Switchback IPA
Switchback Brewing Company
- From:
- Switchback Brewing Company
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
Ranked #2,477 - ABV:
- 5.9%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #21,277 - Avg:
- 3.9 | pDev: 8.21%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 19
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 04, 2025
- Added:
- Dec 19, 2018
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 10
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
Switchback IPA was developed to maximize fresh hop flavor throughout its shelf life in a can. No more settling for IPAs that wilt within days of leaving the brewery. Utilizing a generous blend of Centennial, Amarillo, Cascade, Chinook and Simcoe this brew is bursting with citrus and floral hop character and a light malt touch.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by metter98 from New York
3.75/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: The beer is very hazy and a bit pale yellow in color. It poured with a short white head that left a thin collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of citrusy hops are present in the nose - grapefruit seems to stand out in particular.
T: The taste follows the smell but has a bit stronger underlying notes of caramel malts and a light to moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. There is a slight amount of crispness from the hops.
O: This IPA seems to have a balanced mix of malts and hops.
Serving type: can
Jan 27, 2022S: Moderate aromas of citrusy hops are present in the nose - grapefruit seems to stand out in particular.
T: The taste follows the smell but has a bit stronger underlying notes of caramel malts and a light to moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. There is a slight amount of crispness from the hops.
O: This IPA seems to have a balanced mix of malts and hops.
Serving type: can
Reviewed by Beejay from Virginia
3.82/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.82/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A: A murky orange in color with a very hazy body, slightly off white head.
S: Malty with hints of pine and grapefruit, with a bit of a green or grassy thing in the back.
T: Balanced grain with some sweetness, flavor has hints of pine, orange zest, and grass.
M: Medium body, but there is a certain creaminess to it.
O: Overall a pretty classic IPA. Perhaps the bitterness and hops are a little more subdued from the typical, but a very pleasant and well rounded beer.
May 21, 2021S: Malty with hints of pine and grapefruit, with a bit of a green or grassy thing in the back.
T: Balanced grain with some sweetness, flavor has hints of pine, orange zest, and grass.
M: Medium body, but there is a certain creaminess to it.
O: Overall a pretty classic IPA. Perhaps the bitterness and hops are a little more subdued from the typical, but a very pleasant and well rounded beer.
Reviewed by tigerinatrance from New York
3.93/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.93/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Let me disclose that Switchback is my favorite brewery.
Looks gorgeous, thick, juicy, bright tangerine color with a bunch of sexy haze. Smells like pineapple and not yet baked sourdough, tasted the same. Delicious. Feels orgasmically soft and velvety. I will be purchasing this again.
Nov 26, 2020Looks gorgeous, thick, juicy, bright tangerine color with a bunch of sexy haze. Smells like pineapple and not yet baked sourdough, tasted the same. Delicious. Feels orgasmically soft and velvety. I will be purchasing this again.
Reviewed by jameswaldo from New York
4.14/5 rDev +6.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.14/5 rDev +6.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured a pint can packaged on 8/27/20 into a Spiegelau IPA glass on 11/22/20. Big fluffy head collapsed via large bubbles in a minute, but left constant thin film of fine-bubbled foam constant as I enjoyed it. Color is a turbid whitish orange, SRM 7 in AJ deLange's chart. Can advised me to swirl up the sediment "for the best experience," and I have to admit the soupy gumbo of yeast and hops chunks is right up my alley for Fine IPA thrills.
Smells grassy, fruity, fresh-mowed.
Tastes clear, beautifully hopped, with the hop aftertaste coming up after swallow that I look for in a proper IPA. Carbonation is just right, and the central wet clean water taste reminds me of a creek so safe you can drink it straight off the stones. Might be a covered bridge in the landscape downstream. Makes me want to go back to Vermont. I'd bring back a case of this next time.
Nov 22, 2020Smells grassy, fruity, fresh-mowed.
Tastes clear, beautifully hopped, with the hop aftertaste coming up after swallow that I look for in a proper IPA. Carbonation is just right, and the central wet clean water taste reminds me of a creek so safe you can drink it straight off the stones. Might be a covered bridge in the landscape downstream. Makes me want to go back to Vermont. I'd bring back a case of this next time.
