Sam Adams Utopias 2007
A taste of...
Sam Adams Utopias 2007
(Boston Brewing Company)
Tasting notes:
Appearance: The package looks like no other "beer" bottle and removes the expectation of a carbonated beverage. With that in mind, the serving suggestion from Boston was that it be sipped from two ounce servings... we used sherry glasses. The deep amber/garnet color is reminiscent of both Sherry and Madera.
Aroma: All tasters voiced similar impressions... notes of Port, Sherry and Madera. The aromas tease the sense of smell, threatening to confuse the taste buds.
Mouth feel: This is a vinous beverage with no resemblance to what is accepted as beer. The initial impression resembles a Sherry, followed by hints of Port that slide into Madera. Unlike the three named beverages, Utopias offers such a range of flavors that it can not be pigeon-holed.
Flavor: I am sure that the malts, where the brew was "cellared" and in what sort of container, all had major influences on this beverage. What eludes me is the hop notes.
Finish: By this time the group was beginning to sound like wine tasters and so I close with the impression that this was tough to call Utopias a beer but then... wine not?
Comments: A few weeks ago the good folks at The Boston Brewing Company made sure I received a sample bottle of the 2007 Utopias. Not trusting my own taste to thoroughly explore this brew, I was joined by a restaurateur, chef, and a "consumer".
It could be said that the Sam Adams Triple Bock started the Boston Brewing Company efforts at unique high-alcohol brews. In 2000, their Millennium Ale, a special salute to the turn of the century was a potent 21 percent alcohol volume by volume.
Two years later, in 2002, Samuel Adams Utopias was introduced with 24 percent alcohol by volume. By the 2005 batch Utopias was a hefty 25.6 percent alcohol by volume. This year Utopias reached 27 percent alcohol by volume.
Utopias is a dark uncarbonated beer (27% alcohol by volume), best served at room temperature in a two ounce pour. It is ferment using various yeast, including one typically used for Champagne. Two-row Caramel and Munich malts give the beer a ruby-black color. Spalt Spalter, Hallertau Mittlefrueh, and Tettnang Tettnanger hops give the beer a floral character and spicy note.
According to the Sam Adams web site, the 2007 batch of Samuel Adams Utopias is a blend of brews, some aged in a variety of woods at the Boston Brewery for up to 13 years. A portion of the beer was aged in hand-selected, single-use bourbon casks from the Buffalo Trace Distillery.
The Brewery site:
http://www.samueladams.com/news.aspx?release=33
What others say:
BeerAdvocate:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35/39683
Audioholics:
http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/sam-adams-utopias-strongest-beer-in-the-world
