Launching Monday, nationwide: Angry Orchard hard ciders from Sam Adams parent co.

Angry Orchard Crisp Apple and Angry Orchard Apple Ginger go nationwide on Monday. The hard ciders are made by The Boston Beer Company, parent of Samuel Adams. Today at the 4th annual Myrtle Beach Beer Fest, Katie Healy, Boston Beer rep for Coastal South Carolina, showed me the six-pack packaging for Angry Orchard ciders. I tried both. I think the Crisp Apple presents a serious challenge to Woodchuck Amber, and I liked the touch of ginger in the Apple Ginger.

An expensive brew

The Boston Beer Co., makers of Samuel Adams, has taken beer to a new extreme.

Utopias, the company's biennial beer, has been upgraded: 27 percent alcohol by volume.

It comes in a 24-ounce bottle of ceramic and copper that looks like a brew kettle, at only $150 each.

But you probably won't find it in South Carolina.

In May 2007, the S.C. General Assembly passed a law allowing stronger beers to be sold in the state. Previously, the law allowed only beers that contained 6 percent alcohol by volume or less. The 2007 law raised the cap to 17.5 percent alcohol by volume, allowing numerous beer styles and imports to enter the state legally.

But at 27 percent, Utopias is illegal in South Carolina. Thanks a lot, Boston Beer Co.