Samuel Adams Utopias 24-ounce bottle/ $120-$140
The holidays call for a special-occasion beverage, but what if you’re not into champagne or spirits?
Leave it to the Boston Beer Co. to undertake the brewing equivalent of space exploration – as founder Jim Koch puts it, “to challenge the notion of what a beer can be.” This Holy Grail of a brew is made with traditional malt, hops and yeast, but elements of it are aged up to 13 years in bourbon, sherry, brandy and cognac casks.
It also contains – believe it or not – maple syrup. The result is a complex, uncarbonated drink with an otherbeerly alcohol content of 27 percent that’s best suited for an after-dinner room-temperature sip.
Between a brown ale and a cognac in color, with the mouthfeel of the latter, it has the raisiny aroma of a port and is similar in flavor. Notes of cinnamon and vanilla make it a nice companion for a dessert. While a bit sweet for some drinkers, its price, exclusivity and packaging make it a spectacular eye-opener as either a gift or an after-dinner surprise. Boston Beer Co. .
