Samuel Adams Utopias - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Treebs

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review #600. 10th Anniversary Edition served in the accompanying Riedel glass.

A: Pours completely still. Clear brown in color with some ruby highlights intertwined. Some massive legs and stick draping along the side of the glass.

S: Very hot and boozy up front. Overt alcohol and spirits with some hotness to it. Underneath that you get some maple sweetness and burnt sugar. Some caramel and toffee notes are present as well. Dark fruit complexities show themselves as well when it starts to hit room temp.

T: Caramel sweetness with a ton of vanilla. Oak with a great malty backbone. The alcohol doesn't compete with the complexities of this beer even though it's over 27%. Heat on the finish with a mix of toffee, roasted figs and raisins.

M: Incredibly smooth and rich with a warming finish. Devoid of carbonation with a slightly syrupy mouthfeel.

O: This is the pinnacle of sipping beers. Sweet, complex and warming. This is a beer I will savor for a long time.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 20:05:46 | More by Treebs

kylehay2004

Florida

3.65/5  rDev -18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: no head on a clear deep amber body. no lacing as expected.

S: oak, toast, caramel, bourbon, lots of booze. smells like a shot of whiskey/bourbon, lots of sugar, maple syrup.

T: wow this one hits hard at first. the booze and sugar combine to make this one hard to sip. Basically tastes like severly boozy maple syrup with some caramel. very oak.

M: thick chewy body and no carbonation.

Overall: glad i tried this one but not wanting it again. even more boozy than the 29% or whatever it is would suggest. the sweetness I think is what makes it a little too unbareable.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 04:43:29 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

4.4/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with no head and an opaque, black body.

S - Chocolate, bourbon, smoke, leather, and a touch of spicy rum.

T - Sweet, thick malt up front with rich chocolate and maple syrup. Rum, bourbon, and alcoholic warmth in the middle. Finishes with much more of the same as well as spicy notes of leather, pipe tobacco, and more rum and maple.

M - Medium body, no carbonation, and a balanced finish.

D - Drinkable in the traditional sense is not something nth at applies to a beer like this. The aroma is spectacular, the flavor is excellent also, but with a sweetness that is still slightly excessive. Oddly pleasant for such an over the top drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 04:24:34 | More by nickfl

Rau71

California

4.23/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Been wanting to try this beer since it first came out and finally had the funds to buy a bottle. This is the 10 year anniversary edition (2012).

Pours a solid brown with some light on the edges. Completly flat with no head.

Smells like a brandy, dark fruits really dominated for me. Could also get a small bid of bready yeast

Taste was more dark fruits, some toffee/molasses, oak, breadyness, very complex, seemed each sip I was picking up a different combination. Booze was present, but I expected that.

Overall this is a wonderful "Ale". I see it more of a brandy, something to sip on among fiends, but very much worth the experience.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 04:02:15 | More by Rau71

russwbeck

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

10th Anniversary (2012 Vintage) Bottle #03727

A: The beer pours out of the fancy bottle and into my "free" Utopias glass a viscous brown color without any head at all. The liquid thins at the edges, allowing some light through, and has hints of red and yellow as well. 4.5

S: The nose is extremely boozy. Notes of bourbon and red wine are there, but the run really comes to the forefront to me. Spicy and sweet, the barrels are deep and assertive. I can't wait to dive into this beer. 4

T: The first taste really blows me away. I've waited for so long to try this beer, and it has absolutely lived up to the hype. The maple syrup is extremely apparent, which wasn't the case on the aroma. It's hugely sweet and syrupy, with some roast as the base for the barrels to shine. The rum and bourbon are big time players, but the very sweet port and some red wine come out as well. It's absurdly complex and deep, seemingly each taste brings a new experience. It seems to progress from bourbon/rum to wine to maple syrup. 4.5

MF: Thick, syrupy body without any carbonation at all. The finish is actually pretty clean. The alcohol is present and dominating throughout the taste. 3

O: This absolutely lived up to the hype and I can't wait to see what happens to it over the years. If you've been thinking about dropping the amount of money it costs to taste this, don't wait any longer. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 21:33:12 | More by russwbeck

OF001

4.6/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

served at room temp

dark brandy, bourbon colour. clear No carbonation, no head.

