The Boston Beer Company has once again unveiled its robust creation: Samuel Adams Utopias, boasting a staggering 28% alcohol by volume.
While your typical hazy IPA typically has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of less than 7%, and a bourbon barrel-aged stout might reach 14% ABV or higher, Samuel Adams Utopias is a beer so potent that it is banned in 15 U.S. states.
This extraordinary brew, with a suggested price of $240 for a 24.5-ounce bottle, is making its return to select beer and liquor stores. However, it's important to note that Utopias is far from your ordinary beer.
It doesn't have the traditional taste of beer; instead, it resembles a cognac or port. This beer is meant to be enjoyed at room temperature, preferably in a snifter, and you don't chill it.
The Gnarly Gnome, a Cincinnati beer news site, once declared about the 2021 release (as this beer is launched biennially): "There is nothing like it on the planet. Not only was this beer a pioneer in barrel-aging and blending techniques for beer, the actual product itself is freaking stunning. Layers upon layers of bold but nuanced flavors await the drinker. You can enjoy a bottle of this an ounce at a time for years. Like spirits, this uncarbonated beer can be opened and enjoyed without worry of spoilage."
Samuel Adams Utopias has established its reputation as one of the world's most potent and sought-after beers. Released every two years, the 28% ABV content is unmatched in the world of beer.
Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch conceived the Utopias beer while pushing the boundaries of extreme beer categories in the 1990s. At a time when larger breweries were focused on creating lighter beers, Koch was drawn to the darker, richer end of the spectrum. "We brewed Samuel Adams Double Bock in 1988, and then a Triple Bock in 1994. These beers were pioneers in the Extreme Beer movement. After the release of Millenium in 1999 (a 21% ABV strong ale), we set out to create an even more potent and distinctive beer. This led to the birth of Utopias in 2001."
Utopias is a blend of various batches of the brewery's earlier extreme beers, all aged in a variety of barrels. The 2023 Utopias were aged in charred American bourbon barrels, imported peated Scotch whisky barrels, port and cognac barrels from Portugal and France, and barrels that had previously held Pineau des Charentes, a rare aperitif wine from western France.
The brewing process begins at the Samuel Adams Cincinnati Brewery, where the beer is brewed and fermented. Subsequently, it is transferred to the Samuel Adams Pennsylvania Brewery for aging. The beer is then sampled and blended with previous vintage Utopias at the Samuel Adams Bier Keller at the Boston Brewery. Finally, the beer is shipped to the Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware, where it is bottled in iconic ceramic bottles resembling a classic copper brew kettle. Jim Koch emphasizes that it is indeed brewed, not distilled, and unquestionably falls into the category of beer.
Why Is Samuel Adams Utopias Banned in 15 States?
Although Utopias is not as potent as most spirits – for example, Jack Daniels Whiskey and Santo Blanco Tequilas each have an 80-proof rating, equivalent to 40% alcohol by volume – various state laws restrict the sale of beers exceeding a specific ABV.
States where the sale of Samuel Adams Utopias is prohibited include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia. Photo by Schwars1, Wikimedia commons.