Sam Adams' Utopias is Strongest Beer in U.S.

The limited-batch beer Utopias by Sam Adams has been acknowledged as the most potent brew in the U.S., with a 27-percent alcohol content by volume, the Associated Press reported Nov. 30.

At $150 per bottle, however, don't expect Utopias to become a Friday night party drink.

The beer cannot even be legally sold in 13 states that set limits on the alcohol content of beer — typically around 14 percent by volume — though some states have recently amended their laws to allow for marketing of craft beers like Utopias.

Utopias falls into the category of “extreme beers” made by companies like Sam Adams and Dogfish Head, which use new brewing techniques to manipulate yeast and boost alcohol content without sacrificing flavor. Sam Adams' Triple Bock, for example, has 17.5 percent alcohol, while Dogfish Head has produced 22-percent alcohol beers.

Utopias is aged for 15 years in former whiskey and sherry casks. About 10,000 bottles will be produced this year.