Samuel Adams Utopias: 2015

There is beer and there is beer. The latter is Samuel Adams Utopias.

Ironically, to the casual drinker, Utopias is about the furthest thing one would expect a beer to be. It's uncarbonated. It has a 28% ABV and a single bottle costs almost $200. However, for those with a love of the craft, Utopias is much sought after and endlessly treasured.

This is only the ninth batch of Utopias Samuel Adams has brewed since its inception in 2002. This 2015 bottle is my second, the last being the 10th-anniversary bottle in 2012.

Just how much do I treasure Utopias? So much so I still have some 2012 remaining. Let me tell you, that was no easy task.

Utopias is much like a port. It's meant to be sipped and enjoyed slowly. There is so much going on with every sip, it takes a lot of thought to process it all. Having Utopias is not having a beer, it's having an experience.

The 2015 tastes of molasses, dark fruit, and fig. It has a constant level of spiciness with a hit of alcohol towards the end. Best of all, there is a funkiness which permeates every sip. It is fantastic and my tasting notes don't begin to do it justice.

Utopias is a living experiment, created, in part, by the previous vintages before it. It's worth seeking out and in my case, holding on to as long as possible.

Note: My bottle of Utopias was kindly provided to me by my friends at Samuel Adams...which was fantastic, as due to its high ABV, Utopias is unavailable in Ohio.