Reviewed by ANIMOUL from California
3.75/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a orangish, straw color with good head retention. Decent hop flavors - palate is not refined enough to distinguish between varieties - with little malt backbone. A good drink for a readily available VT beer (at least in VT). Worth trying and having as a stock / standby beer.
Sep 20, 2020
Reviewed by cjgiant from District of Columbia
3.79/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Can dated 7/30:
Initial pour came from the can fairly clear and golden and got an orange tint in the glass. The bottom of the can added more haze. The head was fair and persistent. Initial impression was a bit weak and watery, but it improved as I drank.
Nose is piney and floral with a light citrus note. A hint of sweet, honey-like grain is a little more present on the tongue. Grain husk and grassy pine back this up, moving forward in the taste and making the beer a bit more bitter as it warms. Citrus pith and rind replaces the grass in back with the pine carrying through.
A fairly light feel, but not too out of whack for 5.9%. Notes of sweet and bitter, with the balance leaning towards the latter.
Sep 04, 2020Initial pour came from the can fairly clear and golden and got an orange tint in the glass. The bottom of the can added more haze. The head was fair and persistent. Initial impression was a bit weak and watery, but it improved as I drank.
Nose is piney and floral with a light citrus note. A hint of sweet, honey-like grain is a little more present on the tongue. Grain husk and grassy pine back this up, moving forward in the taste and making the beer a bit more bitter as it warms. Citrus pith and rind replaces the grass in back with the pine carrying through.
A fairly light feel, but not too out of whack for 5.9%. Notes of sweet and bitter, with the balance leaning towards the latter.
Reviewed by VoxRationis from New York
4.21/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Decanted from a 16 oz (473 ml) can into a Captain Lawrence muffin top pint glass; canned on 04/23/20.
A: Pours a hazy golden to amber color with lemon/ochre highlights, a two finger, white head, rim retention but modest lacing.
S: Aromas of white grapefruit, pineapple, lemon citrus, nectarine, and light pine overlay with caramel.
T: Semisweet. Elements of palate follow nose, but caramel seems to be joined by toffee and raisin. Bitterness nicely subdued, but contributed to complexity and crisp finish.
M: Medium bodied. Solid carbonation.
O: Great example of the style. Subtle and complex.
Jun 09, 2020A: Pours a hazy golden to amber color with lemon/ochre highlights, a two finger, white head, rim retention but modest lacing.
S: Aromas of white grapefruit, pineapple, lemon citrus, nectarine, and light pine overlay with caramel.
T: Semisweet. Elements of palate follow nose, but caramel seems to be joined by toffee and raisin. Bitterness nicely subdued, but contributed to complexity and crisp finish.
M: Medium bodied. Solid carbonation.
O: Great example of the style. Subtle and complex.
Reviewed by PMakowski from New Hampshire
3.78/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
16 oz Can poured into glass
Look - Very hazy orange, would seem as though it is a New England IPA, lots of particulates. Foam head thick and slow to fade
Smell - orange sherbet, clementine peel, canned pears, some sweet tropical fruit notes.
Taste - subdued and lacks punch. Lots of orange peel, zest, but very little actual juice that you get from NE IPA style. herbal and bitter in the finish. It's not that it lacks flavor but it just doesn't mesh together well for any of the IPA styles. Smooth and easy to drink. Carbonation is medium-light and body is medium.
Overall, good but not great. Very bitter but unbalanced. Perhaps would be better if it was filtered. Grade is a B
May 19, 2020Look - Very hazy orange, would seem as though it is a New England IPA, lots of particulates. Foam head thick and slow to fade
Smell - orange sherbet, clementine peel, canned pears, some sweet tropical fruit notes.
Taste - subdued and lacks punch. Lots of orange peel, zest, but very little actual juice that you get from NE IPA style. herbal and bitter in the finish. It's not that it lacks flavor but it just doesn't mesh together well for any of the IPA styles. Smooth and easy to drink. Carbonation is medium-light and body is medium.
Overall, good but not great. Very bitter but unbalanced. Perhaps would be better if it was filtered. Grade is a B
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