BOSTON — Every two years, Sam Adams puts out a beer unlike anything else on the market.

Every edition is different, a one-of-a-kind blend that defies conventional beer classifications, makes credit cards tremble in fear and can have consumers rethinking what a beer is capable of.

This is Sam Adams Utopias, a beer that goes so hard it’s basically hard liquor — and is illegal in 15 states, including Vermont and New Hampshire.

Utopias has a near-mythical status in Sam Adams’ lineup. There’s no other beer the brewery makes that is remotely comparable.

It’s a blend of barrel-aged beers that routinely has a sky-high ABV and a price point to match.

This year’s edition is no different, clocking in with a $240 price tag and a record 30% ABV (alcohol by volume).

It’s also uncarbonated and comes in a striking ceramic bottle that looks like a copper brewing kettle. It’s meant to be served in 1- to 2-ounce pours at room temperature.

And after years of pining over the high-priced bottles I’d see in liquor stores, I finally got to try it out while sitting down with Shelley Smith, senior manager for R&D brewing & operations.

The obvious question to ask about this beer is, “Why does it cost so much money?”

It might even have you asking, “What, is it made from gold bars and bitcoin?”

No, you’re not really paying for the actual ingredients of the beer. You’re paying for time, which is a fundamental component of what makes this beer unique.

Utopias is a strong ale in a unique category of its own, Smith says.

But the magic goes well beyond the style of beer. It’s the cooperation that occurs across Sam Adams’ locations.

Utopias is initially brewed at the company’s Cincinnati location. It’s then transported to Pennsylvania, where Sam Adams has a “cask house” that’s 99% devoted to aging Utopias in various barrels — including bourbon, white port and scotch.

Smith says Sam Adams strives to age individual vintages in barrels for at least five years. Some elements included in the blend have been barrel-aged for up to 30 years.

The aged beer is then moved to the original Sam Adams brewery location in Jamaica Plain, where brewers develop and finalize the blend.

After that, the process moves to Sam Adams’ Milton location. Since the company is working with large, unwieldy, fragile bottles, the packaging has to be done by hand.

For customers who do actually get their hands on it, be warned: Do not treat this like a normal beer. Treat it more like a prized whiskey.

Sam Adams Utopias (the 2025 edition, at least) is a boozy lightning strike of caramel, maple syrup and molasses on your tongue.

It packs a sharp punch of flavor that I’ve never really tasted in another beer. You get a caramelized tidal wave of rich amber malt flavors, smoky notes and a boozy background that will never let you forget what you’re drinking.

The various flavors that result from barrel aging all pour out like clarion trumpets. You get an initial wave of wobbly sweetness from the booze. Then you get the various layers of flavor sorcery that come from the aging: toffee, nuttiness and a velvety finish reminiscent of maple syrup.

You get a powerful, complex rush of flavors — similar to what you get in a well-aged whiskey. However, Utopias doesn’t quite have the bite of higher-proof liquors.

While it’s all the way up at 30% ABV, Utopias still carries some of those pleasing qualities that make a complex beer enjoyable.

Yes, for me at least. I really enjoyed the slow, meandering process of working through and appreciating all the flavors.

This beer is complex and tastes unlike pretty much any other beer you’ll have. It’s uncarbonated and best served at room temperature.

That’s the key element here. You need to treat Utopias like a slow-sipping whiskey or wine, rather than a beer.

Sam Adams Utopias is the polar opposite of an ice-cold lager to unwind after a long day. It’s warm and requires your full attention to truly appreciate.

But for those who like that sort of thing, it’s a wonderful experience.

Once you get past that crazy price tag.

Utopias is designed to have staying power. Smith says that, because it isn’t carbonated, customers need not worry about drinking it all in one sitting.

The ceramic bottle is resealable, so you can enjoy it slowly over time.

Utopias fans will have to savor it for a while, as it takes Sam Adams two years to come out with a new batch.

But those future batches are already in the works. Because of the long aging times, Sam Adams already has barrels full of beer that will be included in Utopias in 2027, 2029 and beyond.

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