Samuel Adams Utopias - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

tarheels86

California

3.98/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Small sample thanks to scotchzi. Pours a flat, clear, reddish amber with big legs dripping with a swirl. Nose is ultra starchy and rice wine like specifically huangjiu or yellow alcohol, Chinese rice wine. It’s tough to describe but heavy red bean starch, sweet toffee, not as much smoke and rice character as huangjiu and more savory soy and saltwater. As it opens up/decants you are rewarded with cinnamon and amaretto. Still, enormous umami character like porcini mushroom and beef bouillon. Interesting combo. Taste is sour lemon up front with mild alcohol heat ending with big starchiness and more lemon. Mild oxidized character. Interesting. Alcohol heat is not an issue. Palate seems decently viscous. Hard to compare to other barleywines as this is more like brandy and rice wine blended. I’m very grateful for the sample, but I think it is safe to say I would not spend $100 on a bottle...though you get to savor this over a long period like Scotch so maybe it is worth it.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 17:44:10 | More by tarheels86

TheBronze

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -4.5%

05-19-2013 23:41:38 | More by TheBronze

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +1.1%

05-19-2013 15:14:39 | More by ShawnMH

haknort

Illinois

5/5  rDev +12.4%

05-19-2013 03:34:35 | More by haknort

sh00ky

Hawaii

5/5  rDev +12.4%

05-19-2013 00:26:37 | More by sh00ky

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.5/5  rDev +1.1%

05-18-2013 21:01:41 | More by Photekut

eyeenjoybeer

Indiana

5/5  rDev +12.4%

05-18-2013 16:51:32 | More by eyeenjoybeer

hsaye

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +1.1%

05-17-2013 18:45:04 | More by hsaye

carlosega

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +6.7%

05-16-2013 20:13:28 | More by carlosega

BigbROB

Illinois

3/5  rDev -32.6%

05-16-2013 17:58:25 | More by BigbROB

Zbeetleman

California

4.25/5  rDev -4.5%

05-16-2013 03:08:10 | More by Zbeetleman

scoot64

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -21.3%

05-15-2013 23:34:58 | More by scoot64

inanity

Massachusetts

2/5  rDev -55.1%

05-15-2013 23:20:49 | More by inanity

carterbt

Virginia

5/5  rDev +12.4%

05-14-2013 03:21:13 | More by carterbt

woodchopper

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +6.7%

05-13-2013 16:17:52 | More by woodchopper

jokulhaps

Virginia

4/5  rDev -10.1%

05-13-2013 02:23:29 | More by jokulhaps

pk18

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +6.7%

05-13-2013 01:52:13 | More by pk18

everettsbeerguy

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -4.5%

05-12-2013 20:11:19 | More by everettsbeerguy

lpayette

Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -15.7%

05-12-2013 19:58:21 | More by lpayette

Lorianneb

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +12.4%

05-12-2013 18:18:25 | More by Lorianneb

mikecharley

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +1.1%

05-12-2013 17:52:29 | More by mikecharley

Hopbully

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +1.1%

05-12-2013 16:34:35 | More by Hopbully

bluesplit63

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +12.4%

05-12-2013 11:20:55 | More by bluesplit63

Chingringo

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +6.7%

05-12-2013 00:32:28 | More by Chingringo

MinorThreat

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -21.3%

05-11-2013 21:00:35 | More by MinorThreat