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Roasted Red Ale
Switchback Brewing Company
- From:
- Switchback Brewing Company
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Ale
Ranked #79 - ABV:
- 5.6%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #19,761 - Avg:
- 3.8 | pDev: 11.84%
- Reviews:
- 26
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 05, 2023
- Added:
- Aug 20, 2008
- Wants:
- 8
- Gots:
- 28
Roasted Red Ale (First sold November 2007)
Switchback's Roasted Red Ale is a deep mahogany red colored ale. Unfiltered and naturally carbonated, this ale uses a combination of caramel and roasted malts and specially selected hops to create a beer with a flavor that leads with a rich malty sweetness balanced with a bold hop signature, followed by a luscious chocolate/cocoa roasty finish.
Switchback's Roasted Red Ale is a deep mahogany red colored ale. Unfiltered and naturally carbonated, this ale uses a combination of caramel and roasted malts and specially selected hops to create a beer with a flavor that leads with a rich malty sweetness balanced with a bold hop signature, followed by a luscious chocolate/cocoa roasty finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by VelvetExtract:
Reviewed by VelvetExtract from Massachusetts
3.53/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A-Pours a pretty red/auburn color. Head is thin and bubbly. Seems to be mostly transparent but dark.
S-Sweet caramel, roast and spicy hops. Leans more toward the sweet side. Light cinnamon. Hops are spicy and floral and not very intense.
T-The flavor beats out the nose. Balanced and the two sides of the spectrum play well with one another. Roast sets in effectively. Minute hop bitterness in the finish.
M-Medium bodied with medium carbonation. A bit slick and creamy.
O/D-A mediocre brew that went well with my dinner. Stresses balance and has the nice roasty addition.
Jul 24, 2012S-Sweet caramel, roast and spicy hops. Leans more toward the sweet side. Light cinnamon. Hops are spicy and floral and not very intense.
T-The flavor beats out the nose. Balanced and the two sides of the spectrum play well with one another. Roast sets in effectively. Minute hop bitterness in the finish.
M-Medium bodied with medium carbonation. A bit slick and creamy.
O/D-A mediocre brew that went well with my dinner. Stresses balance and has the nice roasty addition.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by jonphisher from New Jersey
3.85/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours mostly a chestnut like brown, minor hues of red; mostly clear, off white head that is quick to form, leaves a nice film as retention, minor initial lacing.
Nose is noticeably toasty to me, grain like as well, a yeasty dark fruitiness is also present, just the slightest hint of very light pine.
The taste is mostly toasted malts, with same little bit of yeast driven dark fruit, much happier in taste; earthy with hints of pine.
Soft mouthfeel, can conditioning shows, light to medium body, nice bitterness, clean drinking beer, finishes pretty dry.
Jun 26, 2023Nose is noticeably toasty to me, grain like as well, a yeasty dark fruitiness is also present, just the slightest hint of very light pine.
The taste is mostly toasted malts, with same little bit of yeast driven dark fruit, much happier in taste; earthy with hints of pine.
Soft mouthfeel, can conditioning shows, light to medium body, nice bitterness, clean drinking beer, finishes pretty dry.
Reviewed by ANIMOUL from Vermont
4.25/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16 oz can into a pint glass; born on 3/3/23. Pours reddish amber brown with plenty of foamy head that rapidly recedes. Nice bitter hoppy taste upfront that mixes with an equally nice roasted malt taste; also tasting notes of grapefruit. A big fan of this style and it doesn't disappoint. Great!
Mar 31, 2023Reviewed by 1009 from Massachusetts
3.88/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.88/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
We love the original Switchback, so when I saw this even more toasty version, I was overjoyed. This beer pours into a crimson glow with a fluffy white head. To the nose and you are met by the toasted malt, with some fruitiness from the hops. The malty taste is evident with a sweet caramel touch. Some dark fruit and cocoa richness follows at the end. I drank this on a warm lake day and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet refreshing nature of this beer. A great red ale from the people that do red ales best!
Aug 25, 2021Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts
3.92/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz bottle dated 3/20/19 into the test glass
A - Dark cedar colored, excellent clarity, pillowy off white frothy cap. Nice lacing throughout the experience. Carbonation is lively and determined.
S - Roasty malts, some dark fruit, bready yeast in the nose as well. Some conifer hops, and earthy grains
T - Stays in a narrow lane, malt driven nice hop bite, leaning toward the pine side, yeast adds a fruity element in the best way
M - Thin in body, sweet start nicely balanced bitter wave, and then a really nice linger of piney goodness
O - A really nice red ale, malts are solid, hop bite is nice, and the yeast adds some fruity notes.
Aug 04, 2019A - Dark cedar colored, excellent clarity, pillowy off white frothy cap. Nice lacing throughout the experience. Carbonation is lively and determined.
S - Roasty malts, some dark fruit, bready yeast in the nose as well. Some conifer hops, and earthy grains
T - Stays in a narrow lane, malt driven nice hop bite, leaning toward the pine side, yeast adds a fruity element in the best way
M - Thin in body, sweet start nicely balanced bitter wave, and then a really nice linger of piney goodness
O - A really nice red ale, malts are solid, hop bite is nice, and the yeast adds some fruity notes.
Rated by DarkDragon999 from Rhode Island
4.17/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Actually tastes how a red ale should. It's not overly hopped like a "red ipa."
Feb 19, 2018Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3.75/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On tap at Vermont Tap House. This was poured into a pint glass. The appearance was a glossy semi-transparent amber/copper color. Bar pour’s kind of slim white head slides quickly into the beer. The aroma breathes in a very nice balance of roasted nuts to sweet caramel/toffee malts, very clean and smooth. The flavor is pretty much the same with that nice balance of roast to sweet nuts and malts smoothly running into each other and sliding into the aftertaste and finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a nice sessionable quality about it. Nice carbonation. Overall, well done amber ale that I would love to have again.
Jun 24, 2017Reviewed by Holderness from Massachusetts
3.47/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.47/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
L -- Lovely reddish brown with a two finger off-white head that has good retention and moderate lacing
S -- Nice balance between caramelized malts and fruity hops.
T -- Bitter herbal hops, mild roasted malts, bread, and a hint of citrus on the finish. Slightly too hoppy and bitter for the style, in my opinion
F -- Strong mouthfeel with an astringent and bitter finish
Mar 02, 2017S -- Nice balance between caramelized malts and fruity hops.
T -- Bitter herbal hops, mild roasted malts, bread, and a hint of citrus on the finish. Slightly too hoppy and bitter for the style, in my opinion
F -- Strong mouthfeel with an astringent and bitter finish
Roasted Red Ale from Switchback Brewing Company
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
138 ratings
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