Celebrated American Craft Brewer Samuel Adams Releases Utopias 2025 with Historic 30% ABV

Samuel Adams, one of the pioneers of craft beer, today unveiled Samuel Adams Utopias 2025, the 14th release of the highly anticipated, barrel-aged extreme beer. Defying convention with a 30% ABV, Utopias 2025 is one of the strongest beers ever brewed, and as a result, is illegal in 15 states. This limited-edition beer is bottled in individually numbered ceramic vessels at a cost of $240 SRP, reflecting the rarity, complexity, and unparalleled craftsmanship of the liquid.

Since the introduction of Utopias in 2001, Samuel Adams founder and CEO of Boston Beer Company, Jim Koch, and the award-winning craft beer brewing team set forth two innovation goals:

1. Push the boundaries of barrel-aging techniques and flavor profiles to achieve a boundary-bending, barrel-aged beer that blurs the line between beer and fine spirits with increasingly strong and complex vintages.
2. Reach the auspicious goal of achieving 30% ABV to make it one of the strongest beers in the world.

Each Utopias release explores uncharted territory, harnessing new blending techniques and the strength of the Samuel Adams and Boston Beer Brewing team. Most notably, this year, after 14 releases, Utopias 2025 marks a milestone for the team with the achievement of their decades-long goal of 30% ABV.

“When we first began the Utopias journey over thirty years ago, we set out to explore the limits of what beer could be,” said Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams. “Reaching 30% ABV is a remarkable milestone for Utopias— not for the number itself, but for what it represents: the relentless pursuit of craft without compromise. Every vintage, barrel, and bottle reflects decades of experimentation, innovation, and collaboration, delivering a sipping experience that is truly unparalleled, collectible, memorable, and worth the wait.”

The Challenges of Brewing High ABV Beers

The biggest challenge in brewing a high ABV beer is the flavor and quality. Sam Adams has brewed 24% - 28% ABV+ beers since its first release in 2001. Utopias leverages the technical skills with a blend of proprietary yeasts that can withstand the conditions. However, the Sam Adams brewing team was not singular in its pursuit. Flavor, above all, drives this revolutionary team of brewers.

About Barrel-Aging Utopias 2025

The barrel-aged ale blends vintages aged up to 30 years and achieves its flavor through a blend of liquids finished in Irish Whiskey, Amarone, and White Port barrels, along with traditional Ruby Port, Carcavelos, Cognac, and Scotch casks to deliver the layered flavors of caramel, oak, dried fruit, smoke, and subtle citrus.

How It's Made

Utopias 2025 reflects decades of innovation and the collaborative spirit of The Boston Beer Company. The journey first begins at the Samuel Adams Cincinnati Brewery, where the beer is brewed and fermented. Next, it moves to the Utopias Vault at the Pennsylvania Brewery in a towering 6,000-square-foot, climate-controlled space for barrel aging. After achieving the desired age, brewers blend it with previous vintage Utopias at the Boston Bier Keller, and the beer is finally bottled at Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware.

Each bottle is a heritage collectible, with the numbering system corresponding to employee hire order – the first bottle belonging to founder and brewer Jim Koch.

How To Enjoy It

Utopias is ruby-black in color and non-carbonated. A brew as unique, complex, and spirited as Utopias 2025 should be enjoyed in a glass that enhances its aroma and flavor, such as a small-bowled Cognac or snifter glass at room temperature, in one-ounce pours. The beer behaves as a fine spirit, as the bottle can be resealed to enjoy at a later date and should not be refrigerated.

Where To Buy It

While it is illegal to sell in 15 states, the exclusive beer is legal in 35 states, including California, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and more. Available in select specialty beer, wine, and liquor stores, beginning today for a suggested retail price of $240 per 24.5-ounce bottle.

Key Information About Samuel Adams Utopias 2025

• Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 30%, the highest in Utopias history
• Limited Availability: Legal in 35 states; illegal in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia
• Bottle Size & Packaging: 24.5-ounce handcrafted ceramic bottles
• Price: $240 per bottle
• Serving Instructions: 1–2 ounces per pour at room temperature; 12–24 servings per bottle
• Blending & Aging: Combines vintages up to 30 years old
• Cask Finishes: Irish Whiskey, Amarone, White Port, Ruby Port, Carcavelos, Cognac, Scotch
• Tasting Notes: Caramel, oak, dried fruit, subtle smoke, and citrus

For more information, visit SamuelAdams.com or follow @SamuelAdamsBeer on social media.