OVER-THE-RHINE, Ohio. (WKRC) - Cincinnati’s newest beer is so strong, it’s illegal in 15 states!
Samuel Adams is brewing up something strong in the Queen City. The blend rings in at 28% ABV. The 2019 version of Utopias is a blend of barrel-aged beers. The Cincinnati brewing location is one of three to age and finish the beer.
“We’re excited to bring something this special to our neighbors and everybody else in the area,” said Samuel Adams Cincinnati Taproom Assistant Manager Jimmy Longbottom.
The releasing of Utopias on tap will celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Cincinnati taproom.
“The neighborhood has been great,” said Longbottom. “A lot of other breweries and businesses have supported us. We’ve made a lot of regulars with neighbors and visitors.”
Mason Cook says he visits the taproom a couple of times a month.
“I call this place the best keep secret in Findlay Market,” said Cook. “Any time you can drink beer that was brewed 20 feet from you, it’s hard to beat.”
In a press release, Samuel Adams Brewing Company explains the aging process of Utopias:
Like its predecessors, 2019 Utopias is a blend of earlier batches of Samuel Adams’ extreme beers, a catalog dating back over 25 years, which have been aging in wooden bourbon casks from Buffalo Trace Distillery. Brewers took portions of this beer and transferred them to Aquavit, Carcavelos and ruby port barrels to impart complex flavors to the beer.
The Utopias beer was first released in 2002. The press release explains the makeup of the 2019 version:
Brewers also experimented with Cognac and Madeira finishing barrels, which enhanced 2019 Utopias with distinct vanilla notes and subtle nutty and elegant dark fruit aromas. As a final step, and to add a slightly tart note, brewers blended a touch of Kosmic Mother Funk, a unique wild ale that is fermented for two years in Hungarian Oak foeders at the Boston Brewery.
On Nov. 15 and now Nov. 16 at the Samuel Adams Cincinnati Taproom, you can taste Utopias during the first-ever tapping.
You can now buy tickets for Saturday, Nov. 16.
