Utopias Barrel-Aged World Wide Stout
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Utopias Barrel-Aged World Wide StoutUtopias Barrel-Aged World Wide Stout
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From:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
 
Delaware, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #215
ABV:
17.3%
Score:
97
Ranked #502
Avg:
4.41 | pDev: 7.03%
Reviews:
144
Ratings:
341
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 10, 2024
Added:
Dec 23, 2019
Wants:
  26
Gots:
  35
Brewed in collaboration with Boston Beer Company.

The experience of drinking Utopias is often described as ritualistic. Rare and often rumored about in the darkest corners of the beer community, this variety of World Wide Stout is dark, rich, roasty, and complex.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by powbucks:
Photo of powbucks
Rated by powbucks from California

4.4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Mar 09, 2022
More User Ratings:
Photo of ryan1788a5
Reviewed by ryan1788a5 from Massachusetts

4.24/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pitch black pour kicks up only a thin slip of a head even with some aggression behind it. Even that settles shortly after. No real lacing.

S: Black strap molasses, chocolate ganache, concentrated coffee syrup and vanilla extract. Roasty backing with a bit of smoke. Black raspberry reduction and black cherry cordial.

T: Follows the nose to a T. Rich malty underpinnings of chocolate sauce, ganache, German chocolate cake, and a thick blanket of roast and char. Black raspberry sauce and black cherry cordial. Stiff whiskey-like alcohol. Vanilla extract. Finishes with more thick roast and raspberry syrup.

M: Thick and rich in the mouth. Coating and somewhat syrupy, though not at all cloyingly so. Ample carbonation has a firm but gentle scrub. Big alcohol warmth and a bit of wood tannin.

O: Very solid stuff. It drinks like a huge imperial stout that's been barrel aged and blended with some cordials added. Given that the Utopias blend comprises a great many barrels, it's no surprise that the beer has that very cordial-like dimension. I'm also getting way more of a bourbon influence than I ever remember Utopias having, too, but then again I haven't had the more recent releases.
Mar 10, 2024
 
Rated: 4.44 by soarinsteven from Illinois

Mar 09, 2024
 
Rated: 4.25 by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois

Feb 28, 2024
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
It's been 6 years since I drank WWS, so comparing Utopias BA WWS requires imagination. So, let me think about it.

It's also been the first time I've gone on their website since Dogfish's formal arrangement with Sam Adams and I'm impressed by their growth, particularly in the Alehouses and expansion into more hospitality on the Delaware shore with restaurants and inns; becoming kinda in the British brewery model.

As for BA WWS, Looks are not its strength. I suppose it is too much to expect foam and active protein to last past this ABV. Smells are full-on dark fruit and, then, mostly molasses. Tastes are integrated and balanced; lots of flavors in this dessert, but all good and all play together. Sometimes the licorice tries to bully, but something restrains it. Viscous Feel.

My brain picks up the 17% faster than my nose or mouth; concealing 17% from the immediate senses is no small feat.
I'm getting too old for high ABV beers; so I'm betting I stretch this one to four evenings. Now, that's getting my money's worth!
Nov 27, 2023
 
Rated: 4.43 by Buck_Jones from Michigan

Oct 29, 2023
Photo of hman43
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina

4.44/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Look: It pours dark brown with a brown head. Head retention is low.

Smell: Very malty aromas up front that feature rich caramel and some molasses. There are background nut notes and dark fruits.

Taste: It has strong dark caramel flavors with molasses with nuts. It has plenty of dark fruit notes in the background with plums and raisins. There are some dark cherry notes as well.

Feel: It has a thick, chewy body with plenty of strong, but not sharp or hot alcohol warming.

Overall, plenty of flavor and strength. The strength and smoothness is quite incredible. The dark fruits add complexity as well.
Aug 11, 2023
Photo of mpruden
Reviewed by mpruden from Ohio

3.82/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 12-oz bottle into a stout glass.

Appearance: Dark brown — nearly black — with a half-inch tan head that dissipated very quickly and left virtually no lacing.

Nose: Alcohol overwhelmingly, with some brown sugar sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Medium

Attack: Follows the nose very closely with strong alcohol, then dried fruit.

Finish: Alcohol continues, with bitterness from at least the dark roast.

Overall: Of course, this is a well-made beer, and a special occasion sipper. I was a bit disappointed in the lack of fullness and complexity in the flavor, though, as the intensity of the alcohol overwhelms almost every other part of it. I realize my ratings of this beer are significantly lower than many other BA raters. Perhaps it needs to bottle age a bit longer? I’ll perhaps let the other bottles in the four-pack age longer and maybe come back to revise these ratings and this review.

