Samuel Adams Utopias - 10th Anniversary Edition

Under the "holy crap" file is this little number. PEI just got six of these in the last little while, and there are still four out there right now. Be forewarned: it ain't cheap. It'll set you back a cool $129.90, and, although there is a special Riedel glass that you can have sent to you, there are some hoops to go through to get it (had to contact Moosehead, who takes care of SA in Canada, and they have helped me out).

Some little tidbits on this that may solidify or scare you away from purchase:

  • Ontario received 400 - we beat their Utopia-to-people ratio by about 9,000! 
  • There were 54 barrels of this produced - about 15,000 bottles (710ml) they say.
  • In Ontario, you could only order it by phone - all sold out in 2.5 hours, at $115 each.
  • In the USA, this routinely sold in stores for about $180 - $250. It's a comparative steal in Canada.
  • Think of it more as a spirit - with no carbonation, it clocks in at about 29% alcohol by volume, and will keep for years, even after opening.
  • Maple syrup plays a big part in this edition, apparently, with many tasters noting it felt sticky, tasted sweet, or that they thought it would be good on some really decadent pancakes or waffles.
  • If you'd like to see what crazy nonsense went into making this brew (some of the liquid in it is going on 20 yrs old now, supposedly), look no further.
So... if you just can't say no to something exclusive, have some big event in the near (or far, distant) future that you want to have this for, are too curious for your own good, have some extra coin, or some combination of all of these, have fun hunting one of these four down!