Switchback Ale
Switchback Brewing Company

4.12/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by hudsonvalleyslim from Massachusetts

This fine ale seems criminally underrated to me. This stubby was dated 1.25.22, so a tad over 2 months conditioning in the bottle. Switchback suggests rolling the bottle to put settled yeast back into the mix. I usually forget to do that but by the cloudiness I'd guess pouring it into a glass is close.

This is fine beer to settle in with, malty but not sweet, balanced.

Apr 07, 2022

4.51/5  rDev +24.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by black-dog-barks from Massachusetts

I am reminded of living in the middle ages when beer was first made.. One great ALE... One of Vermont's Best of the Best.

Jan 24, 2022

3.5/5  rDev -3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
by O-Meg from New York

why does it look like that?

Dec 20, 2021

3.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
by DavetotheB from Pennsylvania

From a 12oz stubby bottle dated 11/2/21 into a pint glass.

Pours a very murky yellowish brown with a ton of suspended particulates. About one half finger of white head that dissipates quickly leaving a moderate amount of lacing. Not really all that appetizing looking.

Smells of some grassy notes, bread and sort of an oily aroma.

Taste is better than the look and smell. Bready notes and some grassy/floral in there as well.

Smooth enough mouthfeel. Full-bodied. Slight bitter aftertaste. Low carbonation.

If you can get past the look of it, this isn't a terrible beer. Just doesn't present well.

Nov 28, 2021

3.95/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by Captain69 from Illinois

pours amber red great head slightly malty ale great drink

Nov 10, 2021

4.46/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
by Josh1218

A unique and genuine beer that personally is an unrivaled ale.

Oct 09, 2021

3.19/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
by TheRatCage from Connecticut

(From short neck bottle)
L: half inch white head. Turns into a thin covering layer shortly after. Some lacing for an amber beer. Pure orange in color, somewhat cloudy. Almost like apple cider.

S: sweet and malty. Herbal hops. Touch of fruity hops.

T: Smooth malt as expected. More of a spicy hops character than originally expecting, not harsh but something you notice. Not overly sugary sweet either, doesn’t give that “mouth coating” feeling. Balanced I suppose.

F: closest to medium bodied. Not exactly a crisp finish nor a heavy one.

O: it’s alright. It is smooth and perhaps overly balanced where there are no discernible notes besides hints of malt and hops. A little less malty than others I’ve had.

Aug 22, 2021

3/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
by TheBigBoy from Pennsylvania

basic red, nothing stood out to me. A bit deep and hearty for a quench on a hot summer day.

Aug 02, 2021

4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by DuaneL from Delaware

We would call this an ESB. Had it on tap at the brewery on Vermont. They make a lot of smoked beers here, which are hard to find, so we bought several bottles to bring home to DE.

Aug 02, 2021

2.98/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
by orcrist_cleaver from New York

A little strong on the spice/cinnamon florals. Fallen, dirt-rotten red apples. Lots of yeast. It's really the cinnamon that I can't boggle in this current session. Something I'd like to revisit to affirm, but the watery Apple Jacks vibe I'm walking away with will make it difficult. Not trying to knock them for their expressive ingredients, but I'm just not in the apple galette mood.

Otherwise, chilled caramel/amber haziness. Grainy feel gives a coarse texture. Good carbonation and crisp-dry.

Jun 16, 2021

4.19/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Craig-er from New Hampshire

Very nice bottle conditioned beer from Vermont.

Jun 06, 2021

3.93/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by GreesyFizeek from New York

Stubby bottle purchased from Daiker's in Old Forge, NY.

This one pours a slightly hazy amber color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.

This smells mostly malty, with some light fruity hop character and some breadiness.

There's not a whole lot to this beer, but it's tasty and well done enough. It's nicely malty, with rustic breadiness and some light sweetness, and just a hint of hop character and some fruity sweetness.

This is medium bodied, fairly crisp, and very drinkable.

This is old fashioned, and done well, but it's not exactly gonna blow you away.

Mar 01, 2021

3.59/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
by stevoj from Idaho

12oz stubby from Halftime. Murky, dark amber pour, thin off-white foamy head. Light malty aroma, brown bread. Taste is pure malts, gentle, smooth like a UK pale. This is a simple, straightforward ale, light and tasty. If I was in the distro area for this, it would become my lawnmower beer.

Feb 11, 2021

4.09/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by ANIMOUL from Vermont

Pours rich amber color with an inch of foam that slowly dissipates. More an amber ale than a red ale; nice hoppy malt balance (though biased towards hops). Very sturdy and delicious. A staple.

Dec 19, 2020

4.28/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
by 1009 from Massachusetts

A delicious flavorful ale. First enjoyed after skiing and then sort of looked over for years. Had it a few weeks back with friends sitting around a fire and man, what a lovely sipping beer. Beautiful old time stubby bottle holds this gorgeous liquid. Mighty fine malty flavors with a great mix of hops that balances the beer. Just so satisfying in the cold winter months. As always, another winner from Vermont

Dec 18, 2020

1.8/5  rDev -50.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1
by bearr from New York

Another over-hopped craft beer.

Sep 04, 2020

3.82/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
by Act25 from New Jersey

Sampled in group tasting, Loved it for being true to a favorite red ale style.
a) Looks as it's tasting: Cidery, puffy, pretty.
s) Cider, applesauce on a traditional red-ale malt back.
t) follows Aroma, ample, solid. Malt showcase, caramel.
f) Mid-, nice finish, give it a blind vs best red and APAs!
o) Tradition done well.

Aug 19, 2020

4.01/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania

A 12 oz. bottle was poured into a clear pint glass. Even before the pour, the nose gets the first sensation. The aroma is certainly malty and yeasty, along with a little hoppiness. The color from this bottle pour was a murky dark copper. There's very little head, nor lacing. Probably, that's because it's not overly carbonated. It sure does taste like the nose tells you it will. It's malty and yeasty, along with a little hoppiness. This reminds me much of the English Bitters I enjoyed across the pond more than a few times. A nice beer with the added allure that it's hard to find outside its region.

Aug 03, 2020

3.23/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
by HorseheadsHophead from Colorado

Hazy amber with a small off white head.

Smells like toasted bread, honey, and herbal hops.

Tastes like toasted bread. A bit oxidized? Some cardboard and paper. A touch of earth and herbal hops. Bland.

May 01, 2020