Dogfish Head World Wide Stout 2002 (23%)

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

Deep brown color. Big alcohol aroma. Only the slightest head. Some fruitiness. Sweet flavor. Very port-like. Alcohol warming. Tingles the tongue. Medium body. Impressive to get this sort of strength solely from fermentation. I'm not floored, but it's interesting as a novelty. I can't imagine drinking a whole bottle. Far, far better than Sam Adams Triple Bock. Thanks user_ex!

Pours a gorgeous super deep black, with a quickly diminishing small tan head that leaves no lacing. As soon as the top came off, the alcohol aroma was present, as was lots of dark fruitiness (raisin, plum), some syrup, and some chocolate. Flavor was overly sweet to start, slightly better in the middle when the fruit, syrup, and chocolate flavors mix and mellow a little, and then the alcohol kicks in with a tongue numbing, belly warming thump. This is probably not something I would try again, just not my style.

I agree with dominion - DO NOT GULP THIS BEER or you will choke on it. It has 23% abv and you can tell that as you drink it. Extremely dark and extremely powerful. One of these gave me a heavy buzz. This beer is worth trying out just to say you've had it, but it is so damn expensive at $7.89 per bottle that I probably wont go that route again.

It’s hard to fathom how something this glorious could even be brewed. very little head on top of the red-tinged black snifter. aroma, especially as it warms, is peppery higher alcohols, molasses, figs. the mouthfeel on this one is slightly thicker than i remember the other years being, but who knows how much of that is memory betraying me. again, as it gets warmer, the alcohol becomes more noticable. the flavor is lots of chocolate, a minor hint of roast (aged out, perhaps?), caramel, figs, and more chocolate. this is world-class stuff. easily in my top 5 beers.

My first impression was that I didnt like it quite as much as the 18%. The alcohol was much more noticable, and it seemed like a barlywine/stout combination, rather than just a strong stout. Still, I was good, but like so many over the top beers, way overpriced.

12-08-02 & then updated on 2-21-03 Ok, we did a side by side by side tasting with 3 Floyds Dark Lord Imperial Stout ,WWS 18%, & WWS 23%,Insane alcohol, you can actually feel it going down,like liquid fire,coffee,cocoa, malt, lethal if taken in huge doses.I will say I thought 18% was a little bit better, only time will tell if this one improves.Vertical tasting (I have 5 bottles left) 12-31-03 its been a year since I had one of these and they have been aging in my cellar, they have mellowed nicely quite a significant change over the past year rich rudy robust coffee, chocolate covered cherries and molasses, warming and a perfect fit for the new year. and the alochol has subdued, Really I am amazed at the difference over last year's tasting, The 18% is still better and I have not yet had the 21% so I can't compare that one. Score improves from a 4.0 to the current one, can't hardly wait till next year! Recommended !

Thanks to thedm and hotstuff for this. Black as the night. nice lacing. Head is a light brown that dissapates quickly. Aroma is alcoholic as hell. Not much else. Flavor is strong and warming. Aftertaste has some roasted notes. Not bad, could use some years in the dark.

Very similar to the 18% but slightly dryer. A little more vinous quality. Roasted flavors are not as evident as in the 18%. But I LIKE THIS BEER!