Rare beer coming to the LCBO for $115 per bottle
It’s either the height of pretentiousness or the tastiest beer ever to come out of Boston. This November, Samuel Adams Utopias is hitting LCBO shelves with an expected price tag of $115 per bottle. The American import (banned in 12 states for its 27 per cent alcohol content) is made of a blend of several strong beers that have been aged for up to 15 years in casks that once held bourbon, port or cognac. The process of blending the beers has been likened to the making of a fine brandy. Also like a fine brandy, it’s rare: only 40 bottles of the brew will be sold here.
“It makes a great port taste like a Jolly Rancher, and it makes a great cognac taste harsh,” the founder and chairman of Boston Beer Co., which produces Utopias, told the Star. (That’s big talk, considering it’s brewed in a country known for making some of the world’s worst beer.) The paper also notes that local restaurant Beerbistro is hoping to sell the brew for $20 per ounce.
This whole thing has us wondering two things: how many asinine conversations could we milk out of having one of these in our liquor cabinet, and what’s wrong with Jolly Ranchers?
• Sam Adams beer hits LCBO at $115 a bottle next month [Toronto Star]
Jon,
Take a trip south of the border sometime and you’ll realize the craft beer business in the US is far superior to Canada’s.
In San Diego alone, you have better beer available than in all of Ontario.
Nice attempt at slagging the Americans though.
The author clearly doesn’t know beer. America has probably the best beer scene in the world.
Kills me how otherwise intelligent people debate endlessly over which beer is “best,” when usually all they mean by “best” is “my favorite”. It’s subjective. But at $115 a bottle,you’d have to be objectively nuts to buy it.
That’s so expensive for 1 beer! I started drinking and buying honey beers when they were sold at $1 bottle in the Beer Store a few years ago.
About 95% of the population in North America is out of touch with the current craft beer scene that is quickly becoming an industry unto itself. The flavorless macro-industrial beers that most people drink are a thing of the past. Craft beer drinkers of the world are demanding a quality product that is complex on many levels. Just like a fine scotch, cognac and wine; beer can be complex with a lot of flavor and character. Top bottles of scotch selling for $40,000 and bottles of wine that can cost $80,000, a mere $115 for 750ml of Utopias only pales in comparison. This beer drinks more like a fine liqueur, then it does a beer but it still contains the four essential ingredients that make up a beer. Trick brewing practices not commonly employed, are used to spike the ABV to 27%. The average person can experience the “most expensive beer”, unlike the most expensive scotch, cognac or wine. So what are you waiting for! Get out there and find a bottle of Utopias.
Refering to Kareem, saying the author seems not to know beer. I wanna give that compliment back to you Kareem!! Me being a german, precisely from a region in Bavaria that has the highest concentration of breweries in the world, I can tell that the beer scene in America is sure underrated and FAR better than many people would think. I have had truly good beer from microbreweries in US and Canada as well! But PLEASE give me a break!! Don’t even try to compare to the scene we have in Germany and Bavaria in special, where beer is not taxed as alcoholic beverage but basic FOOD!! Please don’t just think of Oktoberfest and Löwenbräu. That would be just the same as if we reduced american beer culture to Coors and Budweiser!! There is probably more microbreweries in Bavaria than catholic churches!! Bernhard
John,
I am a Canadian living in the US. I find your attempt at belittling the American beer scene to be typical of a growing subset of Canadians that are too complacent and sheltered to recognize that Canada needs to be more competitive, not more critical.
Although I am not fully impressed by the beer described, I ask if you know of any attempts from Canadian companies to raise the bar on craft beer brewing in a comparable way that this particular beer does, and moreso, actually commercialize it for domestic and international consumption?
Please consider using your media voice to raise the bar for Canada rather than belittle the USA.
The writers south of the border are better too.
With the exception of Quebec… the Belgian-style beers of la Belle Province are as good as any I’ve tasted on this planet.
Do yourselves a favour and explore Unibroue’s line-up.
I can’t comment on American craft breweries, but I definitely agree that Quebec has the best beer in Canada. If only we could get more of them in Ontario.
Who plans to buy this beer? It would definitely make for crazy gift under the tree and it could be enjoyed as an after dinner drink instead of port.
Does your blog have a contact page? I’m having problems locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail. I’ve got some recommendations for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it grow over time.