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There are beers on the market that are so strong they rival cocktails – and they’re illegal in some parts of the US.
Earlier this fall, Samuel Adams announced the release of Utopias 2025, a “barrel-aged beer” packing 30% alcohol by volume (ABV).
“Utopias 2025 is one of the strongest beers ever produced, and as such, it is illegal in 15 states,” the release said.
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The banned states are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia, according to the company.
Utopias is Samuel Adams’ beer testing program – designed to test the limits of beer aging and blending techniques.
Samuel Adams released Utopias 2025, an extreme barrel-aged beer reaching 30% ABV and banned in many states. (Samuel Adams)
The 2025 product is ruby-black and non-carbonated. Samuel Adams noted that it “behaves like a good spirit, as the bottle can be resealed for later enjoyment and should not be refrigerated.”
The beer’s tasting notes include “caramel, oak, dried fruit, subtle smoke and citrus,” according to the release.
At 30% ABV, the beer is comparable to common bar liquors such as triple sec, schnapps and amaretto.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Samuel Adams for comment.
The beer comes in 24.5-ounce ceramic bottles with a suggested retail price of $240, though the price tags have increased since its release in October.
Each bottle is good for between 12 and 24 servings, with a suggested serving size of 1 to 2 ounces.
With tasting notes that include oak and caramel, Samuel Adams has placed Utopias 2025 closer to cask spirits than regular beer. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for NYCWFF)
Jim Koch, the founder and producer of Samuel Adams, called this new product “a remarkable milestone of Utopias.”
“Not about the number itself, but what it represents: the pursuit of craftsmanship without compromise,” he said in a company news release.
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“Every vintage, barrel and bottle reflects decades of experimentation, innovation and collaboration, to deliver a truly unparalleled, collectible, memorable and worth-the-wait tasting experience,” he said in the same release.
“From a consumer perspective, this is not a product for regular consumption.”
Cesar Wurm, a Georgia-based tourism executive and author of “The Power of Addiction: Finding Freedom in Acceptance and Recovery,” told Fox News Digital that 30% ABV beer is closer to alcohol and hard liquor than traditional beer.
“In terms of context, a standard 12-ounce beer at about 5% ABV contains about the same amount of alcohol as a 1.5-ounce shot of 40 percent alcohol,” he said.
At 30% ABV, even a small pour of Utopias 2025 (not pictured) can greatly increase the risk of intoxication if consumed quickly. (Stock)
“At 30% ABV, a pour of the same size can contain six times the amount, which greatly increases the risk of rapid intoxication and alcohol poisoning if consumed too quickly or without realizing the potential.”
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Wurm added that there is a risk that consumers will treat Utopias 2025 beer in the same way as they do other products – even though its content is very close to that of spirits.
Consumers may underestimate the potential of Utopias 2025 if they treat it like a regular beer, an expert told Fox News Digital. (Stock)
“That disconnection is where problems often arise,” he said.
“From a consumer point of view, this is not a product for regular consumption,” he added.
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“Certain people, including those with low alcohol tolerance, medical conditions affected by alcohol or a history of alcohol abuse should avoid it altogether.”