Smells of the best sweet black strap molasses, bourbon barrel and heavily cooked sugars (not overly sweet considering, with much in the way of residual sugars.)

Uber black strap molasses, light rye whisky and other distilled liquors. anise and some other winter spices (vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & mace) A good depth of sweetness and residual sugars without being sickly. All of this is super condensed and difficult to pick out accurately.

Mouth feel is very smooth and flat, no carbonation what so ever. Not nearly as boozy as the 27% would suggest.

Great for what it is. The nose is a little simple, likewise the mouth feel. I would just as well have had a good dark brandy or cognac. That being said it is one off my bucket list and amazing for a beer the achieve this level of smooth complexity and malty depth, thoroughly enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 04:22:54 | More by OF001

UCLABrewN84

California

4.38/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to nakalakaboom for sharing this one at mrbubbler's "end of the world" tasting.

2012 vintage. Bottle # 04542.

Pours a clear brown with no head. Legs of beer form on the sides of the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, sherry, and port. Taste is much the same with some wood and maple flavors as well. There is an alcohol burn in the throat after each sip. This beer has no carbonation but there is a smooth and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is extremely strong and extremely rich but super tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 04:49:42 | More by UCLABrewN84

Johnnyhitch

New York

5/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2011 Vintage Bottle #10243

A - Dark mahogany hues in front of rich golden striations

S - Caramalized dark figs raisons malted barley brown sugar slight booze like one would expect but not like anything i was expecing at all. Very pungent

T - Big dark fruits sweet boozy pancakes fill the mouth almost like a fruitcake. Oaken cherrys almonds bready malts vanilla very deep and complex very hard to narrow down any one flavor. Maple syrup really shines as it warms. (Used in a brandy warmer) I guess you can taste what could be hop earthiness but may just be the tannins from the wood.

M - This is where it really goes crazy. The alcohol hits first numbing the palate over sweetness and makes it crazy smooth in balance. Syrupy mouthfeel also adds to the brown sugar. Very thick....Awesome.

O - Ive had the 09 and think 11 goes crazy over the top of it. The 09 had to many sherry vinous flavors to it where the 11 has that rich malted palate that lets you know its a beer. Much better than expected and will be aging for a while. Can only imagine what this could turn into. Perfect in my book. Not much room for improvement at this high of an ABV.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 01:09:43 | More by Johnnyhitch

krl2112

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev -37.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Being that I am also a wine lover, the best way for me to describe the 10th Anniversary Utopias is as a bad Port wine. It smells and looks similar to a port with dark brown cognac like features and tastes like one, unfortunately a bad one. Very heated in the mouth and all sorts of flavors but they are subdued by the bad alcohol taste. I had the 2009 earlier this year and it was much better thn the 10th Anniv. IMO you are much better off buying a $30 Warres Port if you are looking for this taste. I was very much looking forward to this one with all the hype it had around and since I very much liked the 2009 but this one was just a diasppoinment unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 23:28:31 | More by krl2112

morebeergood

Massachusetts

4.7/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Some friends all chipped in to buy a bottle to drink at our company Xmas party. We poured the entire bottle into 14 small tasting glasses. Dark brown body. No carbonation; totally still. Smell was ripe with rum barrels and booze. Taste was intense and powerful. Rum, port, caramel, raisins, toffee, sugar cane all came to mind. Mouthfeel was silky smooth and luscious like a nice cognac. This "beer" really stretched the definition of what beer is, even even though it was high priced, it was worth it. I though that this was better than some top shelf rums or bourbons I've ordered before.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 04:40:44 | More by morebeergood

alpinebryant

Connecticut

4.45/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased to celebrate landing my new job after having been told I would be laid off Jan. 31. Glad I do not have to be unemployed! and also glad to have picked this up after seeing it released the past few times and passed on them.

