Review: Samuel Adams Utopias (2013 Release)
Sam Adams continues its annual release of Utopias, a barrel-aged, mega-alcohol, highly expensive brew that stands as one of America’s longest-running “extreme beers” (and which is made without the freeze-and-skim technique that most other high-booze beermakers rely on.
For 2013, Utopias has been “blended with Samuel Adams Kosmic Mother Funk (KMF), a Belgian-style ale barrel-aged for at least nine months (and up to two years) in Hungarian oak tuns,” per the company. This is a big shift for Utopias, and one which is supposed to bring a whole new dimension to the mega-beer. The beer is partly aged in ex-Bourbon barrels, and partly aged in ex-Port casks. It borrows a bit from prior releases, as well as pulling off some new tricks.
Utopias 2013 immediately offers a sweet, maple syrup nose when it’s poured, but this quickly fades, revealing a more brooding, savory character beneath. After a few minutes in a snifter, Utopias 2013 gives off aromas of chestnuts, coffee grounds, and very dark chocolate. The lattermost of these is most prominent in the body, which features a pruny, stewed-fruit character that is much deeper, and more bittersweet than prior versions of this beer. The nose is more Port-like, but the body is all leather and bitter spice, turning almost astringent at times. I do like the added complexity, but the whole affair ultimately starts to fall out of balance, particularly on the mouth-puckering finish.
28% abv. 15,000 bottles made. Also can be paired with a special Utopias-seasoned cigar (which I didn’t review), purportedly the first craft beer-infused cigar ever made ($13).
B- / $199 / samueladams.com
Samuel Adams Utopias (2013 Release)
$199
