Samuel Adams Unveils 10th Anniversary Utopias®

Jim started thinking about the far reaches of the beer universe two decades ago; as big brewers were making their beers lighter and lighter, he chose instead to explore and experiment with the uncharted territory of extreme brewing. Samuel Adams continues to push the boundaries of traditional brewing and elevate drinkers’ perceptions of beer with this year’s batch.

About the 10th Anniversary Samuel Adams Utopias Batch:

The 2012 Samuel Adams Utopias brew weighs in a bit above 29 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) – Samuel Adams Boston Lager^® is five percent ABV by comparison – and was aged in hand-selected, single-use bourbon casks from the award-winning Buffalo Trace Distillery to enhance the beer’s distinct vanilla and maple notes. The 10^th Anniversary batch also spent time in a variety of finishing casks: Tawny Port casks and Vintage Ruby Port casks from Portugal, which contribute slightly more elegant, dark fruit aromas, and Rum barrels from Nicaragua, which add flavors of fig, chocolate, raisin, vanilla, and a slight spice. Using traditional Samuel Adams’ brewing techniques, the brewers begin with a blend of malts that impart a rich, ruby-black color. The distinct hop character comes from the finest Noble hops which impart its unique complexity and balance. Finally, a combination of yeast strains is used during fermentation, including one usually reserved for champagne.

What Founder and Brewer, Jim Koch, has to say:

"With this year’s 10^th Anniversary release, we’re unveiling the result of complex and carefully timed brewing and aging techniques. In fact, this year’s brew is a blend of batches including some of our original Triple Bock, whose development began in 1992, and then aged in other barrels sourced from all over the world. This release of Samuel Adams Utopias is proof – 58 proof to be exact – that extreme beers have earned a permanent and respected place in the beer universe, a world now constantly evolving with new craft brewers and excited craft beer drinkers. I hope drinkers will enjoy savoring Samuel Adams Utopias as much as I enjoyed crafting this beer over the past 10 years."

The brewers make fewer than 15,000 bottles of this limited-edition beer due to the long aging required. Samuel Adams Utopias is bottled in a specially designed 10^th Anniversary black decanter. Shaped like a brew kettle, the exterior is etched with roots, a metaphor for the 20+ years of complex history and aging of the liquids that make up Samuel Adams Utopias. This limited distribution brew is available at select specialty beer and liquor stores beginning in November for a suggested retail price of $190 per bottle.

The Back Story – How Samuel Adams Utopias Began:

Creating an "extreme beer" was an adventure in brewing with an uncertain outcome. It took several years of exploration until 1994, when Jim released Samuel Adams^® Triple Bock^® which set the record for the strongest beer ever (17.5 percent ABV). This was also the first time that any brewer in the U.S. had aged a beer in barrels previously used for other alcoholic beverages, a practice that is now one of the mainstays of American craft brewing.