A: Translucent chestnut brown color with no lacing. Thick legs poured down the sides after shaking the glass a bit.

S: Thick vinous brandy with pepper, oak barrels, roasted caramel, toffee.

T: Tons of flavor here as expected. It is a syrupy cognac like consistency with a burn to the back of my throat. Roasted caramel and cotton candy, toffee, dark purple plums, burnt sugars and a musty earthiness underneath it all. THis is nearly a hybrid of an old ale and a Port wine. Extremely sweet and boozy. I think you could put this in a glass with ice like a scotch and water it down while at the same time enhancing the flavors similar to a scotch. I am reminded clearly of Coton from The Bruery with similar old ale flavors and complexity.

M: Thick vinous with absolutely no carbonation.

O: This is more an aperitif than a beer. You probably will not want to drink it after coming home from work or otherwise have too much of it. In many respects, as just about everybody knows ... its more a distilled spirit than a beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 01:03:41 | More by alpinebryant

C13

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: I poured a small taste for my buddy and I from the bottle into a snifter. Clear copper tone with nice legs. No head or carbonation.

S: It smelled like vanilla, raisins, sweet fruit and booze. When I first smelled it, I thought I was about to take a shot of really good paint thinner as it burned my nose.

T: I would be lying if I said it was good. This stuff is more than good...It is Unbelievable. It is quite possibly the best sip anything I have ever had. The taste is so much smoother than the smell. At first I tasted raisins and the sweetness of brown sugar, with trailers of fruit and vanilla. I can't wait till my next sip.

M: I really like how it sticks to my mouth and I can still taste it 10 minutes later. The sweetness still lingers as I type, begging me to open the bottle for another sip. The smell burns the nose much more than my mouth...It is amazingly smooth.

O: Some say it is not worth the price, but I can say that I bought two bottles. One to keep, and one to trade. Now, I can honestly say that I am keeping all $400.00 worth of this stuff and will save it for years to come to sip in celebration, and with friends.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 06:20:21 | More by C13

TucsonTom

Arizona

4.7/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

A few of us combined assets to share a bottle.

Utopias 2012 is, as Jim Koch suggests, more of a cognac than a beer. It’s very tasty and unique, but (for me) not really worth the price.

A: 5.0. A clear, beautiful dark amber. No head, no carbonation, but plenty of the legs you see in red wine.

S: 5.0. Rich vanilla and dark fruity sweetness, but no hops.

T: 5.0. Coats the mouth with the lip-smackin’ sweetness of a host of dark fruits and heavy vanilla. Again, no hops anywhere in the building. Nice and warming, with quite an alcohol bite. I strongly suggest visiting the Sam Adams website to read about this beer; I found all the flavors mentioned in the explanation.

M: 5.0. The sticky sweetness lingers until you suck every sugar off your lips and out of your month. The coating is such that a slight numbness settles over your lips until you clear Utopias off. It is amazing.

Overall: Even with all the 5.0 scores above, I still must give Utopias 2012 an Overall Score of only 3.5 because of its price. It was probably worth this one-shot group purchase, just to see what all the fuss is about. But if Jim Koch wants me to buy future editions, it’d need to be priced closer to $50 retail. Its production economics probably wouldn’t cooperate with that price point, though. Oh, well. I can still buy plenty of super-tasty other beers with what a single bottle of Utopias costs.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 01:48:18 | More by TucsonTom

josephwa

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - transparent, copper hue, no head.

S - nutty, raisins, booze.

T - smooth yet boozy! Dried fruit, raisins, pecans.

M - alcohol burn, light body, very dry - this brew dries out the tongue and no carbonation whatsoever.

O - Very delicious. But not worth the cost, effort or hype. This ceases to be a beer to me. I've had dessert wines that have had almost the exact same taste.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 01:04:09 | More by josephwa

jera1350

Minnesota

4.55/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Vintage 2012 10th Anniversary. Thanks Jonnie!

