September 7, 2016 – The rare and revered Samuel Adams Utopias 2015 blend is coming to LCBO on Friday, September 23 – the first time in three years this coveted product has been available for purchase in Ontario.
To coincide with the return of one of the world’s most sought-after brews, LCBO is hosting an exclusive tutored tasting lead by Jim Koch, founder of the Boston Beer Company and brewer of Samuel Adams. The tasting will take place on September 23rd from 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at LCBO’s Summerhill location at 10 Scrivener Square in Toronto.
TICKETS
Tickets for the tutored tasting will be available for purchase by telephone beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 8th by calling the HelloLCBO Contact Centre at 1-800-668-5226 or 416-365-5900 in Toronto. There will be 24 tickets available at a cost of $75.00 per ticket with a limit of two tickets per customer.
TASTING
Ticket-holders will be guided through a tasting of the following Samuel Adams products, paired with specially selected cheeses from The Cheese Boutique. Each beer sample will be 1 oz.
- Boston Lager – LCBO #307330
- Rebel IPA – LCBO #411686
- Octoberfest – LCBO #207084
- Grumpy Monk – Growler exclusive
- Chai Saison – Growler exclusive
- Cinder Blonde Gratzer – Growler exclusive
- Utopias – LCBO #104711
Ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase one bottle of Utopias following the tasting.
BUY UTOPIAS
On Friday, September 23, LCBO will have a total of 350 Utopias bottles available for customer purchase at the Summerhill location (including the 24 available to those who attend the tutored tasting).
Beginning at 4 p.m., Utopias will be available on a first-come, first served basis at a cost of $114.95 each, with a limit of one bottle per customer. Between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., customers will also have the opportunity to meet and mingle with Samuel Adams brewer, Jim Koch.
On Wednesday, September 28, beginning at 8:30 a.m., an additional 350 bottles of Utopias will be available for purchase through VINTAGES Shop Online. You must have an account set up in advance, which can be created here. Purchases may be made online only at www.vintagesshoponline.com or by telephone by calling the HelloLCBO Contact Centre at 1-800-668-5226 or 416-365-5900 in Toronto (Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.). Due to the limited availability of this product, there will be a purchase limit of one bottle of Utopias per call.
GROWLER STOP
Starting September 23, a limited quantity of seasonal Samuel Adams products will be available for customers to sample and purchase at the Summerhill Growler Stop:
- Grumpy Monk – $16
- Chai Saison – $16
- Cinder Blonde Gratzer – $16
ABOUT SAMUEL ADAMS UTOPIAS
Beer collectors and connoisseurs already know Samuel Adams Utopias is unique among beers. Utopias is an uncarbonated blend of batches, some of which have been aged in different wood barrels for more than 22 years. The 2015 blend was aged in single-use bourbon casks from the award-winning Buffalo Trace Distillery.
With an alcohol content of 28%, Utopias is best enjoyed in a snifter glass at room temperature like a cognac or fine port. This latest batch has notes of fig, chocolate, molasses, tobacco and spice with a subtle sweetness and a deep, rich, malty smoothness.
Samuel Adams Utopias is considered by some beer collectors to be the culmination of the art of brewing. The 2015 batch produced less than 10,000 bottles, of which the LCBO is offering 700 for sale.