Almost seven months later (3/2/24), with a longer-aged bottle, a small revision: I’m keeping my numbers the same (!), but … I’m still getting the same dominant alcohol taste, but the sweetness in flavor has seemed to increase, yet close to the point of cloying, including in the finish. Still not sure why I’m not enjoying it quite as much, or rating it significantly lower than most other reviewers (though significantly higher than some!), but … I suppose that’s just individual preference differences.
Aug 11, 2023
Photo of Lucular
Reviewed by Lucular from Maryland

4.11/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours a medium copper brown color with a small fizzy head. Aroma and flavor offer booze, brown sugar, raisin, some vanilla and caramel. Mouthfeel is a bit thin and sharp. This comes across as more of a barleywine than a stout. Overall, it's complex with some really good elements but too alcohol-forward IMO. I get it, it's supposed to be strong, but it's still a letdown.
Jul 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4.4 by StanleysCup from Maryland

Jun 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.24 by CraftFan5 from New Jersey

Jun 02, 2023
Photo of Franziskaner
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri

4.32/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Black in color with no light penetration. There's a fingernail of brown around most of the rim. The aroma is of dark malt, leather, and plum. I'm tasting chicory, leather, raisin, and bourbon. The mouth is sticky, chewy, thick, and boozy.
Apr 27, 2023
 
Rated: 4.41 by MICAMD from Maryland

Apr 09, 2023
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

4.68/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a dark brown foamy head with light retention and light lacing. Aroma of nice barrel-aged notes with some Cognac notes with some light vanilla and woody notes, nice black chocolate malt notes with dry woody notes. Taste is also dominated by barrel-aged notes with some Cognac and vanilla notes with some rich black chocolate notes with a dry woody finish. Body is above average with a nice oily texture and good carbonation with some apparent alcohol. World-class barrel-aged stout.
Mar 26, 2023
Photo of Jinx989
Reviewed by Jinx989 from Illinois

4.52/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
2021 bottle,nose is pretty good I get dark fruits, maple, dates soaked in bourbon and a deep woody red wine as it warms . It has mellowed and not hot at all. Pours black and very minimal head. Thin to medium body, dark fruity maple and leather, alcohol is up front and will sneak up on you quick. A very enjoyable beer that I will seek out again.
Mar 12, 2023
Photo of SLeffler27
Reviewed by SLeffler27 from New York

4.09/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This bottle was aged one year and I'm reviewing the aged version because the fresh bottle was far too hot for my taste. The heat completely dominated the aroma and flavor, making it undrinkable.

The beer is black with no head or lace. A viscous film does form on a Pretentious Glass Company Imperial Snifter; however, no legs fall.

Boozy maple is very apparent up front. All the darkness that one expects is here, however, it is difficult to distinguish the nuances. The blend is inviting, and, to my surprise, is actually relaxing.

Baker's chocolate is followed by malt. Bitterness and sweetness are both here, though neither takes prominence. Fresh, the malt was stronger and what were obvious notes of leather are now faint. The finish is long and mellow.

The alcohol is as strong as one would expect and, while hot, it is not too hot. It has a medium to full body and silky smooth texture. The carbonation is light.

One year has dramatically tamed this beer. It is no surprise that it does present as a Barleywine/Stout blend, however, the Stout is a more significant player. I drank half the glass for this review, then paired the remainder with a cigar on a warm, late August afternoon. The cigar did detract from the beer, however, it worked fairly well, nonetheless. My fresh bottle was consumed the day after Thanksgiving last year. The Utopias blend definitely took the edge off each version as straight-up offerings. This said, the unblended versions of these beers are clearly superior.
Feb 12, 2023
Photo of NickSMpls
Reviewed by NickSMpls from Washington

4.65/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Utterly black. Virtually no head. Aroma is bourbon, of course. First sip is luscious, flavor-filled, wondrously complex. The stiff 17.2% ABV can't be hidden, so be aware. Can't say much more than the previous reviewers, other than it's about as close to a religious experience one can have with a beer.
Feb 03, 2023
 
Rated: 3.99 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Feb 01, 2023
 
Rated: 4.33 by Rhettroactive from Virginia

Jan 14, 2023
Photo of jbolger
Rated by jbolger from Connecticut

2.93/5  rDev -33.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Not for me. Zero head, cloyingly sweet & the 17% ABV overwhelms the brew. I will have difficulty finishing the bottle.
Jan 14, 2023
Utopias Barrel-Aged World Wide Stout from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 97 out of 100 with 341 ratings