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Samuel Adams Utopias
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
- From:
- Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American Strong Ale
Ranked #3 - ABV:
- 28%
- Score:
- 99
Ranked #249 - Avg:
- 4.47 | pDev: 11.41%
- Reviews:
- 602
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 28, 2023
- Added:
- Jul 09, 2005
- Wants:
- 1,457
- Gots:
- 545
SCORE
99
World-Class
99
World-Class
Truly the epitome of brewing's two thousand year evolution, Samuel Adams Utopias® offers a flavor not just unlike any other beer but unlike any other beverage in the world. Each release is a blend of batches, some having been aged up to 16 years in the barrel room of our Boston Brewery, in a variety of woods. We aged a portion of the beer in hand-selected, single-use bourbon casks from the award-winning Buffalo Trace Distillery. Some of the latest batches also spent time in Portuguese muscatel finishing casks, as well as sherry, brandy and Cognac casks. This flavorful, slightly fruity brew has a sweet, malty flavor that is reminiscent of a deep, rich vintage port, fine cognac or aged sherry.
2019 Vintage aged in Buffalo Trace barrels and finished in Aquavit, Caracavelos, Ruby Port, Cognac, and Medeira Barrels.
2019 Vintage aged in Buffalo Trace barrels and finished in Aquavit, Caracavelos, Ruby Port, Cognac, and Medeira Barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Nedster10:
Rated by Nedster10 from Michigan
4.5/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Apr 19, 2021
4.5/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Apr 19, 2021
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by damndirtyape from Ohio
4.45/5 rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.45/5 rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2017 vintage - shared with me from a friend. Small 2oz pour for each of us. Served in a small 4oz snifter tasting glass.
Appearance: Clear dark amber-copper color. No lacing (there wouldn't be at this ABV).
Smell: Boozy - bourbon barrel notes, honey, toffee. Rich.
Taste: Lots going on. Definitely some barleywine notes, with some bourbon, oak, vanilla, toffee, honey, orange, raisin, and some bitter notes at the finish as well.
Mouthfeel: Surprisingly smooth for something this high in alcohol. Good thickness, no carbonation, dry finish, and only a little warming.
Overall / Drinkability: I can see why some people describe this a more like a brandy than a beer, and I almost want to call it a Barleybrandy. It's got aspects of a Barleywine, but so much more. Glad I got a taste of it. Not sure I could finish a large glass of this though - definitely a slow sipping and savoring beer. Unique and quite tasty.
Apr 30, 2023Appearance: Clear dark amber-copper color. No lacing (there wouldn't be at this ABV).
Smell: Boozy - bourbon barrel notes, honey, toffee. Rich.
Taste: Lots going on. Definitely some barleywine notes, with some bourbon, oak, vanilla, toffee, honey, orange, raisin, and some bitter notes at the finish as well.
Mouthfeel: Surprisingly smooth for something this high in alcohol. Good thickness, no carbonation, dry finish, and only a little warming.
Overall / Drinkability: I can see why some people describe this a more like a brandy than a beer, and I almost want to call it a Barleybrandy. It's got aspects of a Barleywine, but so much more. Glad I got a taste of it. Not sure I could finish a large glass of this though - definitely a slow sipping and savoring beer. Unique and quite tasty.
Reviewed by DIM from Pennsylvania
4.65/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.65/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
I opened a 2015 bottle about a month ago, this is my third pour. Time for a review.
I love how hybridized this is, it finds such a lovely grey area between beer and liquor. I can see calling this barleywine on steroids. Beautiful cogn/armagnac notes are most prominent but there is room for plenty more. Smokey wood and tobacco, raisin/plum schnapps?, plenty of brown liquor, hints of vanilla and honey, plus...just so much more. The body is wonderfully sticky and viscous.
Damn I wish I didn't like this as much as I do. There is just no way to justify buying another bottle, but this is absolutely worth trying once.
Feb 11, 2023I love how hybridized this is, it finds such a lovely grey area between beer and liquor. I can see calling this barleywine on steroids. Beautiful cogn/armagnac notes are most prominent but there is room for plenty more. Smokey wood and tobacco, raisin/plum schnapps?, plenty of brown liquor, hints of vanilla and honey, plus...just so much more. The body is wonderfully sticky and viscous.
Damn I wish I didn't like this as much as I do. There is just no way to justify buying another bottle, but this is absolutely worth trying once.
Reviewed by StoutElk_92 from Massachusetts
4.76/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.76/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
2019 vintage
Pours a still dark mahogany amber red brown with notes of rich toasted nuts, warm roasted malts, sweet maple syrup, pecans, walnut, dark dessert wines, port, sherry, madeira, some cognac liquor, cherry, toffee, caramel, bourbon, oaky char, hints of baking chocolate, red grape, mild bitter herbs, caraway, subtle spice, raisins, dark dried fruit, brown bread, fruitcake, and a touch of vanilla. Feels medium-full bodied, slick, oily, strong and smooth. Overall a real great and unique barrel-aged sipper.
Nov 21, 2022Pours a still dark mahogany amber red brown with notes of rich toasted nuts, warm roasted malts, sweet maple syrup, pecans, walnut, dark dessert wines, port, sherry, madeira, some cognac liquor, cherry, toffee, caramel, bourbon, oaky char, hints of baking chocolate, red grape, mild bitter herbs, caraway, subtle spice, raisins, dark dried fruit, brown bread, fruitcake, and a touch of vanilla. Feels medium-full bodied, slick, oily, strong and smooth. Overall a real great and unique barrel-aged sipper.
Reviewed by Hobbs87 from New York
4.5/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had multiple years. Very unique and a must try for beer lovers just nothing like a beer. More like an after dinner port than a good scotch but really enjoyable.
Great conversation beer for a holiday party although quite costly.
Oct 12, 2022Great conversation beer for a holiday party although quite costly.
Samuel Adams Utopias from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer rating:
99 out of
100 with
2819 ratings
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