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Sweet fire, with a rich malt and wood complexity.
Truly the epitome of brewing's two thousand year evolution, Samuel Adams Utopias® offers a flavor not just unlike any other beer but unlike any other beverage in the world. The 2009 release is a blend of batches, some having been aged up to 16 years in the barrel room of our Boston Brewery, in a variety of woods. We aged a portion of the beer in hand-selected, single-use bourbon casks from the award-winning Buffalo Trace Distillery. The latest batch also spent time in Portuguese muscatel finishing casks, as well as sherry, brandy and Cognac casks. This flavorful, slightly fruity brew has a sweet, malty flavor that is reminiscent of a deep, rich vintage port, fine cognac or aged sherry.
The history of Samuel Adams Utopias comes from the extreme beers of Triple Bock and Millenium that came before it. With those brews we began the exploration of aging beer in barrels for a different flavor contribution. With Utopias, we took that process to another level by introducing a variety of casks that the beer was aged in, each offering their own unique flavor. We also experimented with blending different vintages of beer to create its final character. The idea of aging in casks and blending was inspired by the techniques of whiskey makers in how they were able to craft the taste of their liquid from several of these elements. We expanded that notion to include casks of different origins. Applying these techniques to beer not only led to a completely unique beer, but also to a new taste experience.
The latest in our strong brews, Samuel Adams Utopias has been brewed in three small limited batches to date, growing stronger with each batch. The first batch which was released in 2001 topped out at 24%ABV, for the fourth batch in 2009 we reached 27%ABV. Each batch was only released once in limited quantities.
Samuel Adams Utopias was brewed at a very high gravity using a wide variety of malted barley and a touch of maple syrup. It was then aged in a blend of scotch, bourbon, port and cognac casks for up to 10 years.
Flavor: A unique flavor of vintage port, old sherry and fine cognac. Layers of dark fruit, wood and vanilla.
Color: Ruby black
Original Gravity: 40° Plato
Alcohol by Vol/Wt: 27% ABV - 21.31%ABW
Calories per recommended 2 oz serving: 107
Malt Varieties: Two-row pale Harrington and Metcalfe, Caramel 60, Munich
Hop Variety: Hallertau Mittelfruh, Spalt and Tettnager
Yeast Strain: Two Samuel Adams yeasts
Availability: Limited release
First Brewed: 2002
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