New Sam Adams beer is illegal to buy in 15 states – because it’s so strong
WBZ
By Neal Riley
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BOSTON (WBZ) — Boston-based brewer Sam Adams has released a new beer that’s so strong it can’t be sold in 15 states, including New Hampshire.
Sam Adams calls its Utopias 2025 an “extreme” beer with a 30% alcohol by volume. Previous versions of Utopias have been between 24% and 28% ABV. Typically, a beer has an AVB of about 5%.
New Hampshire caps alcohol by volume in beers at 14%. Other states where the alcohol content in a Utopias beer exceeds legal limits include Vermont, North Carolina and Georgia and Oregon.
Sam Adams said reaching 30% ABV was a personal goal of founder and CEO Jim Koch, but more important was reaching getting the flavor right for a beverage that “blurs the line between beer and fine spirits.”
“This year’s release combines vintages aged up to 30 years, finished in Irish Whiskey, Amarone, White Port, Ruby Port, Carcavelos, Cognac, and Scotch casks, creating complex layers of caramel, oak, dried fruit, subtle smoke, and citrus,” Sam Adams said in a statement.
The suggested retail price is $240 for a 24.5-ounce bottle, and it can be found now at specialty liquor stores where it can legally be sold. Sam Adams says a “serving” of the beer should only be one or two ounces.
Reviews for previous versions of Utopias on the BeerAdvocate website are high, though some question whether the high price is worth it.
“The taste is super intense,” one reviewer commented. “So much going on, with a slight burn on the way down.”
“Drinks nicely for the ABV, but no doubt about it, this is a sipper,” another person wrote.
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