World Wide Stout - Dogfish Head Brewery

sairvin

Indiana

4.2/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Two versions for this review. One was drank right after purchase and one was aged for two years. I wrote the review to come back later to write this review. As predicted, this beer ages very well. The high alcohol notes completely settle out and a nice caramel dark chocolate note take shape. I tasted dates, chocolate, caramel, a little pineapple maybe from some of the residual hop oils. Enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 03:31:34 | More by sairvin

BWED

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage bottle, purchased and drunk at Monk's Cafe, Philadelphia.
Split with my fiancee, so I got a 6 oz pour into a snifter.

A- Just off black, if that's a term, it shines a little light through. A tan 1/8" head hangs around for the duration, and leaves some nice bits and rings of lacing. When swiveled, a good wine feel of legs crawl down the glass.

S- Lots of dark fruit, winey. Basically boozed up red grapes. From the background comes some of the roasted barley.

T- A caramel sweetness up front, but sweet dark fruit finish up. Red wine-like in the finish, but definitely carries a strong beer character.

M- Wonderfully thick and velvety. The warmth from the booze hangs around in the end, but it's nothing strong. Very mellow for the 18%.

O- This is wonderful, and nothing like any beer I have had before. It has such interesting characteristics, and it's definitely worth getting your hands on. I wouldn't consider this a stout though. Really, I don't know what I would consider it... but I feel like it is a yeast strain away from a quad. Anyway, this was awesome.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 00:31:32 | More by BWED

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.06/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 vintage, 12 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Had this one about a week ago; from notes.

A: How about that, it's not entirely pitch black. It pours a very dark red color in general. The head is one finger mocha shade with superb retention given its gravity.

S: One of the most ridiculously prune-forward stouts I've ever encountered. This makes the dark fruit notes of BCBS and Parabola look feeble in comparison. No, it doesn't have the luscious bourbon character of those two (well, of BCBS at least), but it is backed by some rock-solid chocolate and vanilla notes. Yes, it's ridiculously sweet - at this ABV though, it's a moot point.

T: Simply put, a chocolate/prune bomb. The complexity featured is solid (perhaps not as impressive as its gravity would suggest), with augmenting flavors of smoke, bourbon, vanilla, and molasses. Roast notes are missing, or probably just buried beneath all of the sweetness. What ISN'T missing is the booziness...well, actually, it kind of is. It's only really prevalent on the finish and aftertaste; I have trouble buying it's 18%. The price for that is paid by the sweetness level, but it falls short of being ridiculously cloying, thankfully.

M: Creamy, thick, and super sweet. The finish dries up enough to expose some alcoholic heat on the back of the palate. Most of the heat felt from this appears on the esophagus and stomach, really. Carbonation is very low.

O: This is one of those offerings I only desire to have once a year; but during that singular day out of 365, it's just really, really easy to like. Take out some of the prevalent chocolaty notes, and this could almost pass for a great port. Certainly a must try.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 01:53:37 | More by ThisWangsChung

Mertzy81

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

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

03-04-2013 07:30:38 | More by Mertzy81

weonfire

Kentucky

3.46/5  rDev -16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Enjoyed an aged 2009 Vintage at the Holy Grale in Louisville, KY in a 5oz snifter.

A - Black as black gets. Mocha head, pencil thin. dissipates 2-3 min. light lacing.

S - Good god. Serious Alcohol. waives of it. just fuming from 12-18" from my glass. If you can get beyond that there is a bit of chocolate, toffee, biscuit and earthy tones. But this really smells awful.

T - Whew, better than expected. better then the god awful scent. mellowish chocolate and raison. yes, the alcohol dominates but not actually in a bad way. doesn't burn.

M - viscosity is high, moderately creamy - booze dominates but doesn't burn like you would expect.

O - Alcohol straight dominates.- everything. Its really tough to get beyond it. 4 years of aging gets it to this point? I'd hate to think what a fresh, un-mellowed version tastes/smells/feels like. I would not recommend this.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2013 00:59:53 | More by weonfire

fvernon

Indiana

4.46/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2010 vintage poured at about 50 degrees into a FFF Teku. I've just finished a homebrewed imperial stout (aged with oranges and 14.8%), so hopefully that doesn't interfere too much here. Pours out a burnt copper, but very much a true black in the glass- there is about a half-inch of mocha foam that quickly settles to just a ring around the edge of the glass. Even from a distance, I can pick up sherry, raisins, and maraschino cherries - oh, and a good bit of alcohol. Not too surprising there.