Muddy looking brown color with zero carbonation.

Smell is complex, boozy and sweet. Notes of vanilla, bourbon and maple syrup with rum and oak.

A major slap in the face with flavor. Huge sweetness and moderate sourness up front. Flavors of maple syrup, vanilla, spiced rum, bourbon, oak and of course hot alcohol. Really does taste like a souped up barrel aged beer though. So complex.

Flat, syrupy slick and full bodied. Perfect feel for what the product is.

Overall, it's more than a beer. It's an experience for sure. Is it worth the price? I would say if its divided up among several people it is. Definitely something to try once in your life. Personally loved having it.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 14:37:20 | More by jera1350

Wetpaperbag

Washington

4.93/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I got this from my brother for my 30th birthday on Thanksgiving.

A- No carbination, or lacing, very oily slick in the glass. Copper in color and kinda thicker looking.

S- The smell is so complex, and changes as the glass warms up. Dark fruits, vanilla, cinnamon, figs, pear, apples. Very similar to a port and a cognac mixed and a huge alcohol hit.

T- The complexity in this beer is crazy, just so much going on almost a tastebud overload. Vanilla, dark fruits with lots of port flavors, boozy, caramel, and burnt sugar.

M- Burns the mouth a bit, especially the lips. Oily and very nice solid body feel.

O- This is great, tasty and quite enjoyable. Is it worth the money, not especially. Is it worth a try, if you can get a hold of it for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 07:10:13 | More by Wetpaperbag

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

DonDirkA

Arizona

4.4/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 10th Anniversary bottle. 29% ABV. Poured in the Riedel designed Utopias glass. First tasting. I may come back and modify my review each year since I plan on drinking 2 oz each year on my birthday (Nov 18). Depends on how much it changes.

Pours a mahogany caramel color with no head. The nose is almost like amaretto and brandy together. Chocolate covered cherries, almonds, maple, pecans, definite booze heat (obviously), caramel, molasses and some slight red grape notes. The taste is very sweet. Maple, almond, oak, cherry, chocolate, booze, pecans, caramel and molasses. It is syrupy, sticky, sweet, very hot. It is definitely a lot different than a beer. It kind of deserves its own classification. It is fermented like beer but it is like drinking a liquor like cognac or brandy. I love it but I don't know if I can call it a favorite beer. Maybe my favorite liqueur...

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 03:24:21 | More by DonDirkA

vic21234

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Celebrating my 100th review on here with the last 6 or so ounces of this beer. 2009 Vintage, bottle number 08708. The bottle was opened in 2010 and sipped on occasionally. Here we go:

A- Pours a brown/ mahogany color. No carbonation or head whatsoever. Lots of lacing along the sides of the glass which I expected at 27% ABV.

S- Obviously the booze comes hard on the smell. Once you get past the nose-burning from the booze, I get hints of dark fruits, figs, and raisins. Smells like a brandy or cognac to me. The bottle says brewed with maple syrup, but I really don't get any in the aroma.

T- First sip hits hard, and tastes much like the aroma. Dark fruit and raisins are big on the taste initially. Though I didn't get maple syrup on the aroma, I do get quite heavy hints of it in the taste. Drinks like a fine liquor.

M- Heavy, no carbonation, boozy, and smooth. Each sip warms the throat and stomach.

Hard to call it a beer, but this is great stuff. I've been sipping on this bottle for 2 years and it hasn't lost a thing. A great beer to try if you're willing to shell out the dollars.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 02:03:46 | More by vic21234

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.68/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Mahogany colored body with no head to speak of. Sticky body clings to the sides of the glass.

S- Maple syrup, oak, bourbon, tobacco, red wine, molasses, brown sugar. Smells incredibly sweet and all of the aromas are huge.

T- Sugary sweet, but all of the flavors come through in their own way. Incredibly complex, very sweet, very interesting.

M- Very syrupy, no carbonation, impressively almost no alcohol burn.

