World Wide Stout - Dogfish Head Brewery

jdprmd

Missouri

4.75/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Served in oversized snifter 2010 december release

L - thick creamy light tan head, not as dark as most imperial/double stouts but this looks good

S - Wow... a lot going on here; dark fruit, booze but in a good way, characteristics of being barrel aged, chocolate and bits of cognac ... I could go on and on

T - This is the second time I have had this... and it is way better this time... taste imitates the smell exactly

M - very rich and creamy ... just sublime

O - I am surprised at what just a year did to this beer and am glad I have 4 more .. seek this out!

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 01:26:36 | More by jdprmd

Zach136

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle poured into a Terrapin snifter 1/7/13 - reviewed from notes.

A - Pitch black with a small caramel head that quickly dissipated to nothing. Leaves no lacing and takes quite a bit of swirling to get any head back and then have it disappear quickly. I guess this is to be expected of an 18% ABV brew.

S - Smells like straight up soy sauce, there are also hints of whiskey, red wine, and chocolate. Complex, but not what I look for in a stout.

T - Probably the definition of a hot boozy mess. Watered down whiskey covers a light chocolate malt flavor.

M - Very light bodied for an imperial stout, the alcohol really numbs the palate.

O - I used to be disappointed that GA had a 12% cap on beer coming into the state, and while the libertarian side of me still wants that to go away, the beer drinker in me probably won't take advantage of it if this is any indicator of a good high alcohol beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 01:54:41 | More by Zach136

macrosmatic

Florida

4.23/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a Russian River pint glass.

A: Very dark brown to black, with a thin brown head, and low visible carbonation.

S: Coffee, booze, acetone, a bit fruity. Not great.

T: Much better flavor than expected, if I can take a mouthful without smelling it again. Vinous, dark fruit and fig, cola, tobacco, and some cacao. Mild bitter with sweet malt on the finish.

M: Thick, heavy body, minimal carbonation sensation. Marked alcohol presence but not boozy somehow.

O: This is tasty, but I'm hoping it will improve with some age on it. The flavors got better as it warmed up a bit.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 06:32:05 | More by macrosmatic

kylehay2004

Florida

3.98/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Vintage 2004 bottle. No head on a jet black body but still leaves specks of lacing. Aroma of dark fruit, mostly raisin and cherry, milk chocolate, brown sugar and candied fruits. Flavors are much sweeter than expected with cola, milk chocolate and brown sugar dominating and roasted malts taing a back seat here. Really surprised how sweet this one is. The finish does have some earthy hop notes but they are minimal. relativiely thick body and no carbonation really. A littl too sweet for me. Certainly not what I was expecting. The booze are incredibly well hidden for the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 04:56:19 | More by kylehay2004

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 version aged 1 year. Pours dark brown to black in the glass with an off white head. Head is reasonably thick at pour but then disappates to not much. Smells of a ton of dark malts. Taste is also dark malts but adds in brown sugar and syrup notes. Somewhat boozy taste at this point in time but have most of this case left in aging and have noticed in other WWS verticals that the boozy flavor goes away after a few years (hopefully same with this batch).

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:33:48 | More by Oakenator

Iceman77

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First time having a World Wide, been too long and NYE is as good a time as any. The pour is a little disappointing, it's a nice color and depth, but there is no head or lacing...it wasn't a vigorous pour but still, maybe it was just this bottle? The aromas on the other hand are amazing, among the best I've ever experienced in a stout. Big blasts of roasted malt, chocolate, anise and currant, I almost felt like I was smelling a bourbon or a Cali cabernet at first. The flavors are just as bold, the malt and dark fruit comes back around, along with some earthy/oaky undertones almost like it was cask aged. The mouthfeel obviously has a little bite with the abv, but it's not overpowering. This is definitely a big, bold imperial stout, worthy of the "World Wide" label and a must try for stout lovers.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 04:24:22 | More by Iceman77

kaseydad

California

4.53/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Christmas Eve and all is well. Decided to crack this open before a night of presents and food.

Bottle dated 11/17/09. Snifter pour.