The taste is a wonderful dark chocolate brownie with sweet cherries soaked in rum. That's pretty much all that is going on here. Normally I'm not a big cherry-and-stout kinda guy, but the chocolate/rum addition makes it work. The mouthfeel is pretty thick (but it could be thicker); even so, it coats and the taste lingers. Overall, this is an excellent stout - i'm sure it could keep aging, but it's hitting the right notes.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 00:10:18 | More by fvernon

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.14/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled Dec. 2010

Jet black, poured with tan head that lasted less than 5 seconds before it was totally gone, no lace either. Smell is heavy on the roast, some sweet sugars, I got a bunch of dark fruits initially but it seemed to disappear as it came to room temp, chocolate and vanilla, a bit of booze and coffee. Taste has massive roast, vanilla, chocolate, moderate bitterness, a bit of alcohol but would never assume this was anywhere near 18%, coffee and flavours that resemble oak, moderate sweet sugars but not overly sweet. Lightly carbonated, huge chewy body, full mouthfeel. This was a great slow sipper that I feel was opened at the perfect time, drank the bottle over the course of an hour or so and at the 45 min mark this was sublime.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 22:42:28 | More by peensteen

draheim

Washington

4.24/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz (2010) into a tulip. Pours a deep dark brown w/ garnet edges and a 1-finger tan head that settles to a thin film.

Aroma is rich, chocolatey, roasty. Dark sweet fruit, molasses, bitter dark malt. Nutty and earthy on the swirl.

Taste is richly dark and complex. Bitter chocolate, roasty malt, prunes, molasses. Alcohol well-hidden, a pretty impressive feat.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, full bodied but still semi-dry on the finish.

Overall a unique, rich, satisfying stout. Almost a cross between stout and quad. I'm duly impressed.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 05:40:52 | More by draheim

NikD

Maryland

4/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I wasn't expecting the high alcohol content when I bought it but knew by the time I opened it. It wasn't as thick as I expect most stouts to pour. The flavor is good but was ruined for me by the high alcohol level.

The bottle I had was brewed in 2010.

I still have 3 more bottles which I will eventually drink but probably won't be buying any more of this. Maybe I'll let them sit for a while before trying again.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 21:54:28 | More by NikD

Nesued

South Carolina

4.91/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Stamped with a "2007" date. Had this bad boy sitting for quite a while in my "beer closet" along with two of his brothers from the same year. About time I reviewed this beer, for I have enjoyed it several times.

A: Midnight black. Deep, dark and mysterious. After a vigorous pour, a lingering head is present as a thin ring clinging to the sides of my DFH snifter (only the best for this beer) which lingered for the duration. Lacing was present as I swirled the glass. It beckoned to be tasted.

S: Big vanilla and candy notes waft from where it sits warming. Even from two/three feet away, it "announces it's presence with authority" (pardons to Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh). Malty and toasty aromas join the chorus as well.

T: Where to begin... The vanilla is present, as it some rich caramel/roasted flavors and chocolate components. There is a nice sweetness without becoming too overly cloying. Lots of wood and oak components as well. Very, very complex.

M: Dense without being sticky. The gentle carbonation moves the beer around easily;with just enough linger to have you wanting another sip.

O: Thing 1: 18%? Where. I have not experienced a beer that can hide the ABV as well as WWS. Amazing. No heat, just warm and inviting. Like sipping a refined port. Thing 2: Hop-heads, move along. Nothing to see here. This is a sipper that will leave you with a greater understanding of what beer can be, and become. Thing 3: DFH was doing this years before anyone else and with much success. This is a clear example of how a beer that is crafted well, can get better with age.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 00:51:42 | More by Nesued

comfortablynumb1

California

4.08/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed from notes.

Bottled on 11/17/09.

A - Pours a deep brown with a half finger tan head that dissipates at a good rate. Lacing is minimal...

S - Dark fruit, roasted malt, molasses, chocolate, and alcohol...

T - Roasted malt, molasses, chocolate, and a good amount of sweet malt up front. Figs follow with hints of chocolate, and lingering sweet malt in the finish. Alcohol is alot smoother than it came across on the nose. Tasty...

M - A tad thin for such a big brew, but still sits on the lower side of the full-bodied spectrum. Carbonation is on the mild side...

O - Glad I got a chance to try this one. Exceeded my expectations, but still not something I see myself stocking up on and revisiting often...

Cheers...

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 03:16:43 | More by comfortablynumb1

Jfriz25

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- Dark brown but thinner than expected. Poured a thin light brown head with "alcohol stilts" (according to pk18)

Smell- tons of dark fruit especially rotten plumb, a little alcohol.

Taste- Sweet plumb with booze and a tart cherry note,

Mouthfeel- despite the thin appearance the mouthfeel is very smooth and creamy.

Overall- this was a 2008 vintage so the booze was fairly muted but I was pleasantly surprised by this once. It should be in the same category as Event Horizon, Abyss, ect.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 02:58:33 | More by Jfriz25

Monkeyknife

Missouri

4.23/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the bottle a jet black color with two fingers of light mocha head. Healthy amount of lacing left behind.