O- Really a crazy beer. Flavors are ridiculous and it's different than anything I have ever tried. Try it if you can.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 23:05:01 | More by stephenjmoore

Bendurgin

Maine

4.3/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a taster glass. This one pours dark mahogany with a bit of a reddish hue.

He aroma is rich with caramel figs and dark fruit. Surprisingly not boozy on the aroma. Rich and woody with toffee. It been said but this smells like a congnac. The pallet gives some notes of toffe and bourbon with notes of oak and vanilla. Dark fruits and figs with a sweet edge.

The body is full and flat. No carbonation but full and smooth. Feels nice. Overall this is a nice treat. Real enjoyable but I just assume have whiskey or some other comperable spirit.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 01:15:05 | More by Bendurgin

shrek806

New York

3.75/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark mahogany hue with no head.

Smells sweet and sugary like a Sherry Wine, Candied Figs, Maple, The smell is so sweet that its making my mouth water.

The taste is very smooth, not too boozy. nice sweetness with a slightly tart finish. There is definitely some Barrel aging going on.

The mouthful is really nice. Coats the mouth like a fine Brandy evenly with a very slight alcohol burn on the swallow.

The drinkability is moderate to high on this one. Pour it in a snifter and sip away.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 02:23:28 | More by shrek806

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed a 2012 pour at Julio's New England Beer Fest. Soo, according to the rep this spend 23 years in barrels. Not sure if thats true or not, but lets drink this. Reviewed from notes.

A - Pours a crystal clear chestnut/mahogany hue with no head at all but plenty of lovely, lovely legs. Seriously, this stuff is over 28% do you really expect a nice creamy head with this?!

S - Sweet, sweet zombie Jesus. My goodness is this awesome. Sweet, but not overly so with simply mind blowing maple notes. This SCREAMS maple and sherry. Considering this is higher than the usual 27% this is awesome, very little alcohol on the nose. Seriously, this is a maple and sherry bomb.

T - More HUGE maple sweetness notes again with some nice Toffee. Good, light earth and almost butteryness from the oak barrels. Not much alcohol again in the pallet. So much goddamn maple syrup. Shocking.

M - Mouthfeel is not as boozy as I thought it would be. Not heavy or syrupy either. Excellent barrel and maple notes with a light sherry/cognac feel. Smooth with hardly any carbonation.

O - Overall this far exceeded my expectations. Stuff is absurdly good. It really is worth the $160 as far as I'm concerned. Man oh man...

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 20:14:26 | More by rudzud

welldigger888

South Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -18%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle #019700 2009 Vintage, awesome vessel containing this beverage.
Got a special invite for tasting, The 2oz pour had no head and no lacing, crystal clear elixer with a few little chunks, maybe cork or something.

Definitely a huge booze on the nose, I mean hot. Very nice subtle maple vanilla raisin aromas come through the heat.

Taste is very smooth, not at all hot. Follows the nose with the maple vanilla raisin with an appropriate amount of booze. Not at all strong or overpowering booze, smooth.

Very much a full bodied thick chewy beverage.

Not sure this is really a beer but hey it was nice to try.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 15:14:27 | More by welldigger888

Florida9

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

10 Anniversary Edition.

A: Color is dark raisin brown. Clear, still, and flat. Appears to be more like liquor than beer.

S: Aroma is sweet and complex, with notes of raisin, port, tawny port, chocolate, toffee, brown sugar, molasses, and lots of alcohol.

T: Flavor is very similar to the aroma, though doesn't taste as sweet as it smells. Raisin and port with molasses, but there is also an earthy woodsy component as a well as a slight creaminess.

M: Thick, viscous and flat! But it all seems to work for this beer.

O: This is a very good drink, though it's not exactly beer in the classical sense of the word. Sure, it's technically beer, but this one is more in line with a sherry or a port than a beer. If you like those drinks and can appreciate this brew for what it is, you'll find this beer to be quite complex, incredibly balanced, and easily drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 02:02:47 | More by Florida9