Pours a black as night brew with a nice beige head. Wasn't sure what to expect but I'm liking the pour and look so far.

The smell is fantastic. Chocolate, roasted malts, dark fruits, apple, cocoa and delicious vanilla.

Chocolate taste with a decent sized kick of booze that lets my esophagus know it's there. Dangerously drinkable though. Sweetness is present. More roastiness. Molasses. Kinda nutty aftertaste. I could see some palate fatigue coming on with more that just one bottle. Sweet underlining alcohol.

Hearty mouthfeel. Sam's crew got it right for such a high alcohol beast. Silky and smooth. Light carbonation.

Overall this monster is worthy of high marks. A massive stout that brings itself to the field and performs. I would highly recommend laying her down for a bit to soothe the beast, but the 3 year wait was worth it. Does not drink like a 18% beer. Nuff said.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 23:52:06 | More by kaseydad

allenson21

New York

1.45/5  rDev -65.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

HIGHLY disappointing. I'll take you through the experience then discuss.

12 oz bottle > Snifter

A - Pours nicely: dark brown with some tan head. Looks good

S - EEK. Soy sauce stout.

T - Yep, soy sauce. Alcohol and soy sauce. NOTHING ELSE!

M - The back-end is borderline palatable ---- high ABV stout. Poorly carbonated

O - Couldn't get through the 12 oz bottle. Offensive to the senses.

After trolling the other reviews, I think I may have bought an infected bottle. I checked the date and it was not too old. I was with several other avid beer drinkers and they concurred that this brew is offensive.

I would be willing to try it again, but this experience is a bit unsettling.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 18:49:50 | More by allenson21

solo103

Florida

4.68/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - poured a deep dark brown with a 1/8 inch tan head

Aroma- sweet smell of vanilla, carmel with a slight hint of booze

Taste- alcohol warmth is definitely in the for front followed by a hint of roasted malt. For me the alcohol warmth and booze dominate's the pallet

Mouthfeel- slick feel at first followed by a dry finish

Overall this is a very drinkable stout especially for being 18 percent. To me the amount of booze dominates the profile of the beer wich is something I personally enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 22:02:34 | More by solo103

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

4.48/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

2010 bottle

Appearance: As one would expect, dark with a thin head that quickly disappears.

Smell: Booze, sweet caramel, roasted malts, figs and other dark fruit, brown sugar. Very aromatic.

Taste: Blast of sweet candied fruit up front transitions into some brown sugar in the middle. The end is a bit bitter, with some dark chocolate and malted barley to round things off. This definitely does not drink like an 18%er at this point, after 2+ years. There is some booze that is noticeable at the end, but it's nowhere near indicative of how strong this really is. It drinks more like 10% now.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat thin compared to the huge taste, and also much lighter bodied compared to many other stouts. There is a considerable amount of carbonation that compensates for the average/thin mouthfeel. Definitely nowhere near as full bodied as BCBS, KBS, etc. This does give it(dare I repeat this shit-beer slogan)drinkability, though, despite being high in abv.

Overall: Sweet and a pleasure to drink, despite being high in abv. Can't wait to see what a few more years will do to this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 04:35:54 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

n2185

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2007 vintage

A: pours black with half a finger of tan head head that fades into a thin ring with no lacing.

S: sweet chocolate, oxidized graham cracker aroma, dark fruits, sherry, and molasses.

T: really sweet molasses with dark fruits, port, and with slight notes of soy and oxidation. Interesting.

M: thick body with very little carbonation, this beer is thick and sticky.

O: I've had this beer fresh, and I have to say it's much preferable with 5 years on it. It's a bit too sweet for me, but is enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 02:21:16 | More by n2185

Brandywine

Washington

3.2/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

2012 Vintage

Appearance: Black. Darkest beer I've ever seen. Half a finger of a beautiful brown head. Viscous alcohol legs with lacing sticking around. A few big bubbles.

Smell: Figs, booze, caramelized sugar, fear.

