Boston Beer Co., the company that produces Samuel Adams beer, is set to release a special once-every-other-year beer with an alcohol level that is so high it is illegal to sell it in 15 states.
The company will release Utopias on Oct. 11, and it will contain a whopping 28% alcohol by volume level. By comparison, most beers have an average of 5% alcohol by volume level.
Under state law, an alcoholic beverage with such a high alcohol by volume level cannot be sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Utopias are released every other year by the company, and generally, only 13,000-15,000 bottles are distributed.
This year’s Utopias, according to the company, is a special one made from a variety of beers that have been barrel-aged for up to 30 years.
An added bonus this year is that 2,000 pounds of cherries were used to finish off the brewing process.
“We pioneered the barrel-aging and blending process of Utopias almost 30 years ago and continue that time-honored tradition today,” Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams, said.
“Since the introduction of Utopias in 2002, brewers have explored uncharted territory with each brew, experimenting with different kinds of aging barrels, new flavors, and different blending techniques.”
This year’s beer features a $240-a-bottle price tag for a 25.4-ounce bottle.
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