Milwaukee is getting Sam Adams' Utopias, a beer so strong that it's illegal in 15 states

Kathy Flanigan
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Every two years, beer lovers lose their minds over a beer so strong it's illegal in 15 states.

That time is now. 

Utopias, a very-limited-edition beer from Samuel Adams, will be available in select Milwaukee-area retail stores next week. The finished product is a blend of batches of Samuel Adams beer, some aged as many as 26 years. The beer's ABV (alcohol by volume) is a hefty 28%. 

A typical beer's ABV is between 4% and 8%. A 28% ABV puts Utopias' alcohol content on par with rum or tequila. 

A portion of the beer is then transferred to Aquavit, Carcavelos wine and Ruby Port barrels. Unique to this year’s release, Samuel Adams experimented with using Cognac and Madeira finishing barrels, which should give the 2019 Utopias distinct vanilla and maple notes and rich dark fruit aromas.

Samuel Adams releases its special 28% ABV Utopias beer every two years. The decanter will be the same as the 2017 version.

Rich is the key word. Suggested retail is $210. Per bottle.  

Just in case you didn't think it was special enough, Utopias is packaged in a custom 25.4-ounce ceramic decanter that mimics the Samuel Adams brew kettles. Each beer is numbered individually. 

An estimated 60 bottles of Utopias (maybe slightly more) will be available in the Milwaukee market, said Sam Toman, Boston Beer brand manager at Beer Capitol Distributing.

Look for it at Otto's, Discount Liquor, Total Wine, Woodman's, a couple Metro Markets and various independent retail liquor stores. Also check samueladams.com/find-a-sam.

There are no specific release dates for Utopias here because the bottles are hand-delivered to each retail location.

If you miss the bottle release here, you still have time to travel for a taste of Utopias. In celebration of the Samuel Adams Cincinnati Taproom's one-year anniversary, Utopias 2019 will be available on tap Nov. 15 and will cost $20 for a 1-ounce pour, according to Cincinnati.com. The ticketed event includes a commemorative glass.

Because of the high alcohol content, Utopias is not available in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont or West Virginia.

Contact Kathy at (414) 224-2974 or kathy.flanigan@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @katflanigan.