What the Heck Is Switchel?

Fair question.

Switchel is one of those drinks that sounds made up, tastes surprisingly right, and somehow got lost along the way.

Also known as Haymaker’s Punch, switchel is a historic American refreshment that dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Most food historians trace it to early Colonial America, with roots influenced by Caribbean ingredients like ginger and molasses that moved through trade routes of the time. It became especially popular in New England and on farms across the early United States. 

Switchel was the drink people reached for during long, hot days of physical labor,especially during hay harvest season. Farmers would keep a jug nearby to cool down, rehydrate, and keep going. 

Traditional switchel recipes usually included:

• Water

• Apple cider vinegar

• Ginger

• A sweetener like molasses, maple syrup, honey, or sorghum

Simple ingredients. Functional purpose. No nonsense.

So why did we bring it back?

Because the old ways still make a lot of sense.

At ERTH, we took this old-school recipe and refreshed it.

We make our switchel with:

• Raw Idaho honey

• Idaho apple cider vinegar

• Cold-pressed juice for flavor

• Utah pink salt for trace minerals

• Carbonation for a crisp finish

We use honey because it tastes better and makes sense for an Idaho company. We use cold-pressed juice because real fruit tastes like… real fruit. And we add minerals because modern people are often running around under-watered, over-caffeinated, and needing a little support.

So what is switchel?

Its better than booch

Its superior to soda

It’s an old recipe with a modern purpose.
A refreshing drink with real roots.
A little tangy. A little bright. A lot more interesting than the usual options.

Old school recipe. Refreshed.

Stay Curious- ERTH