Dogfish Head World Wide Stout 2002 (23%)

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

Pitch black with a dimuitive brown head. Fruity nose coupled with an alcohol aroma. The body was slightly chewy and flat. A tinge of alcoholic burn as slips down the throat. The taste was very, very sweet having the flavor of raisin and prunes. The slightest bit of burnt malt in the swallow. Strange and weird, almost to the point of not be recognizable as beer. The taste is so upfront that even a 12oz bottle seems overkill.

Nose is sugary, with hints of chocolate, licorice, and prunes. Clear, dark dark brown with little to no head. Flavor is extremely sweet, but balanced somewhat by some oaky, musty notes, a pleasant dry bitterness, and some vinous flavors. Most impressive, perhaps, is that it masks the alcohol entirely in the flavor--one only finds it in a warming sensation as it goes down (and a marked abandon in coherence after 9 oz. or so). I’m unfortunately driven to compare it to 3Floyds Dark Lord, which, though perhaps very close in the level of sweetness, throws in some more balancing flavors to counteract that sweetness and come off as the more interesting brew. But this is damned fine nonetheless.

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!

Thanks to JohnC for sharing. We had this as part of an Imperial Stout tasting, along with a WWS 21%, which was very different but along with this one stands in a class of their own. This one has a combination of dark fruit and mollasses that brings up terriaki to mind, but not to a distraction, it’s still quite excellent.

Soooo much alcohol in the taste. What a rush. Nice floral and vanilla smell, so appealing. Taste sends alcohol up through your nose like a shot of rum. Not as complex or as good as the 18% version, but quite acceptable. You can tell a lot of work went into producing this fine stout. A classic.

Poured a dark brown, with a small tan head that quickly receded. An interesting beer, very different from the norm. aroma was of roasted malt with a hint of alcohol. Taste was very similar to a port, hints of chocolate, plums, with a sweet sticky like finish, alcohol is well hidden, except for a pleasant sweet burn down the throat. Not an everyday beer, but an interesting and welcome treat. i look forward to see how my other bottles age over the next 2-3 years.

On tap at the Moan and Dove DFH festival. Gorgeous dark black, nice head lots of lace. Aroma was very alcoholic, roasted and somewhat chocolaty. Taste was cherry, chocolate and a very present but not overwhelming alcohol presence. Smoother than you would expect. Finishes somewhat sweet and alcoholy.

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.