Dogfish Head World Wide Stout 2002 (23%)

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

Super thick and dark, it stains the side of the glass brown. Absolutely no head. The alcohol really gets pushed through here. Plums, raisins, thick malts, caramel, and dark roasted wooded flavors. The alcohol is so dominant though. As the beer warms it jumps out and controls everything. Also had the pleasure to do a side-by-side sample with the 18% and the alcohol in the 23% is really powerful. Good, but watch out.

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 !

How can this be called a beer? It's unbelievable how well 23% alcohol is masked, but it's equally unbelievable how much sugar must be put into the wort. Definetly for dessert. Very heavy. Brown sugar, maple and coffee - but mostly molasses. Nice, very nice. I will buy more to keep around for special occasions, and when I want to sleep really well. If only it wasn't so syrupy and heavy.

Don’t let my rating mislead you... this is a great beer, but I could not drink it very often. I would rather have it in an 8 oz bottle than a 12 oz bottle. Black with a red tint, very little head (more than I expected however). Sweet vinous aroma. High alcohol is noticeable, but a favorable part of the flavor. Sweet and fruity flavor, hints of chocolate and cherries. A thick and full body that leaves a syrupy sweetness after the alcohol burn travels down the throat. This beer should be used sparingly, more like a spirit.

Here it is, my first "real-time" review. I will type my thoughts as I drink, and it's no ordinary brew at all. This is my second bottle of this mighty stout, the first one gave me one of my worst hangovers of all time. It was my 5th beer of the night, but it counted for 5 more! I'm more in my right mind tonight... First off, someone didn't like the label! The words "vim and vigor" are markered out! My guess is that someone in government beurocracy thought that the phrase suggested healthy properties to the beer. Idiots! So now it reads "A very dark beer brewed with ridiculous amounts of barley," Color is completelely, fully Stygian black, head is a good 1/2", that slims down right quick, and a tannish hue. Aroma is strong and powerful from the start. Magnificent! Deep, dark, roasty and toasty, boozy, rummy, ...the deeper I drinker in the nose, the more the alcohol kicks into my senses! Like a rich, roasted cognac! A stick of molasses candy, wrapped in a licorice whip and doused with a cocktail of Meyer's, Amaretto, B&B, and Booker's bourbon! This aroma is utterly unheard of! Now to drink the damned thing! Gargantuan mouthfeel, thick, rich...well, really those phrases are useless in this case, I need something stronger. You bite, you chew, and this dark, lush, and, yes, dangerous elixir washes over the mouth , the senses swim, reaching and grasping for adequate words to describe the experience, yet always wanting. Alcohol is sharp and stinging, always present, always snaking itself up and in and "Drunkening". Malt is massive in this mammoth stout, providing thick flavor and booze, glorious booze. I can't detect a stitch of hops anywhere. So who needs 'em, Mac? "How dry I am...how dry I am..nobody knows...how dry I--HIC!" Tiny sips, brother, tiny sips, there's no guzzling allowed with this monster, unless you're some kind of maniacal masochist. I had to take the drinkability factor way down because there's no way you can have more than one, unless you have a death wish. I wish, I wish, I wish this came in tiny bottles and was a hell of a lot cheaper. That'd make a nice, lovely nightcap. I wish, I wish...yeah, all those wishes and a magic wand will grant me world peace and a date with Salma Hayek... Oh!What!A!Beer!...Ti for beddy bye, y'all!

Rock, Rock, Rock! I Would take this beer home to Mama. Mr. Nixon (see rating below) is sadley mistaken when he says I poured my portion in his glass, that was the Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde. I loved the feel of this beer in my mouth. Thick and smooth, it coated my mouth like carbonated molasses, and I like molasses. The alcohol was a sharp bite in the sweetness which helped to balance it out. I was a bit tanked at that point so I wasn't paying much attention to subtle undertones and secondary flavors so I'll Have to try this one again. Maybe I'll make sure I'm swimming in the drink next time too so I have a perpetual reason to make Eric buy this one for me!

Very interesting brew. Very Potent. Smooth with little bitter edge to it. If this is available in your area I would recommend you try it.

Very dark but not syrupy. Smooth. This is a serious stout without a hint of hops. I took 1 1/2 hours to drink one, do not pound down a six-pack of this in an hour. The alcohol is noticeable, so is some sweetness. Very complex taste with some raisin overtones. Be ready to pay $9.95 for ONE 12oz bottle.