This year's special edition of Samuel Adams is illegal in 15 states

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New York (CNN) -

Samuel Adams is launching a new limited-edition beer so potent that it is illegal in 15 states in the U.S.

The brewery releases a new version of its Utopias line every two years, with the twelfth edition reaching the U.S. shelves starting October 11.

But don't bother looking for it in Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, or West Virginia.

The Utopias line is illegal in those states due to its high volume of alcohol: they contain 28% alcohol by volume, more than five times the normal strength of beers in the United States.

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But even where it can be purchased, it can be difficult to find.

Samuel Adams only produces 13,000 bottles of Utopias every two years, according to his website.

And it's expensive - the suggested retail price is $ 240 for a 750 milliliter bottle.

"We pioneered the barrel aging and blending process of Utopias nearly thirty years ago and today we continue that time-honored tradition," said Jim Koch, founder and brewer of Samuel Adams, in a statement.

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Utopias were first introduced in 2002, and have increased in price over the years.

The 2017 version cost $ 199 and the 2019 version, $ 10 more.

This year's version is also notable in that it is finished with 900 kilos of cherries and some batches were aged for up to 24 years in a variety of barrels.

Samuel Adams was the official beer for Inspiration4, the first fully civilian space tourism mission to return from orbit on Saturday.

The mission raised funds for St. Judes Children's Cancer Hospital, and a bottle of Utopia signed by Koch and the Inspiration4 crew members will be available at the hospital's upcoming charity auction.

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