more of a plum and molasses character. I’ll assume there’s hops in here somewhere, but there’s a truckfull of malts crushing anything even vaguely bitter. Alcohol is as well masked as Monte Kiffin’s defensive schemes. Has a final kick like Derrick Brooks de-cleating a receiver on a crossing pattern. Brewed with the same precision as Brad Johnson’s passing. As aggressive as Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice pursuing the quarterback. As perfect as finally witnessing a championship after years and years of futile hope. Whoohoo.

without a doubt the best beer i’ve had. poured a red hued black with almost no head. wow, there is some alcohol in this, very whiskey like nose. sweet malt and vanilla flavor rich grape notes, some nutmeg and very dark rich maple syrup. very strong, very good, rich plum and doughy notes. so damn rich, so damn good. there is no other way to say it. thanks to richlikebeer for this gem

Aroma is like spiced rum, and faint coffee. Looks like flat coca cola. Taste is sweet like a barleywine with chocolate. Body is dead and alcoholic. A light scotch burn in the nose, the 18% version is great, but this is horrible and them most over the top beer I’ve ever had. Does WWS stand for World Wide Shit?

Almost zero head on this one. No real lacing instead it produces fingers like a wine. Lighter colored than the 18% but still very dark. It looks watery somehow, can't really explain. Aroma is very differnet then the 18%, more smoky and alcoholic while much less sweet. A big deep whiff produces a slight alcohol burn in the nose. The flavor is alcohol and burnt grain bitterness. Not much chocolate or sweetness. Mouth-feel is almost shocking, big thick bodied and very alcoholic. The finish is dry and alcoholic. Overall quite interesting but maybe a bit too much alcohol.

This monster retains all of the flavors and aroma of it's 18% big brothers and delivers not only more alcohol, but a bit more port-like presence. $8 per bottle is a nice price for a perfect dessert (same price I'd pay for a gourmet slice of cheesecake or taramisu). "Vim & Vigor" still proudly displayed on this latest shipment. Still just a point behind the Expedition Stout on my list.

Rated this in May, so it’s aged six months since bottling at this point Finally cracked open a bottle to share with my parish priest. Saw a fizzy head that, of course, disappeared quickly, almost like a Coca-Cola. Come to think of it, there could be a touch of cola in the taste. Brownish-black body with distict tastes of roasted coffee, sherry, molasses, maybe even some maple. Beautifully sweet, but not cloying. It’s a good thing we split one bottle between us, as the alcohol just sneaks up and warms you slowly… can you believe Binny’s carries this with none of those little “Staff choice” signs? Oh, well, that’s why it’s not sold out yet; more for me to buy… More? Why certainly…

…And now we rushed into the embraces of the cataract, where a chasm threw itself open to receive us. But there arose in our pathway a shrouded human figure, very far larger in its proportions than any dweller among men. And the hue of the skin of the figure was of the perfect whiteness of the snow.
E.A. Poe

Pours almost black, with very little dark tan head. Sweet alcohol aromas, with fruits (grapes.) Very sweet flavor of roast malts and lots of alcohol. Had a grape wine taste to it almost. A bit too much, I need to try the 18%.