While we drink beer to enjoy the taste, from time to time, it is a good way to have a little extra fun. In this post, we’ll tell you all about how drunk the different varieties of Samuel Adams can make you. This way, you can enjoy the beer while also safeguarding your limits.
For each of these calculations, we are using average heights and weights. For the average American male, this is 200 pounds and a height of 5’8. The average American female weighs about 171 pounds and is 5’3.
Six to seven cans of Samuel Adams Boston Lager (5%, 12oz/ 330ml) will get the average American male drunk, assuming they take 30 minutes to drink one can (0.084-0.098% BAC). Four to five cans will get the average female drunk (0.081-0.1% BAC).
Continue reading to know more about how much you’d need to drink from the other Samuel Adams varieties.
Please note that the calculations made here are merely estimates. The exact number depends on your weight, hydration status, recent meals, kidney function, and much more. We recommend using a breathalyzer to achieve a more accurate estimate if you are looking for actual numbers.
Additionally, we will use the 0.08% BAC as the maximum to be allowed to drive, as is the federal law. Make sure you are aware of the legal implications of drinking and driving in your state, as well as your personal limits, before getting behind the wheel.
When Are You Drunk?
Before continuing, we need to understand two things; when are you tipsy, and when are you drunk?
We can determine this by looking at the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC, for short). Various sources tell us that at a BAC between 0.03 and 0.12, you are tipsy. You can feel a little giddy and relaxed at this point, but you do not have severe impairments just yet. This means, with a limit of 0.08 BAC, you are often allowed to drive home while being tipsy.
On the other hand, you are drunk between a BAC of 0.09 and 0.25. The precise number varies widely per person. When you reach this point, you’ll find you are likely to have impaired vision and memory and a (complete) loss of balance. You might also find yourself nauseous and drowsy.
We will use these numbers and the average weight mentioned above to determine if and how fast the various Sam Adams beers can get you drunk.
Can One Can Of Samuel Adams Get You Drunk?
To start, let’s find out how drunk one can of Samuel Adams, a Vienna lager, can make you. We’ll use the standard 12 fl. oz can for these calculations. Naturally, if you’re drinking a larger size, one can will make you feel the effect more.
Samuel Adams Boston Lager (5% ABV)
One 12 fl. oz can of Samuel Adams Boston Lager will not make a person drunk.
For men, one can have them reach 0.022% BAC, which is so low that they’d probably feel completely normal. About two hours after the beer, their BAC will reach 0% again.
Women are likely to feel more of the effects due to lower average body weight. At 0.028%, their BAC is slightly higher, but still not enough to feel the consequences of drinking. They would also need an additional 2 hours to be completely sober again.
Samuel Adams Just The Haze IPA (<0.5% ABV)
You might think that, as there is still some alcohol in this non-alcoholic beer, you could still get drunk from it. This is, however, entirely untrue.
To illustrate, women would have to drink about 35 cans of this beer within an hour to feel tipsy. Men would need about 45. Besides, if you’re looking to feel the buzz, you might be interested in knowing that just plain grape juice has an ABV of 0.29%-0.86%, and orange juice has 0.16-0.73% ABV. As a result, there’s a chance your juice has more alcohol in it than this beer.
The reason for this is that the formation of alcohol is a natural result of ethanol fermentation, which is used in the production of several different foods. Even wheat rolls or bread and other fruits have alcohol.
So, if you drink only one can of this beer, your BAC would reach 0.0022% as a male and 0.0028% as a female, nowhere near enough to feel the results.
Samuel Adams Wicked (4.7 – 8.3% ABV)
There are three varieties in this range, each with a different ABV; Wicked Easy (4.7%), Wicked Hazy (6.8%), and Wicked Double (8.3%).
After one can of Wicked Easy, women will reach a BAC of 0.026%. For men, this is a little lower, at 0.02%. Neither of these percentages is enough to feel tipsy, let alone drunk.
For Wicked Hazy, one can will result in 0.029% BAC for men and 0.038% BAC for women. The threshold for tipsiness is 0.03, but this varies per person. Consequently, a person of any gender may start to feel the effects after one can.
With Wicked Double being a higher percentage than Wicked Hazy, it is unsurprising that one can will get you tipsy. Men will reach a BAC of 0.036%, whereas women will reach around 0.046% BAC. Each would need about 3 hours for the BAC to reach 0% again.
Luckily, you are still allowed to drive home after one can of any Samuel Adams Wicked variety.