Deep aroma of espresso, dark roasted malts, vanilla, dark ripe fruit, and booze.

The taste opened with a big bite of dark chocolate followed by roasted malts and dark ripe fruit. Boozy? Oh yeah, it's definitely every bit of 18%.

Full bodied and smooth with a lighter carbonation.

Delicious. Glad I had the chance to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 21:08:25 | More by Monkeyknife

Gobzilla

California

4/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured a very dark brown in color with brownish highlights and barely anyh head that pretty much left no lacing sticking to the glass.

S: lots of booze heat very noticeable upfront in the aroma with signs of dark fruits, some roastiness and a little chocolate character but a little strange vinegar aroma.

T: plenty of booze like the nose suggest with a little chocolate flavor, some dark fruit flavor, lots of malty sweetness, hints of brown sugar, subtle roastiness and a touch of oak.

M: the brew was medium in body with a low amount of carbonation which had a semi sweet, slightly roasty, dark fruity, very boozy and sticky finish.

O: to me it was just an average stout and was way too boozy for my liking. It definitely looks like it would be better with a liitle time on it.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 09:54:08 | More by Gobzilla

KazzakusPrime

3.89/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Thin, barley colored head that quickly dissipates. Nice and dark; near black brown with a golden amber surface against the light. This, my friends, is a STOUT.

Smell: Roasted malt, a little bit of the telltale shoyu scent that I occasionally get off of stouts. Not unpleasant, just… curious. Can definitely detect the barley and quite possibly a bit of booze.

Taste: Malted barley is present straight off. There’s a sweetness coming from the barley that I wasn’t expecting, but am certainly enjoying. This is a big beer in a little bottle. Bit of pleasant heat in the middle – boozier than I expected. Barley lingers at the very end, and then another bare hint of shoyu betrayed by the scent.

Mouthfeel: Syrupy, but still plenty smooth and with enough carbonation to carry it all the way through.

Overall: This is definitely a big beer, and though it wasn’t as complex as I would’ve liked, I was still impressed by its bold, smooth character. This is a solid stout that I would be interested in cellaring for a year and seeing where it goes. If a BA version of this came out I would go to insane lengths to get my hands on it.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 04:50:45 | More by KazzakusPrime

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.44/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

On a vigorious pour into my Delrium sniffer i managed to produce about 1/2 inch head. Mocha beige with tiny bubbles and an easy swirl produced an easy head. the color was not as dark as I thought it would be nor as thick. I was expecting motor oil thick but poured rather thinly.
Aroma was lean with some roasted malts and barley. At 18% ABV, alcohol was definitly in the nose.
Taste is very much roasted malts and barley. Alcohol is present with a warming aftertaste and numbs the tongue.
Drinks thin and is a bit sweet but finish bitter well into the aftertaste.
No, I don't much care for this one. Pumping up the alcohol was the brewers main goal here.
Aroma and flavor were one dimensional and lack depth of flavor.
Another overhyped beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 12:38:14 | More by micromaniac129

tectactoe

Michigan

3.94/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

On tap at the Oak cafe. Pours jet black, virtually no light is allowed to pass through this sucker. Tan head made of fine bubbles, about a half-inch, settles somewhat quickly to a ring and leaves a tiny bit of lacing as it does down. This brew looks like a widow-maker, appearing heavy, thick, and robust.

A deep java aroma is the first thing to hit my nose; super deep espresso flavor with a nice helping of creamy, malty sweetness. Alcohol is noticeable in the aroma, not too surprising for an 18% ABV brew. Some chocolate and charred, roasted notes bring up the tail end. The first sip provides a warm, alcoholic bite. Again, to be expected from a beer with such a high ABV. However, I would never guess it was 18%... maybe more like 10 or 11%. The alcohol takes on a bourbon-whiskey type flavor. The backbone of the beer is woodsy; burnt, charred oak chips, vanilla hints, and a wine-like essence come crashing through. Ripe, dark figs, black berries, and slight anise provide a sweetness to battle the alcohol's warmth and it works quite well. Dark mocha cocoa powder shows up near the end, along with some light, peppery hops. The beer is all about the malt, though, and while it's relatively sweet, the warmth and robust power does a good balancing job in place of a huge hop bill. Body is medium-heavy, not quite as thick as expected, but not a bad thing. Smooth and not too sticky, either.

Surprisingly easy to drink for an 18% ABV beer. The alcohol isn't hidden - it's certainly there, and definitely powerful, but it never becomes a problem, and it goes hand in hand with the incredible malt concoction. Glad I finally got a chance to try this one.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2013 04:19:36 | More by tectactoe

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