Switchback Brewing Co., home to Switchback Ale — Vermont’s No. 1 draft beer, released cult favorite Dooley’s Belated Porter in 16 oz cans for the first time this year. Dooley’s will be the first of many Switchback Specials that will transition their way from 12 oz bottles to cans throughout 2023 — a transition made possible thanks to a new high-speed labeling system to apply custom labels onto cans in-house and a nearby printing partner.
“We love the accessibility that putting our beer into cans brings,” says Brewery Founder, Bill Cherry. “The new equipment has opened the door for us to reimagine some of our classics and to introduce new beers from our innovative Brewers and Employee Owners.”
Switchback’s new ability to create out-of-the-box labels is pretty neat, and fits the personality of each Switchback Special as well as the newest additions to its DIPA Cat series. Gone are the color and print limitations of mass-produced pre-printed cans, which Switchback of course had to order by the truckload.
“These are limited availability, small batch beers, so finding a partner like Amherst Label Inc., who was able to print small quantities with short lead times and a commitment to quality was huge,” says Amy Lieblein, marketing and events manager. “Our graphic designer, Interrobang Design Collective, whom we’ve worked with since the brewery’s founding in 2002, utilized many of the fun features that Amherst Label offers to make really dynamic cans that almost come alive as you rotate them.”
The aforementioned Dooley’s labels are printed on Silver BOPP with gradients inside the tree forms to allow the metallic to show through with varying intensities. There is also a selective Matte Varnish layer which enables certain components to really stand out and be easily identifiable for the buyer/drinker.
The newly designed label embodies the dark, snowy nights of Vermont’s coldest season – the perfect time to enjoy a Dooley’s, named after the brewery’s first employee, that was first brewed in 2009.
It features a blend of roasted and caramelized malts giving it a luscious malt signature that has an earthiness derived from the non-traditional use of flaked barley. The use of Simcoe hops for both bittering and aroma highlights this hop varietal and balances the malt to create a robust, yet smooth finishing American porter.
Find 16 oz cans of Dooley’s Belated Porter in limited quantities at the brewery and at select stores throughout Switchback’s distribution footprint.
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