I have a case of sam adams utopias lined up for purchase. Unfortunately, I don't need 12 bottles of this and really don't want to spend $2136 on it. I am looking for 11 other people (or however many it takes to purchase the case) in the Pittsburgh area. It's $178 a bottle (which is a really good price). Anyone in?
Nope. Haven't bought yet. Waiting to get other people in. Yes i am doing it beforehand (hence the thread). And pa laws blow
I so want to try this, but right now I don't think I could spend $175+ on a bottle of beer. Maybe sometime on down the road ...
$178 will buy a lot of Head Hunter or cover a substantial amount of my homebrewing costs for a year. I don't understand why anybody would want to spend that kind of scratch on a single bottle.
Same here. Different strokes and all that, but that's a LOT of green for a single 500 ml container of beer. I used to think I might feel differently if I ever had a chance to try the beer, but, after getting a small taste several years ago, I was even more puzzled. It's an interesting beer to try, and I can see where some folks would like it (though I think it has more in common with a good bottle of whiskey or cognac than beer), but I just can't understand what I feel is a ridiculous, inexplicable price point.
I had heard that it originally came in a 500 ml. bottle, but after doing a bit more research, I see the bottle size is now listed as 24 ounces (so a bit less than a 750 ml, but still more than a 500 ml bottle). Either way, the price is still absurd (IMHO).
Agreed - it certainly is more like whiskey/cognac than beer, but I wouldn't pay $180 for a bottle of whiskey either. I'd love to taste this at some point but can't see owning a bottle.
This is one of the primary reasons I get so annoyed over the cost of this stuff. For half the price of Utopia's, you can get a world class bottle of bourbon or single malt scotch. I'm willing to keep an open mind on this, but is it really any more costly to make a 24 ounce bottle of Utopias than it is to make a 750 bottle of 16 year old Laguvullin? Or a bottle of 15 year old Laphroig. Hell, for $100 you can get a bottle of XO courvoisier cognac. I just don't get it...
This might sound crazy but if you only want one bottle from the 12, instead of finding 11 other people to go in on it, just buy one bottle.
Because that is harder to do in Pennsylvania. You can only buy single bottles at certain establishments. From distributors, you must buy by the case.
I don't understand why he must buy 12. I know PA laws are silly but it is shipped in a case of 6(I know because I received one at my store). As far as price is concerned, it is ridiculously high. But damn it is ridiculously good too.
The distributor said it came in a case of 12. That's what he was selling. If it was a case of 6, that'd be cool but that is not the case here (pun??) As for everyone saying that it's crazy priced, then don't buy it and buy your home brew supplies or cognac. Keep calm on troll on.
HopFace lives near enough to places that are selling single bottles, granted they're more expensive per unit that way. There are also bars that will sell single servings of it.
Still, you should push back at the distro...they are not cases of twelve. If you can get it down to six I may be willing to take some off your hands. BM me if things change. I am not unreasonably far from Pitt.
Yea they are definitely cases of 6 not 12 man. It is going to be easier to get 6 people in than 12 anyway. Hope it works out for you.
It could be that 6 - 24 oz. Utopias bottles don't met the Penn. Liquor Control Board's legal definition of a "case". It used to be the only exception allowed for a legal "case of beer" under 288 oz. were 24 - 7 oz. pony bottles (the classic Rolling Rock case) but that's obviously changed since 12 - 22 oz. bombers (as well as imports in 11.2 oz'ers) are now sold as a standard case in PA IIRC. Don't remember what it was, but I recall once seeing some odd-ball size bottle/case of beer sold with two of their standard cases taped together as one unit to meet PA's rules. In this case, BBC might even make a separate 12 bottle case for the Pennsylvania market.
There's an issue of ounces though. I know there are some loopholes but I don't know if they break the minimum ounce rule. edit: Seriously Jesskidden we posted at like the same time. Your post was more useful though.
is utopias legally sold a "beer" in pa? 30% abv and no carbonation should make it a brandy or malted wine
It's registered as a beer so it's a beer. Strength and carbonation don't matter. It's ingredients and method.
It's a talk forum. Folks are just expressing their opinions about the beer, including the pricing. That doesn't make them trolls (I mean if that's the case, then everyone on here, yourself included, is a troll). Also, I assume you must feel the pricing is a bit "crazy" as well, or why the need to (not to mention difficulty, apparently) find 11 other buyers to go in on a case with you. If it's worth it to you, then by all means buy it, and I hope you get $180 worth of enjoyment out of it. Seriously. It's not worth it to me (obviously), but I've got nothing against you buying a bottle, if that's how you want to spend your money. The point I (and others) was making is that the price seems kind of high for a beer (no matter what the abv. is, or how limited it is), and given what similar alcoholic beverages sell for, it seems unjustified. I gather that doesn't matter to you, and of course that's fine, but I don't see why expressing an opinion on the subject makes one a troll (as you seem to infer).
Current CASE in PA code: "CASE" shall mean a package prepared by the manufacturer for sale or distribution of twelve or more original containers totaling two hundred sixty-four or more fluid ounces of malt or brewed beverages excepting those packages containing twenty-four or more original containers each holding seven fluid ounces or more. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pennsylvania_liquor_code/18291 So, yes, 12 Utopias per PA case.
I understand your point. I really do. You find this beer crazy priced. That's totally fine but please remember the subject was not "What is everyone's opinion on the price of this beer?", it was "Want to go in on a case of Sam Adams Utopias?". I wasn't trying to start a conversation about the price of the beer, I was trying to find some people to go in on a case of it. I was trying to utilize this site to find like minded people to go in on a case. OneDropSoup said it's available in singles around here, so I am currently looking around for that. So yes, it does make them (and you) trolls - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet) Notice the point about OFF TOPIC. But again, this is the internet - http://xkcd.com/386/ Thank you for your opinion though but if you want to discuss the price of this beer, perhaps you could start a new thread "Price of Sam Adams Utopias - Pittsburgh"
I must respectfully disagree with you. Price is central to this topic since it is the key factor in answering your query. I believe you would find many who would "Want to go in on a case of Sam Adams Utopias?" if the price were lower.
That was the impression I had as well, but I guess I was mistaken. By the way, your post doesn't pertain to the original topic either, so I guess you know what that makes YOU! Personally, I've never really thought of myself as a troll (my sister used to collect the small ones with the long hair years ago, but I assume the OP is referring to something different), and I'm wondering if there is specific attire a troll should wear. I understand that their diet largely consists of mutton, the occasional hobbit, dwarf pie or stew... I plan to see what I can find at the grocery store later today... perhaps they're running a special on burrahobbits.
I'm in for a bottle-- would like to arrange terms through private conversation. Just for the sport of the previous discussion, I have tried it, along with fine cognacs and numerous single malts (including the ones mentioned above). While it is similar to cognac, the hops presence is unmistakable. It is unique. Having tried it, I can cross it off my bucket list. I wouldn't bother with buying a bottle if it wasn't for a friend who introduced me to beer beyond the "evil three". He's always wanted to try it.
if this is still alive, i'd very much be down for a bottle, but it was my impression that we couldn't find enough interested parties and/or no one wanted to lead the charge and possibly be responsible for having extra bottles.
