A review of the latest (2013) Samuel Adams Utopias
The new 2013 release of Samuel Adams Utopias is the latest in a nearly thirty year journey of founder Jim Koch to redefine what beer can be. As with so much in the craft beer industry, Samuel Adams has been a pioneer of what has come
to be known as “Extreme Beer.”
Beginning with Triple Bock in 1994, Samuel Adams has been in the forefront of the movement to push the envelope of complexity and alcohol. Triple Bock came in at 17.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). In 2000, Samuel Adams released Millennium Ale at 21% ABV. Then came Utopias in 2002 at 25% ABV. Since then, a new edition of Utopias has been released roughly every two years. The 2013 edition clocks in at 28% ABV. That’s liqueur territory!
Certainly the craft beer world has continued to challenge convention about styles and variations on styles of beer. That includes ingredients, brewing methods and alcohol levels. But Sam Adams’ Utopias really challenges all conceptions of what beer can be.
It’s still brewed with hops and malts using traditional methods. Utopias begins with two-row Caramel and Munich malts and Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Spalt Spalter, and Tettnang Tettnanger hops. Several yeast strains (including one used for Champagne) are used in fermentation. And maple syrup is added. But that is where normalcy ends.
Added to the mix for the first time is the brewery’s wild ale, “Kosmic Mother Funk” (KMF), a Belgian-style wild ale barrel-aged nine months-to-two years in large Hungarian oak casks. A lot of craft beers these days are aged in wood barrels but Utopias takes this, yes, to extremes. It undergoes a blending process similar to wine, in this case combining batches aged in a variety barrels, including Port casks and Rum barrels from Nicaragua. The final blend includes some batches that have been aged up to twenty years in a variety of barrels. And this year a portion was aged in single use bourbon casks from Buffalo Trace Distillery.
So, how does all this taste? First, newcomers to the brew will be surprised to find it is not carbonated. Also unusual for beer, Samuel Adams recommends Utopias be sipped and savored at room temperature (basically the same as Cognac: about a two-ounce pour in a snifter).
It opens with aromas of caramel and maple followed by an explicitly briny sensation, like sea breeze. There are alcoholic notes reminiscent of Cognac accented with toffee. You might also notice vanilla and tobacco. It drinks smooth and viscous with layers of complexity. There also are tangy and berry fruit elements keeping the taste lively amidst the sweetness and a distinct alcoholic burn.
Naturally, Utopias is packaged in unique 24-ounce ceramic bottles fashioned to look like a traditional copper brew kettle. It is sealed with a basic crown cap but also a resealable screw cap. That combined with the high alcohol and lack of carbonation allow Utopias to be enjoyed over long period.
Here’s the one catch, though: that 24-ounce bottle retails at $200. This will prove an obstacle most will not be able to overcome. Heck, most of us would be unwilling to spend that much even on a great wine or Scotch. But, if you have the money or can get together with some friends on a bottle or even find it somewhere by the glass, it will be an experience I doubt you’ll regret.