Dogfish Head World Wide Stout 2001/2003-Present (18%)

bottle shared at the February Beer Advocate tasting in Houston. Pours black with a thin, off-white head. Nose is of fruit, caramel and molasses. Taste is of fruit, caramel, chocolate, licorice and molasses. Mouthfeel is medium and sweet with alcohol warmth. Very complex. Liked it a lot.

2008 bottle. Dark black with a light tan head. Alcohol apparent on the nose. Slightly roasted flavor accompanied by the characteristic dogfish head high alcohol flavor, the mid to back palate acidic bitterness. I would like to try an older model to see how the flavors evolve over time.

bottle, thanks to SHIG!! 2004 vintage. Pours a thick black with a very thin dark tan head. I think this is one of the strongest beers I have rated and it’s evident in the aroma. Almost red-wine like, but this brew is 5 years old so it could be some sherry notes. Some dark malt and coffee notes as well. Silky smooth texture with tons of dark maltyness mixing with a chocolate covered expresso kind of feel. Really some great flavors going on here. Finishes with only a slight alcohol burn which is suprising. Alcohol is very well hidden in the mouth. Top notch.

Description: Licorice, red wine, prunes, and alcohol on the nose. Black body dressed in amber lace. Oak Barrel, tobacco, brown sugar, and raisins. Drunk pancakes and maple syrup in the finish, without an overbearing sweetness.

Black & Tan:

Someone recommended trying a Black & Tan style by combining this beer with a 120 minute. Being that my store sold both, I saved half of the stout to try it out, though I’m not usually the mixing type…With an almost ridiculously unnamable aroma, the World Wide dominates on the front end, with a brilliant hoppy finish from the 120 minute. A very cool, adventurous experience. I wish I had the words to articulate it, following the high alcohol content of the previous beer, but alas...

bottle 12oz: Finally found some! Thought it would taste like just alcohol. Wow, I was wrong, poured very dark with a thin dark mocha head. Alcohol content really brought a strong sweet malty smell with vanilla. Flavor was not over powering alcohol, but of sweet chocolatey malt with a hint of vanilla and coffee. Excellent stout.

Dark black pour with a thin tan head. Sweet roasted malt aroma. tastees sweet with a bitter aftertaste. First taste hits you, then your taste buds gain back control. It is definately a sip and enjoy beer. If I buy another bottle, I woill let it store for a year or more. There about a dozen left at Rudy’s. Mouthfeel has a small amount of smoky aftertaste.

"Definitely the port of dark beers. I was drawn to this beer as it was advertised as the strongest dark beer in the world. Let me just say HOLY CRAP. It would have been too over the top for most breweries to even attempt a beer like this, but DFH knows the craft well. Think of it as an imperial imperial stout, or stout cubed. The aroma, mouthfeel, and flavor all fall somewhere between what you expect from a russian imperial and port, which is quite pleasant. Roasted grain, cherries, and alcohol on the nose with a sweet licorice & coffee flavor, smooth, but the alcohol does let it presence be known. worth the price if you can find it. Probably in my top 10 or 20 beers of any style!"

2008 bottle revealed dark brown beer with a thin of white head. Malty yeasty aromas. Full body in your mouth. Roasty malt with some mild chocolate. Dark fruit taste as well with plum and raisin. Alcohol pretty evident as well. Interesting assortment of flavors with some anise, prune, and vanilla touches. Good smooth somewhat dry finish. Good beer.