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The Samichlaus strong double bock holds the "Guinness Book of World Records" title as the highest alcohol lager brewed. Lagered for 10 to 12 months to achieve its smooth, deep malt character, it contains 14 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). Samichlaus is brewed on Dec. 6 each year, then released on the same day the following year. A beer to be savored and sipped, it is a wonderful accompaniment to bittersweet chocolate.

Samichlaus, brewed by Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg in Austria, has a sweet, slightly caramel nose with a touch of green apples. A moderate sweet front is followed by a smooth modest deep caramel middle with a burst of alcohol, all continuing in the finish. The aftertaste brings forth sugary and caramel sweetness, apple cider and a strong, lingering alcohol presence. It mellows with age. Our ratings: 9/9.5

World Wide Stout, an imperial stout with an 18-plus percent ABV, from Delaware's Dogfish Head Brewery, is the world's highest alcohol regularly brewed dark beer. It is a sipping elixir that mellows with age and develops greater complexity, becoming more wine-like over a lifetime that can exceed 10 years. It requires a special yeast that can survive at the higher alcohol levels and is fermented for six months.

The imperial stout is a rich and complex style known for intense maltiness, strong roasty character, assertive bitterness and high alcohol content. The rich malt is necessary to achieve high alcohol levels, and the bitterness balances the malt sweetness. Its strong roast, chocolate and alcohol character complements hearty main dishes like lamb stew and venison, as wells as bread and cheese, and desserts.

World Wide Stout has an aroma of wine, alcohol and walnuts. Silky smooth, it begins with notable alcohol and a touch of wine and nuttiness. The middle flavors are sweet malt, roast, port wine and moderate chocolate. Alcohol explodes in the finish, but is enveloped by the eruption of port wine and chocolate, particularly with an injection of vanilla. All continue into the aftertaste where a complex blending of flavors occurs. Ratings: 9.5/10

120 Minute IPA (India Pale Ale), an Imperial IPA from Dogfish Head Brewery, is the highest alcohol regularly brewed beer, with an ABV of 20 percent. Like World Wide Stout, the imperial designation implies elevated levels of alcohol and bitterness compared to traditional IPAs. In this case, there is sufficient malt backbone to balance the elevated bitterness, which may be a record-setter at 120 international bittering units.

The beer's name is derived from the brewing process in which hops are added every minute for two hours during the boil. It also has hops, added for two months during fermentation. 120 is good with duck l'orange, crepes and fruit pies as well as salads and cheese.

120 Minute has a nose of intense hops, medium peach and a hint of grapefruit. The teasing sweet front melds into a moderate peach middle. The smooth, syrupy finish adds light bitter hops as the fruity peach flavor continues and a note of alcohol emerges. The alcohol increases in the creamy aftertaste, while the balanced hops and sweet peach flavors continue. Ratings: 9.5/9