Samuel Adams releases 30% ABV beer as strong as cocktails and spirits
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There’s a beer on the market strong enough to rival cocktails, and it’s illegal in some parts of the US
In early fall, Samuel Adams announced the release of Utopias 2025, a “barrel-aged extreme beer” with an impressive 30% alcohol by volume (ABV).
“Utopias 2025 is one of the strongest beers ever brewed and as a result, it is illegal in 15 states,” the statement said.
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According to the company, the prohibited states are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.
Utopias is Samuel Adams’ experimental beer program designed to test the limits of beer maturation and blending techniques.
Samuel Adams released Utopias 2025, an extreme barrel-aged beer that reached 30% ABV and was banned in many states. (Samuel Adams)
The 2025 product is ruby black and non-carbonated. Samuel Adams noted that it “acts as a good spirit in that the bottle can be resealed to be enjoyed at a later date and should not be refrigerated.”
According to the description, the beer’s tasting notes include “caramel, oak, dried fruit, light smoke and citrus.”
At 30% ABV, the beer is comparable to common bar liquors such as triple sec, schnapps and amaretto.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Samuel Adams for comment.
The beer comes in 24.5-ounce ceramic bottles with a suggested retail price of $240, but price tags have increased since its launch in October.
Each bottle is good for 12 to 24 servings, and the recommended serving size is 1 to 2 ounces.
With tasting notes that include oak and caramel, Samuel Adams positioned Utopias 2025 closer to barrel-aged spirits than regular beer. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for NYCWFF)
Samuel Adams founder and brewer Jim Koch called the new product “a remarkable milestone for Utopias.”
“Not for the sake of the figure itself, but for what it represents: the relentless pursuit of craft without compromise,” he said in the company’s news release.
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“Each vintage, barrel and bottle reflects decades of experience, innovation and collaboration, delivering a sipping experience that is truly unique, collectible, memorable and worth the wait,” he said in the same release.
“From a consumer perspective, this is not a product suitable for ordinary drinking.”
Cesar Wurm, a Georgia-based hospitality executive and author of “The Powers of Addiction: Finding Freedom in Acceptance and Recovery,” told Fox News Digital that the alcohol content of the 30% ABV beer is much closer to hard liquor than traditional beers.
“For context, a typical 12-ounce beer of about 5% ABV contains about the same amount of alcohol as a 1.5-ounce shot of 40% alcohol,” he said.
At 30% ABV, even small amounts of Utopias 2025 (not pictured) can significantly increase the risk of poisoning if consumed quickly. (iStock)
“At 30% ABV, a similar-sized pour can contain six times this amount, significantly increasing the risk of rapid intoxication and alcohol poisoning when consumed too quickly or without realizing its potency.”
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Wurm added that there is a risk that consumers will treat Utopias 2025 beer the same as other beers, even though its content is much closer to alcoholic beverages.
Consumers may underestimate the power of Utopias 2025 if they treat it like a standard beer, an expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“That disconnect is where problems tend to arise,” he said.
“From a consumer perspective, this is not a product for ordinary drinking,” he said.
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“Some people should avoid it altogether, including those with low alcohol tolerance, medical conditions affected by alcohol, or a history of alcohol abuse.”
