Sam Adams' Latest 28% 'Utopia' Beer Is $240, Illegal In 15 States

BOSTON (CBS) -- Sam Adams is adding even more "spirit" to its brew. The 12th edition of Samuel Adams Utopia has 28% alcohol by volume - so strong that it's illegal in 15 states, including New Hampshire.

The beer is legal in Massachusetts, where bottles can be found at select specialty liquor stores at a suggested retail price of $240 starting on Oct. 11.

Utopia is a blend of the brewery's "extreme beers," some of which have been held in reserve for almost three decades in wooden bourbon casks. This Utopia was finished with 2,000 pounds of cherries to bring "a slight sweetness and touch of tart flavor."

"We pioneered the barrel-aging and blending process of Utopias almost thirty years ago and continue that time-honored tradition today," Sam Adams founder Jim Koch said in a statement. "Since the introduction of Utopias in 2002, brewers have explored uncharted territory with each brew, experimenting with different kinds of aging barrels, new flavors, and different blending techniques. The result is always special, spirited, and worth waiting for."