Samuel Adams Utopias revisited

[MarkEdwards]

A couple of years ago, I bought two bottles of Utopias.

One, I opened immediately, and was pretty much unimpressed. It had a dull taste to me.

The other bottle sat in my beer closet, unopened for two years. I opened it yesterday.

The extra time in the bottle seems to have improved it. After 'maturing' a bit, it is a sour/tangy beer, that pairs very well with barbeque. The main flavor was sour cherry, with a vaguely noticeable trace of chocolate or coffee. Very pleasurable, if you like sour beers.

I'm glad I let it sit for awhile.

[Tony]

Good to hear, I had a freshly opened one and was not impressed a couple years ago. Glad to know the one I have sitting in the basement is getting better.

Best regards, Tony

[EagleRiver]

I have been lucky enough to have several different vintages of Utopias, and I have yet to be disappointed. To me it reminds me of some of the very best Tawny Ports I have every had, yet still different. And it ages quite well even after being opened, I recently drank some of my 2009 Vintage that has been open since it was fresh and it was quite good, maybe a bit oxidized but it has held up quite well and for whatever reason seems to have even more of a thick cedar woodyness than it did when it was fresh. I can understand that this beer isn't for everyone and its severely overpriced, but I still really enjoy it.

I completely agree with the chocolate dark fruit notes, I get a lot of that as well, which was also very prominent in some of good batches of Sam Adams Triple Bock which sort of lead to the creation of Utopias. If you can find a 95 Triple bock snatch it up, its still good! Unfortunately the later vintages have become soy sauce.

[Conquistador]

I just spied a lone bottle of 2013 Utopias in a bottle shop that I frequent. It was tucked away in the back of the rare liquor showcase, priced at $200. I really wanted to buy it, but the limited release whiskey season has drained by wallet until after the holidays. Hopefully, it will still be there in a few weeks.

[tylermke]

If anyone needs assistance with a Utopia, please PM me. I can point you towards at least 2-3.