Samuel Adams releases new Utopia beer, see what makes it so unique
Boston Beer Company has released a new Samuel Adams Utopia. USA TODAY’s Mike Snyder takes a look at the 2023 bottle release and what you need to know about this unique drink.
Boston Beer Company’s malty, boozy Samuel Adams Utopia beer is back and reaching new heights of 30% ABV.
A pioneer in the craft beer movement, Boston Beer began selling Samuel Adams Boston Lager in 1985 and has been producing barrel-aged Extreme Utopias beer every other year since 2001. But this year’s version is the strongest yet, with the previous three releases (2019, 2021, and 2023) all coming in at 28% alcohol by volume.
Utopia has garnered a lot of attention in recent years due to its strength, making it illegal to sell in 15 states. A powerful ale, Utopias is a blend of vintages aged up to 30 years, some aged in barrels and casks that previously held Irish whisky, cognac, ruby port and scotch.
A rich flavor that goes beyond your typical beer. This edition has “layered flavors of caramel, oak, dried fruit, smoke, and subtle citrus,” the brewer said in a news release.
“When we first began our utopian journey more than 30 years ago, we set out to explore the limits of what beer is capable of,” Samuel Adams founder and brewer Jim Koch said in a statement.. “Achieving 30% ABV is a remarkable milestone for Utopia, not the number itself, but what it represents: the relentless pursuit of uncompromising craft. Every vintage, barrel and bottle reflects decades of experimentation, innovation and collaboration, delivering a drinking experience that is truly one-of-a-kind, collectible, memorable and worth the wait.”
What’s so special about Boston Beer’s Samuel Adams Utopia?
Less than 10 years after Boston Beer was founded, Jim Koch began creating “extreme” beers with higher alcohol content. While major beer makers are trying to make lighter beers, “I was drawn to beers that are darker and richer on the spectrum,” Koch said in 2023. “We brewed Samuel Adams Double Bock in 1988 and Triple Bock in 1994. These beers are the forerunners of the extreme beer movement. After releasing Millennium (a 21% ABV strong ale) in 1999, we challenged ourselves to create stronger, more unique beers.” ”
That led to Utopias, which was made using a special yeast strain that could brew stronger ales. Its first release reached a world record-setting 24% alcohol content, Koch detailed in his 2016 book, Quench Your Own Thirst.
“We didn’t set out to make beer with a high alcohol content,” he writes in the book. “Rather, we sought to take beer to new heights so that people could see beer on a par with wine, on the level of cognac, brandy, and port.”
Journalist Chris Morris wrote in Fortune in 2021 that the beer is “quite unlike anything else on the market.” “It’s not carbonated because the alcohol content consumes carbon dioxide. Its taste is similar to fine spirits, with the sweetness of port or cognac and a smooth, buttery, malt-packed finish.”
Where you can and can’t get Sam Adams’ Utopia
- Samuel Adams’ Utopia ($240): Available at select beer and liquor stores in 35 states starting October 21st. It is sold in handmade, numbered ceramic bottles shaped like copper brewing kettles. The content is 24.5 ounces, which is equivalent to 12 to 24 servings.
- States where Samuel Adams Utopia is illegal: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, and X, and email him at: mike snyder & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com
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