![]() ![]() (The flavor profile may change a bit as it ages, but thanks to its high ABV and the fact that there’s no carbonation, you won’t have to worry about it going bad if anything, the flavor can get better the longer it sits on your shelf.) The resealable ceramic bottle it comes in is made to look like a copper brewing kettle, and each one is numbered, so it’s sure to be conversation-starter sitting out on your bar cart. Unlike other beer, once opened, it’ll keep indefinitely. Utopias has more in common with a spirit or a nice wine than it does most beers it’s best savored several sips at a time, out of a snifter glass at room temperature. ![]() If you can get your hands on a bottle, however, it’s worth it, even just as a novelty. Sadly, if you live in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont or West Virginia, you won’t be able to partake. (This year, for the first time in Utopias history, a portion of the blend was also aged in Sauternes French oak wine casks.) The resulting liquid boasts a whopping 28% ABV, making it boozier than most port wines (and certainly just about any beer you’ll be able to find here in the States) and rendering it illegal in 15 states. The blend is then finished in a combination of Carcavelos, Madeira, Ruby Port and Sherry Oloroso barrels. The biannual release, now in its 12th edition since 2002, retails for $240 a bottle, and it’s well worth it if you’re looking to try a beer that tastes unlike any other.īut what exactly is it that sets Utopias apart? For one, it’s a blend of multiple batches of different Sam Adams beers - some of which are held in reserve specifically to be a part of Utopias - aged in wooden bourbon casks for nearly 30 years. And as someone who certainly can’t taste the difference between a $50 whiskey and a $500 one - at a certain point, they’re all just really good, right? - I’ve always held tight to the belief that great beer doesn’t have to break the bank. Compared to the often-astronomical prices of fancy wines or rare spirits, the best beers are downright cheap. When I first started getting interested in craft beer a long time ago, one of the things about it that appealed to me was the idea that you can try some truly outstanding beers without having to spend your life savings. ![]()
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