Taste: Rich dark chocolate, booze is present but surprisingly restrained, at least at frige temperature. Dark roasted malt. Brown sugar sweetness is cut by the alcohol. Fig and date with other dark fruits struggling to break through the alcohol layer.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with mild carbonation.

Overall: I've had this beer after 4 years of aging and its absolutely out of this world. Fresh however, it is somewhat difficult to get down especially as it warms. The booze while never terribly unpleasant gets in the way of all the other flavors.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 23:26:19 | More by Brandywine

Beer_Runner

4.93/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle in 2011, and aged more than one year before opening.

A: A fairly aggressive pour into a standard pint glass produced about an eighth of a finger of dense head that was about the dark brown color of the creama on a good shot of espresso. The head retention is very good for this level of ABV – it lasted for about most of the session although it did break-up and become patchy. It also left a little bit of lacing. The brew is an infinitely deep black and there is some carbonation erupting at the bottom of the glass.

S: The aroma has a boozy and wine-like characteristic. There is also some malt sweetness and some grain to the aroma.

T: The taste is very sweet with plenty of warming alcohol heat to balance the sweetness. There are also notes of grain, toasted grain, and some dark dried fruits.

M: The body is rich, full, and heavy, and there is some alcohol heat, too. It is also a little sticky.

O: There is plenty of hype around this beer. Fortunately, it certainly lived up to the hype. It is a bold and ballsy, and even a bit fierce – a true tribute to malted barley goodness. The malt sweetness and the alcohol heat play off each other so that neither one becomes overwhelming or cloying. These two flavors work together in a great duet while the flavors of grain, toasted grain, and dark dried fruits work to compliment the lead and provide an enjoyable complexity to the performance. This is one of the best malt focused beers available – If you can find it, buy it. It is a “must try” for fans of malt focused big beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 01:52:05 | More by Beer_Runner

NorCalYeti

California

4.23/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

deep brown core with a caramel edge...reminds me of a coffee drink in appearance. very little carbonation when opened. non-existent head when poured in the glass...couldn't coax one out when i agitated the glass. has an oily lace in the glass. only about three or four distinct notes in the nose...barnyard, cork, dark fruit, alcohol. surprisingly decent amount of hop bite in the mouth. rounded edges on the palate but you could feel the silky weight of the beer. it crept up on me. i thought i would be through it in no time because it would be over the hill. i'm into it for over an hour and i still have a quarter to go. it's a great surprise. it definitely drinks like a port and reminds me of the noble companion 10 year.

i bought this beer when i was back east in buffalo...the shop is called premier gourmet. i was back east for my grandmother's funeral 10 years ago. pulled this gem from the cellar...trying to clear out the beer cellar and re-evaluate...still have two lockers full of wine...have to get through some of this stuff already and don't want to pass up an opportunity to sample the locker this holiday while it's fresh. the label is weird and reads "a very dark beer brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley, vim and vigor"...the latter three words darked out with a marker...strange.

cheers all.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 05:26:48 | More by NorCalYeti

WillCarrera

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, bottled in 2011, poured into a snifter.

A- Pours a dark brown color, topped with a thin, quickly dissipating khaki head, leaves no lacing but has some legs.

S- Powerful rubbing alcohol, some sweet raisin dark fruit, some vanilla and maybe a bit of chocolate. It's doesn't smell bad, but the alcohol is a bit too solvent-ey.

T- Sharp alcohol again, although the malt is big enough to balance it out more so than in the aroma. Lots of dark fruit, rich chocolate, vanilla and caramel, the finish brings some sweet, warm alcohol and some dry wood flavors.

M- Full-bodied, low carbonation, with a dry and warm finish.

O- A pretty nice stout, after the overly hot, unfortunate experience that 120 Minute IPA was I have to say that this is considerably better. The booze is powerful but not overly so; this is a tasty, enjoyable sipping beer, although there are better high ABV barrel-aged stouts out there.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 06:47:11 | More by WillCarrera

MEsoJD

California

3.73/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

[Poured into a generic Snifter glass]

I: First off, a big thank you to beer advocate user Zackcamp. Great person and I thank him for his patience since my package to him was sent to oblivion(never ever going to use USPS again). Today was a great day, I want to celebrate and it's cold so lets do it with a specialty stout. World Wide stout is one of those Dogfish brews you can't get here in California, plus there aren't too many beers at 18% ABV so I'm pretty excited to taste.

