Samuel Adams Utopias

Limited 2005 Edition. Bottle #00732. 24oz. Beautiful bronze/copper brew kettle bottle. Easily the most stunning bottle I’ve ever seen..downright impressive just to look at. Sam Adams signature engraved on the front, and on the back, copper sliding doors that reveal a picture of Samuel Adams. Bottom of the bottle is individually numbered in gold lettering. Strongest beer in the world? Sure, it’s somewhat of a gimmick, but I still had to try it. Saw it at John’s Grocery in Iowa City and took the only two bottles they had. Served right around 60 degrees..let it warm to room temp as we drank it. Pours a clear bronze/amber color..looks very much like cognac or whiskey. No head, lace, or carbonation, but it holds to the glass like syrup..very sticky consistency. Aroma is surprisingly alcoholic..smells stronger than many 40-50% liquors I’ve had...wow. Sweet smells of brown sugar and almost has a tequila-like quality to it. Interesting.. Tastes are incredible..very sweet & rich..dark fruits, brown sugar, smoky malts, oak, vanilla, molasses, cinnamon, raisins, maple syrup....with a slight burning alcohol finish. Hop character is subdued by the huge malty tastes and alcohol bite. Very warming and has a wonderful complexity to it. Overall, I’d say the 24 ounces probably isn’t "worth" the $100+ price tag, but then again, what could be worth that? What’s gold going for an ounce these days? Other great high-alcohol beers such as DFH World Wide Stout and DFH 120 Minute IPA are less than $10 per 12oz bottle, and are around 20%. You can’t get much more unique, though..and it was nice to get the chance to try it. Goes down remarkably smooth and is surprisingly drinkable as well..the tastes linger on the tongue, and as soon as they fade, you find yourself yearning for another sip. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket and can find this great brew, I’d say go for it. You can always split the cost with a few friends like I did. That way you won’t feel so guilty when you’re staring at the gorgeous empty bottle.