Samuel Adams Utopia (28% ABV)
Utopia is Sam Adams’ American Strong Ale. It isn’t as strong as a standard spirit just yet (35-40%), but it sure is stronger than your average beer. As a result, you’d unlikely drink 12 fl. oz of this. Samuel Adams recommends a 4 fl. oz glass, so this is what we will be calculating with.
One glass of Utopia beer will result in 0.052% BAC for women. This means they are likely tipsy, more confident, talkative, and relaxed. For men, the result is 0.04%. Though lower than women, it still has the same effect. Each would have to take 3-4 hours to be entirely sober again.
Can Three Cans Of Samuel Adams Get You Drunk?
Thus, some Samuel Adams beers can get you tipsy after one drink. Let’s see how 3 cans can make you feel. To calculate this, we’ll assume it takes about 30 minutes to finish one drink.
Samuel Adams Boston Lager (5% ABV)
After three cans and 1.5 hours, men likely have a BAC of around 0.042%. This is enough to feel tipsy and more confident and comfortable, but not enough to be drunk yet. Women already have a significantly higher ABV, at 0.061%. Still, not enough to be drunk just yet. It will take about 3-5 hours to be completely sober again. However, everyone is still allowed to drive themselves home at this BAC.
Samuel Adams Wicked (4.7 – 8.3% ABV)
Three cans of Wicked Easy have less of an effect. The resulting BAC would be 0.056% for women and 0.038% for men. All parties would start to feel the effects, but it is not enough to be drunk.
Three cans of Wicked Hazy significantly affect men with a BAC of 0.065%. Blunted feelings, disinhibition, and euphoria, are the result, but not yet drunkenness. Women, however, will just pass the 0.09% threshold for drunkenness; their BAC would be 00.91%.
Therefore, it is not surprising that three cans of Wicked Double will make women drunk. Their result is around 0.12%, causing over-expression and potentially nausea and vomiting.
The average man gets quite close to the 0.09% threshold and reaches 0.085%. It is, therefore, possible that three cans of Wicked Double gets some men drunk.
Samuel Adams Utopia (28% ABV)
If one glass of Samuel Utopia can get you tipsy, three can get you drunk. Men would reach around 0.098% BAC, whereas women would have 0.13% BAC. Neither would be allowed to get behind the wheel anymore, and they’d need between 7-9 hours to be entirely sober again.
Can A Six Pack Of Samuel Adams Get You Drunk?
So, 3 cans might get you tipsy or drunk, depending on the variety. Let’s scale this up and see if you can get drunk after drinking an entire six-pack. We’re using the same variables; the average male/female and 30 minutes to drink one beer.
Samuel Adams Boston Lager (5% ABV)
After an entire six-pack, men will probably have a BAC of around 0.084%. This isn’t enough to be drunk, as it is below 0.09%. However, if you drink the six-pack faster than 3 hours or have a lower body weight, a six-pack will likely do the trick.
For women, however, a six-pack will get them drunk; they will reach a BAC of 0.12% if it is drunk within 3 hours.
Drunk or not, you’re no longer allowed to drive home after a six-pack of Samuel Adams.
Samuel Adams Wicked (4.7 – 8.3% ABV)
A six-pack of Wicked Easy is likely not enough to get men drunk, ‘only’ reaching 0.076% BAC if it’s drunk within 3 hours. Women will be drunk, with a BAC of 0.11. They’d need 8 hours after their final drink to be sober again.
For the little stronger Wicked Hazy, a six-pack should be enough for everyone. Men will easily pass the 0.09% threshold to be drunk and have a BAC of around 0.13%. For women, their BAC will be even higher, at 0.18%. With a blood alcohol concentration this high, you’d need 13 hours after your last drink to be completely sober again.
Wicked Double is an even stronger beer, and a six-pack would definitely get you drunk. In fact, women would reach a BAC of around 0.23%. You’re entering dangerous territory, with a possibility of death, around 0.40 BAC, so we do not recommend you continue to drink at this point.
Men’s BAC level will be a little lower, at 0.17%. Still, it would take them 12 more hours to be entirely sober again.
Samuel Adams Utopia (28% ABV)
Again, women would enter a dangerous stage after 6 glasses of Samuel Adam’s Utopia. Their BAC would be around 0.27%, making them very likely to be vomiting, with a loss of understanding and mood swings. We once again advise you not to continue to drink at this stage.
Men’s BAC would be a little lower, at 0.2%. Though lower, it is possible they would be experiencing the same symptoms. They’d need around 14 more hours after their final drink to be sober again.
