Samuel Adams Introduces Utopias 2025, A High-Alcohol Beer Achieving A Remarkable 30% ABV Milestone

Ranked among the most potent beers ever produced, its sale is prohibited in 15 states.

Samuel Adams

American craft brewer Samuel Adams has introduced their historic Utopias 2025, a limited-edition, barrel-aged extreme beer that reaches a significant milestone: a 30 percent Alcohol by Volume (ABV). The 14th release of this eagerly awaited and potent beer realizes a decades-long aspiration for Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch and his brewing staff.

Bottled in unique, individually numbered ceramic containers, Utopias 2025 is regarded as "one of the strongest beers ever brewed," according to Samuel Adams. Its remarkable power, however, presents a notable caveat for prospective collectors: the beer is prohibited for sale in 15 U.S. states, including Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Utah, due to state alcohol regulations.

“When we initiated the Utopias journey over thirty years ago, we aimed to investigate the boundaries of what beer could be,” stated Koch in a communiqué sent by the Boston-based brewery. “Achieving 30 percent ABV is a significant milestone for Utopias—not for the figure itself, but for what it signifies: an unwavering commitment to uncompromising craftsmanship.”

The ruby-black, non-carbonated ale resembles a premium spirit, using vintages aged for up to 30 years. The intricate flavor profile is attained by maturing the liquid in an elaborate combination of casks, including Irish Whiskey, Amarone, White Port, as well as typical Ruby Port, Cognac, and Scotch casks. This technique produces richly layered notes of caramel, oak, dried fruit, slight smoke, and citrus, as per the brand's tasting notes.

The production process for the traditionally potent beverage involves multiple locations. The beer is produced in Cincinnati, matured in barrels within the Utopias Vault in Pennsylvania, and subsequently mixed with earlier vintages at the Boston Bier Keller before being bottled at the Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware. Owing to its exceptionally potent characteristics, Utopias is intended to be consumed in one-ounce servings at ambient temperature from a snifter glass. Each bottle is a collectible heritage item, with the numbering system reflecting the hiring sequence of firm personnel, the inaugural bottle being assigned to Koch.

The collectible 24.5-ounce bottles, which are resealable, are currently available in select specialty stores at a recommended retail price of $240 apiece.