Samuel Adams is launching a new, limited edition beer next month and it is so potent that it is illegal in 15 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia. Due to Utopias alcohol content containing 28% by volume, more than five times the potency of typical US brews, is the reason the 15 states have banned it.
Every two years, the brewer releases a new version of its Utopias brand and the this 12th edition will be available as of Oct. 11. However, it may still prove to be challenging to get your hands on one since Samuel Adams only brews around 13,000 bottles of Utopias every two years and it’s suggested retail price is $240 for 25.4-ounce bottle.
“We pioneered the barrel-aging and blending process of Utopias almost thirty years ago and continue that time-honored tradition today,” Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams, said in a statement.
Utopias were first introduced in 2002 and have increased in price over the years. The 2017 version cost $199, 2019’s cost $10 more than that. This year’s version is also finished with 2,000 pounds of cherries and some batches have been aged for up to 24 years in a variety of barrels.
Samuel Adams UTOPIAS® are an extreme barrel aged beer that pushes the limits of barrel aging. Brewing, blending, and aging Utopias is a multi-step, time-intensive and complex process. This beer starts with a special blend of two-row pale malt combined with Munich and Caramel 60 malts that impart a rich, ruby color. Three varieties of German Noble hops – Spalt Spalter, Hallertau Mittelfrueh, and Tettnang Tettnanger – are added to balance the sweetness of the malt.
Their most recent release is a blend of batches, some having been aged up to 30 years in a variety of barrels. The recipe includes Utopias aged in a variety of barrels including new Scandinavian Aquavit barrels as well as a portion of the final blend aged in Moscat barrels, a first time for the beer.
Photo courtesy of Samuel Adams