Dogfish Head World Wide Stout 2002 (23%)

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

Quite possibly one of the best beers that exist in the world. Amazing in every way.

Dark black with no head. Intensely vinous and thick. Sort of a sweet port wine crossed with stout. Notes of molasses, raisin, banana, and grape. Syrupy with a strong alcohol presence and a touch of bitterness.

12 oz. brown, longneck bottle. Bottled in 2002 label on front of bottle, along with inked out Vim and Vigor on front label. I’ve had it aging in my cellar for 6 years now. Weak pfftt when bottle was opened. Still has a very little carbonation left in this old girl. My pocket beer engine produced a quick 1 finger dark mocha colored head. Major legs on this beer. Aromas are of molasses, rum soaked prunes, whiskey barrel, licorice, burnt sugar. Flavors are astounding. Major molasses / rum in the flavor. Along with licorice, burnt sugars, espresso beans, vanilla, and alcohol. Aging this brute of a beer has mellowed out the alcohols somewhat, but they still burn all the way down. Brandy flavors blend with the massive malt backbone. Some cherry pit flavors at the end. Thick, rich mouthfeel. Surprizing, since this beer is now 6 years old. Chewy texture. Almost a meal in a glass. This beer has aged extremely well, especially since it’s been moved around 4-5 times in it’s lifetime. It makes me kind of sad to know I only have 2 more of these beauties aging in my cellar. A first class, world class beer from Sam & the gang at Dogfish Head. Cheers!

Very strong aroma. Deep black pour with a fizzy tan head. Alcohol present in the flavor. Much more than the 120 Minute IPA. A little too strong for me. Complex flavor full of roasted coffee, roasted malt, spice, floral. I couldn't handle another full bottle of this. This is potent stuff. Drink with caution if you think you can handle this. Wow!

This was my bottle of beer for New Years Eve 2003. Very sweet molasses flavor that dominated the entire pint. You could tell the alcohol was there but it wasn't overpowering.

Alcohol and dark fruit in the nose, small tan head, pitch black body. Very sweet, indeed sugary, on the first sip, and it burns going down, like whiskey. Some fruitiness; I get a hint of banana, or perhaps prunes. Somewhat vinous but the sweetness overwhelms. Some burnt flavors. I have to say that I am extremely disappointed now that I've finally gotten a chance to try this balleyhooed brew. Granted, the 18% (which I haven't had) gets better ratings, but this beer doesn't impress me at all. Too much alcohol taste, too sugary, not much complexity. Update: Just checked and this is the lowest rating I've given a DFW beer. Talk about disappointment - I gave the Chicory Stout a 4.1 and expected this to be even better! RERATE 11/22/2003: These have been sitting on the shelf at Premier for a while, so I decided to give it a second try. Age seems to have dried it out a bit; it's no longer so sugary. Flavor is still overwhelmed by alcohol, although not in a totally unpleasant way. I get a fair amount of banana over the alcoholic nose. I'll give it a couple more points, but it's still not a 95th %ile beer.

Black, Dark chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, alcohol, caramel, little dark fruits, molasses.

As dark as any beer ever made. Pours with no head. Aroma of vanilla, dates and alcohol. The abv actually burns your nose. A consistency of Kahlua makes it much less drinkable than the last vintage. While this is still good, it is far less balanced and much less like beer and far more like schnaaps. Made me sick after drinking the whole thing. Would recommend a partner when you open the bottle.