1001 Beers: Utopias

Again, a late post but I am finally being able to catch up on everything. This year at The Great American Beer Festival I was able to find a few things that I was unable to get before and things that I had no idea I would ever run into. I guess that is the point of the festival... it is what you make out of it no?

Beer Number 24: Samuel Adams Utopias.

I did not get a picture of this beer. I happened upon the tent at just the right time to get a pour of it. I did take the time before drank it to pull out my 33 Beers notebook and a pen though.



But first,

Utopias is essentially made like any other beer, albeit with an insane amount of barley plus maple syrup that produces a wort whose gravity is an unheard-of-48 degrees Plato. The alcohol is produced completely by yeast fermentation, the company says--no distillation or added spirits. It's then aged in a variety of barrels, including bourbon, Madeira, and brandy, and blended with previous batches dating to 1994. Each vintage differs, but is generally sweet and malty with vanilla and caramel notes.

I have refrained from buying this beer even though I had it in my hands once or twice in the past because of the price tag. I would have dropped like $20 on a shot of it in a bar but I never came upon that opportunity. Only the whole bottle. Wish I had someone willing to go in on it with me... Maybe in a few years after I am more financially set I will pick it up, but now... nah.

29% ABV for our 2012 batch, our 10th Anniversary celebration of this unique brew. Rivaling the world’s best ports and cognacs, this extreme beer is uncarbonated and ruby black in color with sweet flavors of honey, toffee, caramel, cocoa and vanilla balanced by distinct notes of molasses, raisins, plums and berries imparted from aging batches in a variety of barrels over the years.

2012 was a year of Tenth anniversaries but we won't get into that now. This beer was very aromatic... I mean, straight hot of alcohol. I know I had a 1oz pour and a small glass but all I could smell was fire. Even upon the taste. It was insanely sweet, oily I think there was caramel but I cannot be sure. All I know is it was very hot, very tasty, very sweet. The end. Great beer. I hope to have it again someday. Hopefully get some better notes and not be in the middle of an insane, but amazing beer fest, when I do.

977 Bottles Of Beer To Go!

Cheers!