Samuel Adams - Pushing Boundaries, Building the Legend

Recently I had the opportunity to sit down to dinner with Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch at David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago. David prepared a tremendous meal pairing his creations with a selection of Samuel Adams beers. The meal was topped off with the introduction of the latest release of their Utopias. Utopias is an extreme beer that dwarfs all other extreme beers. While I'm not typically a fan of outrageously styled beers, I must admit to be quite fond of the latest edition of Utopias, a beer that is released every second year. I believe this to the best Utopias to date. Besides, Jim Koch has done so much to elevate the understanding and appreciation of beer in this country that he - in my humble opinion - can do any damn thing that he wants to!

The limited edition 2007 batch of Samuel Adams Utopias will be presented in a numbered, bronze colored; ceramic decanter shaped like a brew kettle and will have a limited release of just 12,000 bottles. The limited edition brew will be available at select specialty beer and liquor stores for a suggested retail price of $120 - $140 per bottle making it an ideal gift for the beer lover that has everything. Be aware that these bottles will be snatched up in a blink of the eye so don't delay.

Another highlight of the evening was my first sip from the Samuel Adams Boston Lager Pint Glass. This glass was specially designed to accentuate the unique qualities of Boston Lager. Jim Koch explained his thinking behind the glass and the long process involved in its creation. "We wanted to create a glass that offers beer lovers a full sensory drinking experience by fully showcasing Samuel Adams Boston Lager's complex balance of malt and hop flavors. This glass achieves that mission."