B: [18.00 % ABV 12FL. OZ. Bottled 2011] Presentation is subtle, but inviting. Label texture has the feel of paper/cardboard, but has a sense of quality/authenticity. Sadly it's devoid of back story on the label. Any ingredient information is up front of the label in large text that states,"A very dark beer brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley" and that's probably all you need to know. It's one of those beers your going to shelve because of it's hype/novelty status, not to say it's taste doesn't matter.

A: A dark black body with no transparency, brown head (very fast dissipation), and no lacing.

S: Boozy alcohol is dominate, roasted malt, coffee, figs, caramel, licorice, etc.. All the expected smells of a stout, but perhaps the booziest stout I've ever encountered.

T: Burnt caramel malt and molasses throughout followed by bitterness, licorice, bready, coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, fig and raisin. Vicious, but sweet.

M: Slick/dry finish, full bodied, low to no carbonation, and very apparent alcohol that warms and lingers.

O: Sipper in every since of the word. This will knock you out if your not careful. That said, it was enjoyable though it maybe a little too vicious/overbearing. I enjoyed the warming alcohol combined with many prominent flavors. I wasn't a fan of the constant molasses throughout. Let it warm and sip it in the cold, and enjoy a sweet vicious treat. I believe Stones Imperial Russian Stout is a better experience. I would recommend to experienced drinkers, aging should be considered, and buy at least once. This beer will leave it's mark. Savor Good Beer!

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 06:13:45 | More by MEsoJD

kylelenk

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I've had a few of these: 2009 bottles and served fresh, a 2008 in 2012, and a 2009 in 2012. Taste was best with the 2008 which had been properly cellared, 2009 in 2012 was store on the shelf and was either infected or severely skunked, and 2009 served fresh needed some maturation.

A: Heavy black pour. Older aged variants had tiny yeast flakes.

S: Alcoholic when fresh but gives way after aging to heavy molasses and malt smell.

T: Once again, fresh had an almost overwhelming alcohol taste up front. The properly cellared version had a nice heavy malt profile with little or no hop presence.

M: Viscous. Filling. Last, but not least, intoxicating.

O: Doesn't really do it for me. If you're looking for something to get you pretty drunk and or experience a beer with incredible gravity then this is for you. Doesn't really have a complex flavor profile and there are better stouts out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 02:05:01 | More by kylelenk

mjtiernan

New York

3.78/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Drank this while Hurricane Sandy was pounding the East Coast.

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Bottled 2010 (D).

A: Blacker than black. Little activity on the head...a tiny cover appeared for a few seconds and then not much.

S: Whoa. Heavy molasses, black licorice, burnt caramel, and anise.

T: Everything from the aroma, but also add a ton of black malt. Flavor works for me better than I expected. Definitely on the sweet side. It’s a sipper.

M: Alcohol is hidden better than an 18% beer should be allowed. Pretty impressive. Full bodied and minimal carb.

O: It’s big bold and in-your-face. Not my favorite stout by a long stretch, but still an interesting experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 01:56:36 | More by mjtiernan

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into snifter.

A - Dark black-brown with a creamy tan head.

S - Roasted malt, light milk chocolate, vanilla, dark fruit, slight alcohol fumes.

T - Wow, this is a huge beer. A ton of roasted burnt malt throughout. Raisin, plum, cherry, chocolate, and coffee are all evident and blend well. Alcohol is noticeable but is generally well masked considering the extremely high ABV.

M - Smooth, creamy, full bodied. Warming alcohol, dry finish.

