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

2003 bottle. Gold capped. Poured a used motor oil black with a thin brown head. Aroma of deep dark malts-chocolate and burnt coffee- with licorice, charred wood, leather, fortified wine or brandy, and a bit of vegemite. Sweet dark chocolate, espresso and black licorice flavors--basically as if the darkest malts were reduced to their pure essence. Also has a raisiny, ’plum pudding’ sweet dried fruit character with some underlying smokiness. Smooth warming finish, though no real harsh boozy notes which I would otherwise expect from 18.8%. Time may have mellowed this some. Mouthfeel a bit thin and oily. Overall an excellent Impy, sweet with the blackest malts, though I can’t say it’s among the top I’ve tried. May be an unfortunate case of over-the-top-ness.

Bottle. This midnight black stout pours with a chocolatey brown head. The aroma is huge with a smokey coffee character mixed with a dried fruit sweetness. This shows in the flavor as well. It is smooth, creamy, full in texture with a warm alcohol laden finish. Best when served at basement to room temp.

I was a bit apprehensive when I ordered this guy. Leave it to the Hop Leaf to have a rare beer on tap. I laughed when they brought me a 5 oz. snifter because I knew what I was in for, but didn’t expect a thimble-full. Let me tell you: 5 oz. is just about right. Rich but thin, like Speedway, with dark chocolate and cedar notes. "Is that CEDAR?" - Jeff Hannan

This is a monster of a beer. Pours a dark black with a tan head. Many scents in the aroma including, roasted malt, chocalte, coffee, dark fruit,etc. Unbelievably smooth taste given the 18% abv. Every sip reveals something new. Chocolate, coffee, roasted maltiness, licorice, fig, etc. This is my favorite beer from Dogfish Head.

Dark brown with a very think yellow head. Nose is a tale of 2 halves; chocolate and roast early, but a certain cardboard, musty, cork taint-like character takes the edge off. Flavours are intense early - sweet chocolate, roast, but one dimensional. And that dimension is just loaded with sugar. Thanks Lach (via Linc).

2007 bottle: Pours black with a think and dissipating tan head. Aroma is of bitter chocolate and alcohol and just a wiff of licorice. Flavor is malty and sweet with dark rich chocolate and some plum notes, definite strong licorice sweetness throughout. Alcohol warming that heats your throat as it goes down. Body is surprisingly light, or atleast light considering how big this beer is. It has a slight syrupyness but no creaminess. Very lightly carbonated.

2006 bottle (dark green cap) I think this is the very best that Dogfish Head has to offer. This is such a remarkable beer. Whifs of a sweet rum cream, behind a roasted background. Myriad of flavors include vanilla, oak, malty sweet, with some sourmash whiskey flavors. This gives you a full mouthfeel, but it is still easy to drink and not cloying in the least bit. So very smooth and delicious. Be careful of the alcohol, which is well hidden beneath all of the flavors.

Bottle, 2007 release. Enjoyed in a snifter over several hours. Pours black with little head. Aroma is fairly alcoholic, with quite a bit of anise, black licorice (yuck), and a bit of molasses. Flavor is lightly sweet, with raisin, fig, roasty malts, and that black licorice that I dislike in this quantity. There is also some brown sugar sweetness and a just a hint of coffee. Creamy and smooth for mouthfeel with a fairly evident alcohol burn. Interesting, big, bold, and intoxicating as hell. I got more I’m going to age for the hell of it. Good sipper and if not for the ever present licorice in this bottle it would be one of my top raters.