Smashbomb Atomic IPA: Blind Tasting

peterchiodo · Post by **peterchiodo** » Sat Aug 07, 2010 1:10 pm

midlife crisis wrote:I also sampled version 2 at Volo (it's still on there, as of last evening) and it is excellent. Keep it going Peter!

Only a few more tweaks on this one....
Peace

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 6:44 pm

Had it on draft, side by side with Hop Addict. It wasn't fair. It wasn't close. It wasn't a competition, it was like like comparing a Ferrari California to a Fiat 500.

Peter you're going to have to have the Smashbomb everywhere now or else convince Bruce to step up his game, because I can't go back.

Smashbomb on the left, Hop addict on the right

peterchiodo · Post by **peterchiodo** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:18 pm

icemachine wrote:Had it on draft, side by side with Hop Addict. It wasn't fair. It wasn't close. It wasn't a competition, it was like like comparing a Ferrari California to a Fiat 500.

Peter you're going to have to have the Smashbomb everywhere now or else convince Bruce to step up his game, because I can't go back.

Smashbomb on the left, Hop addict on the right

Yeah...it is one of the more aggressively hopped beers in Ontario....
Peter-I know it is optics....What do you think about colour...#1 versus 2? Everyone cool with the bitterness at 70bus?
Version 3 being brewed Friday....no plans right now for any change to the hop bill.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:28 pm

peterchiodo wrote:
icemachine wrote:Had it on draft, side by side with Hop Addict. It wasn't fair. It wasn't close. It wasn't a competition, it was like like comparing a Ferrari California to a Fiat 500.

Peter you're going to have to have the Smashbomb everywhere now or else convince Bruce to step up his game, because I can't go back.

Smashbomb on the left, Hop addict on the right
Yeah...it is one of the more aggressively hopped beers in Ontario....
Peter-I know it is optics....What do you think about colour...#1 versus 2? Everyone cool with the bitterness at 70bus?
Version 3 being brewed Friday....no plans right now for any change to the hop bill.

I like it Peter, seems most Ontario IPA/PA's are hopped up amber's, this is a real West Coaster. My wife even enjoyed and she's not big on IPA's.

And boy did it ever have great head retention. Like this all the way to the bottom.

Bonesey · Post by **Bonesey** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 9:20 am

Peter,

You seem to be one of the few that gets it. Is there any other local brewer that takes feedback so seriously and engages this much with the beer geeks? It's been said ad nauseum that Ontario is ripe for a proper west coast IPA on LCBO shelves. Get this sucker on the shelves, and you will deserve the success and accolades that will surely follow.

JesseMcG · Post by **JesseMcG** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:03 pm

Bonesey wrote:Peter,

You seem to be one of the few that gets it. Is there any other local brewer that takes feedback so seriously and engages this much with the beer geeks? It's been said ad nauseum that Ontario is ripe for a proper west coast IPA on LCBO shelves. Get this sucker on the shelves, and you will deserve the success and accolades that will surely follow.

I agree. I will buy a ridiculous amount of this stuff if/when it hits the LCBO shelves. Can't wait!!!

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:28 pm

Peter,

Any chance that you could provide your fanbase with any updates of when we might see this in the LCBO?

Or on a personal note, any chance you've convinced a pub in the Niagara region to put this on tap?

Weebay · Post by **Weebay** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:47 pm

Sorry if this has been asked before, but do you sell this out of the brewery at all?

Bytowner · Post by **Bytowner** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 2:40 pm

Put me down for #1 as far as colour goes. Just another unique thing going for it. Nice head.

EDIT: Whoops, thought you were talking about the picture above, not the versions of the beer.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 4:03 pm

peterchiodo wrote: Yeah...it is one of the more aggressively hopped beers in Ontario....
Peter-I know it is optics....What do you think about colour...#1 versus 2? Everyone cool with the bitterness at 70bus?
Version 3 being brewed Friday....no plans right now for any change to the hop bill.

So far I've only had the first batch, but hope to come across #2 before I skip town!

I liked the bitterness... solid, but not harsh.

Timmy · Post by **Timmy** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 6:23 pm

dutchcanuck wrote:Peter,

Any chance that you could provide your fanbase with any updates of when we might see this in the LCBO?

Or on a personal note, any chance you've convinced a pub in the Niagara region to put this on tap?

I gotta agree with this. LCBO or even on tap in Niagara!!! Taps has Hoptical(or did) can't you get them some Smashbomb!!!!!!!

peterchiodo · Post by **peterchiodo** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 4:47 pm

Weebay wrote:Sorry if this has been asked before, but do you sell this out of the brewery at all?

We have a few sample bottles only to test drive at no cost.

peterchiodo · Post by **peterchiodo** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:28 am

dutchcanuck wrote:Peter,

Any chance that you could provide your fanbase with any updates of when we might see this in the LCBO?

Good news....Patty and I are heading to the LCBO this morning to pitch it to the kind folks at the LCBO. We are unlikely to list it in the Beer Store (for obvious reasons).

NRman · Post by **NRman** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:41 am

peterchiodo wrote:
Good news....Patty and I are heading to the LCBO this morning to pitch it to the kind folks at the LCBO....

Godspeed!

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:41 am

Had this for the first time this past Friday at Volo. After reading everything here about this new beer, I was really looking forward to it. Most of the people at Volo that night was drinking Smashbomb..........a good sign.

But boy, what a disappointment, IMHO.

To me this beer is just all about the bitterness, and not a pleasant one at that, and nothing else. It was harsh and totally unbalanced, no malt to balance things even a little. There was just a start and that was it; it fell away like a lemming on a cliff. I had 2 mouthfuls and gave it away to a friend who quite liked it, and I moved onto the wonderfully smooth and balanced Durham ESB.

I guess Ontario drinkers still rave about anything with excessive bitterness!