O - A very complex, flavorful beer that packs a punch. I expected the alcohol to overwhelm but that wasn't the case. The dark fruits give off a fine wine characteristic that makes this stout distinct and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 01:46:55 | More by mooseo

chicagoanbeerone

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smells good chocaltly and can't smell or tatse the alcohol. It is really smooth and a very fine thick bold texture when drinking it and has a great chocalte taste with hints of oak barrels or bourbon barrels. It is also very creamy like a milk stout but with more chocalte. it tasted great i loved this stuff worth the price but only once a year and it had a malty sweetness
overall definatly try this beer if you can get it

definity drink this again

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 19:26:09 | More by chicagoanbeerone

JCaweinstein

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on 11/17/09
Black as night with a one finger tan head that dissipates very quickly. This is not very carbonated which i am sure is the result of being nearly 3 years old.
The aromas after the pour were strong. I smelled dark chocolate, raisins, roasted grains. These aromas lasted but a few minutes before I really had to swirl the beer around to pick them up again.
It tastes good and is very rich. First is some serious malty sweetness from which I taste raisins, anise and alcohol. There is some chocolate and cherry flavor on the finish. Different versions of sweet are what I'm getting here and I like it.
Full bodied and malty sweet up front. It coats my mouth as it moves down and then warms me through and through as flavors of chocolate and cherries linger on in the aftertaste.
This is a tasty beer that would be perfect for a cold winter night, which this is not. The flavors are so rich it's almost as if I'm having dessert. At $10 for a 12 oz bottle it's not cheap and is a treat to be sure. I have another bottle that I will hold onto for awhile to see how it changes.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 01:38:10 | More by JCaweinstein

kemoarps

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The pour was fairly standard for high ABV dark beer. Jet black with little to no head. I think it looks tasty, but there's nothing about the appearance that stands out to me

It almost smells like wine. Like a good syrah. Smells of alcohol, boozy dark fruits, black currants, raisins, a little molasses even, all the usual players. I'm not typically overly enthusiastic about dark fruits, but this one really pulls it out amazingly well.

The taste follows the nose. Big malts, dark fruits, spiced up by the zippiness presented by the alcohol (which doesn't make itself overbearing, despite being %18 [!?!]). I could see this potentially turning a couple of wine drinkers' minds. Definitely a sipping beer, but amazingly well balanced and accessibly for its size. Would absolutely pick one up again if I ever find one. I hope to.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 23:32:06 | More by kemoarps

Etan

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle (not sure of how old this is) into a tulip.

A: Pours a glossy black with a pretty large light tan head.

S: Malty, malty aroma. Licorice, coffee, molasses, cherry, anise, chocolate.

T: A lot drier than I was expecting, which is good. Coffee beans, plenty of roasted grain and bitter dark chocolate, caramel and cherry sweetness. Thick roast and some alcohol warmth and sharpness in the finish.

M: Thick and smooth with light but palpable carbonation.

O: This is very drinkable for the ABV, and tastes pretty pleasant as well.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 00:15:12 | More by Etan

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

heads up, this is a review from a 2008 bottle, so some of the characteristics might be changed a little or a lot. been years since i had it fresh, and dont remember loving it, so who knows. this beer pours black, no light coming through, and almost totally flat. the nose is not as boozy as an 18% beer usually is. i smell a ton of dark barley, some oats, and some left over sugar. the flavor is very deep and robust. tons of roast, almost burnt barley malt, and of course abotu as much alcohol as a beer can hold. still, its smooth in the mouth and a little woody. body is well big, with pretty much zero carbonation. im sure thats a product of its age. it is a very pleasant beer, loved the aftertaste. its bitter and sweet at the same time. impressively enjoyable, usually beers this strong are weird to drink. still, its a must share 12 ounce.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 00:28:12 | More by StonedTrippin

Pokernbeer

4.58/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I have tried this beer in the bottle and on tap. Both experiences were exceptional. I tried on tap over the summer on a business trip to Boulder at the great place called "West End Grill" on Pearl St. Even with all of the excellent local beers it stood out as an excellent beer. Great body and very complex flavor, especially for such a strong beer (18%).

I recently found it in NY and bought a bottle for $12 for 12 OSS, steep but totally worth it. I think I likes the bottle better but both were over the top.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 22:30:41 | More by Pokernbeer