Let me guess. When you think of beer you think of that carbonated liquid found in chilled cans of Bud and Coors. Fizzy, barely alcoholic, and mostly tasting of water and can, rather than hops, yeast, or malt. Instead of going into a diatribe about the amazing craft beer movement taking hold throughout this here country in breweries like The Bruery (CA), Brooklyn Brewery (NY), and Jolly Pumpkin (MI), I'm going to tell you about something completely different, though still within the beer realm. You sip it after dinner the way you would a grappa, eau de vie, or cognac. It has a deep amber/red color, similar in taste to a port or Madeira, boasts strong caramel notes, and is completely devoid of carbonation. It's called Utopias, produced by Samuel Adams, and...is a $150 beer. Seriously. Sam Adams introduced its first limited edition batch of Utopias in 2002 with an incredibly high 24% alcohol (beer is normally between 4% and 9% while wine is in the 13% ballpark). Utopias was brewed again in 2003, 2005, and 2007 with alcohol levels reaching as high as 27%. Don't drive home after a few glasses of that stuff! How can a sweet after dinner wine-esque brew actually be a beer? Utopias is brewed with several different strains of yeast, including a variety typically reserved for Champagne. A blend of two-row caramel and Munich malts gives the beer its rich ruby-black color and the blend of three kinds of Noble hops; Spalt Spalter, Hallertau Mittelfrueh, and Tettnang Tettnanger give the beer its floral character and slightly spicy note. The 2009 batch of Utopias is a blend of liquids, some of which have been aged in a variety of wood barrels for up to 16 years. The longer the aging, the more complex the alcohol becomes. This year’s batch was finished in sherry casks from Spain and muscatel and port casks from Portugal. The sherry casks add nutty, oak, and honey notes, while the muscatel and port casks contribute slightly more elegant, dark fruit aromas and flavors. The limited-edition 2009 batch of Samuel Adams Utopias will be bottled in numbered, ceramic brew kettle-shaped decanters as pictured above. The small batch release comes from just 53 barrels which explains way in past years bottles have sold for up to $1,000 on ebay. Perhaps the perfect holiday gift for your oenophile and beer-loving friends. Or, just serve after dinner.