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

12 oz bottle

I have been aging this for two years in the hope that it would take some of the edge off. It seems to have helped as I found this very palateable despite the 18% ABV. In many ways it reminded me of Dark Horizon except with just a little less complexity. If you do want to tackle this alone give yourself plenty of time. Better yet invite over some friends and split it.

Aroma / Appearance - The oily vinous body stuck to the sides of the goblet. The sticky lacing refused to budge for quite a while before it began to shift. Anise, straight black coffee, plum and a rich alcoholic bouquet merge into a very dense aroma. Without being intense it is evidently packing a punch.

Flavor / Palate - The mouthfeel immediately sticks to the tongue and throat. A coating of cocoa, anise, black coffee and liqueur blend into a slow sipper. The dry finish was strong and lingered in the throat for many minutes. I will probably sit on my other bottle for many years to get it more time to settle down. It’s solid at this point but with more age may be even better.

12oz bottle served at cellar temperature. Bottled 10/10/06. Smelled of chocolate liqueur, soft black cherry, and fig. Poured an opaque black color with a brown head. The body was presumably lightened up by the assertive alcohol presence, but was still on the full end of the spectrum. Warm and a little prickly on the tongue. Sweet, but not cloyingly so. I tasted chocolate liqueur, roasted malt, and some toffee. There was also a hint of anise. Not unlike a rum soaked chocolate donut. Surprisingly easy to drink at 18%.

looks like a coke and so does the head fast up fast down. the nose is great with coffee chocolate toffee and a touch of dried dark fruit. a touch thick but not creamy more syrupy. sweet and one dimensional. it is well balanced but way over hyped.

Darrrk brown, with a brown head. Pepsi head and bubbles. Alcohol, coffee notes, molasses, prunes/dates aroma. Thick palate and mouth feel. Flavor is a bit sweet, sugar, caramel, dark fruits. Reminds me of a port wine. For the price, not worth it.

Aroma of fruits, raisin, hint of coffee and varnish which is probably the loads of alcohol but not annoying. Black, small - almost none - brown head, few lace, oily. Very sweet, fruits, wine-like, hint of coffee, burning and sticky feeling. Completely overdone if you ask me. What are they trying to prove? That they can make a lot of alcohol? It’s only for the complexity that I give this beer this high rating.

HELL YES! Beautiful black beer poured into a nice big snifter and enjoyed until it was ALL gone. Nose is molasses,raisins,syrup, and toffee. Brew is sweet and thick. Coats glass, leaving it a dark brown. Flavor is molasses, roasty malts, syrup...YES!

Thank you so much After4ever/Tom, for this one from our first trade in January 2007. It’s a vintage 2004 and I enjoy it mid May 2008. It’s pitch black with a small, creamy, tan head. The aroma is vinous with notes of roasted malt, port-wine, hints of oranges, dark fruit, licorice and syrup. The mouthfeel is oily and leaves a layer on tongue and teeth. The flavour has a light sweetness, notes of roasted malt, sweet licorice, dark fruit, preserved figs, blood orange, and towards the end I find licorice, that develops into coffee in the very, very long finish. There is nothing much more to say than it’s a fantastic beer!

12oz bottle (2006 vintage).....pours heavy dark and close to black. a mild light brown head topped it off but was quick to disappear.....ripe dark fruits, mostly red cherries, was what i noticed most upon first scent. then some molasses and maple made their way into the equation. very light on the typical imperial stout aromas of chocolate and sweet malt although there was some to contend with.....sweet flavor that was initiated with dark cherries, chocolate, and rich sugars. heavy hot and boozy as i would expect with a brew of this magnitude. this didn’t remind me so much of an imperial stout as it did a port wine.....not sure if i’m too big of a fan of this. i can feel this kicking my ass as i write this. i def enjoyed the 2003 version more as it was a lot more tame and matured. yet was even stronger for some reason. well executed though for such a dominating brew.