Dogfish Head World Wide Stout 2002 (23%)

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

No head. Body is black (but not opaque). Aroma is moderately yeasty (dough), moderately malty (molasses), with notes of soy sauce, maple syrup, prune, vanilla, and alcohol. Flavor is harshly sweet, lightly acidic. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Full body, syrupy/oily texture, soft carbonation, lightly alcoholic. No mincing about with words here...well-hidden alc (in the finish) is pretty much the only enjoyable thing in this extra-sweet syrupy and doughy concoction. Much preferred the elegant 18% version...this is only suited for pancakes/waffles IMHO.

Black. Really black. Faint, fizzy, loud head dies quickly and we're left with still and oily-looking. Heady port-wine aroma, sweet, alcoholic, medicinal, cherry-licorice. Powerful and interesting, but maybe a bit much. Flavor, well, again the port and alcohol are dominant at the front; I really hesitate to describe this as "beer". Chemically, perhaps, but flavorwise? Vanilla is prominent later on, finishes very warming and deliciously smooth. I've had a fair amount of port and sherry, and I like this more than most examples of those wines; alcohol doesn't seem as strong as in a fortified wine either. Sweetness is really powerful at the end, nearly cloying, and that brings this down a bit from the 18%, but it is still damn fine stuff. I'm just glad I have a few more bottles of each for future occasions.

There is a black hole in my glass, completely opaque (at least with my lighting). Very oily body produce clear liquid lacing on the glass. The smell was almost the same as the 18 ABV but the alcohol is a bit more noticeable. Very sweet (fig and eiswine) and pungent taste, unlike the 18, this was too much and just overpowered my palate. Someone get me a tongue depressor since my mouth is glued shut by the syrupy sticky liquid. The alcohol burn caused my diaphragm to go into shock. I liked the 18 but I honestly can not give this a great rating. Maybe they can go the opposite direction and produce an 15 ABV stout (unlike the barleywine). Be afraid, be very afraid.

Bottle ah home ... all to myself ... hehehehe ... well ok i did let stella have a little ... deep deep oily black ... short lived fizzed tan head ... rummy toffee roast oily malt nose ... some fizz in mouth feel ... silky rich treacle toffee is the first impression...theres a definit ligth spiritness but not rough ... the alcohols there but in the same way its there in a whisky ... a nice warming feeling ensues ... WOW again ... i dont think this is at the Heights of the UK release i drank about 2 years ago ... but that makes this 3 years older... the mouthfell is totally tip top ... and the flavour is so rich deep and fruity ... figgs ... raisins ... plums .. and the sweet treacle toffee

Those who had not yet met the beast slapped their money down on the table as if they were playing poker and were now raising the stakes. It had been a long hard day of drinking serious beers, and now we were ready for the big one. I went off to make the deal - one opened bottle of the world's strongest beer. The man from BeerAdvocate, fully sober and in charge of the Bier Sans Frontiere bar, stood with his hands on his hips and shook his head. "I can't give you an opened bottle of a beer that strong." No amount of logical arguement, passionate pleading nor drunken sobbing would change his mind. "Bring me four glasses and I'll pour it out, but I aint giving you an opened bottle." Defeated, I went back and told the others the sad news. Nuffield swept to the rescue. He plucked the money from my hand, stormed up to the bar and returned a few moments later with a bottle of the beast clutched in his fist. Obviously, being American, he was judged able to handle his beer like a man....oops, to be continued...
Cont/... Celephane, alcohol and vinyl aroma. Not pleasant or encouraging. Sweet and tingly up front. Warming - in fact hot as it goes down. Lots of caramel, toffee, fudge flavours. very pleasant - in fact very yummy, but only in small portions - the alcohol have provoke a gagging reaction. Nice - but way too powerful!

This was the first giant beers I ever had and still one of my favorites. Poured black with a minimal tan head. Roasted chocolatey aroma, sweet and vinous. Flavor is sweet with chocolate, roasted malt, dark fruit, alcohol but not as much as you would think. That is what makes it so good that it is pretty damn drinkable and one beer and you are good to go. Full bodied mouthfeel.

Bottled. Poured clear and much lighter than expected with exactly zero carbonation. The aroma was anything but weak with alcohol-powered chocolate and molasses upfront paired with sherry and some oak.. sweet and very warm, but remarkably presentable for such a strong beer. The flavor had more of an impression from the dry sherry notes.. molasses, tar, and aged caramel at the core with candied molasses and dry cocoa through the finish.. more sherry at the end and this was warm (but never harsh). Heavier-bodied, but not as thick as I expected.. bonus point for balancing the heavy ABV in here.. dry, warm cocoa finish. Very good stuff!

Very dark brown, almost opaque black. At this strength you do not expect to see any foam? Highly aromatic and alcoholic. This beer has so many good qualities in it but sadly they are well hidden from my taste buds by 23 % of alcohol. That’s way too much.