Humboldt Brown Hemp Ale

Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Style: Brown Ale
Paso Robles, California USA

Serve in Dimpled mug

Bottled. Poured a nice dark brown color with a big aroma of the caramel, brown ale features. The taste of a brown ale did not come through that much though. kind of tasted a little watered down. little to no hemp taste. dry finish.

On tap @ Collins Pub, Seattle. Clear, dark red pour, short tan head which fades into a medium lace. Nose a shade skunky, but rich brown sugar and bitter chocolate malt comes in quickly and last through the finish. Hemp undertones, but not as prominent as in other Humboldt hemp ales. Slight woodiness to the aftertaste.

Draught. Red with a lasting thin off-white head. Aroma is nut and hemp. Tacky and harsh in mouth with plain boring brown characteristics. Like I usually mention I’m a sucker for a brown but this is hard to enjoy.

Deep mahogany brown color... Caramel malt flavor, slightly nutty, hint of pumpkin seed and hazelnut... Not much palate... Decent beer...

Draft. Pours amber red with an off white head. Light sweet malty aroma with some lighter grainy and chocolatey notes. The flavor has sweet caramel malts with a hint of semi-sweet chocolate. Pretty good, not great.

4 ounce sample tasted at the Midtown Sacramento location. Rating is about a month old. Aroma is a bit metallic with some piney hop aromas present, too. There are some sweet hints present as well. I really like the hop aroma in this beer. Transparent amber body with a fair off-white head present. Nice chewy, nutty, crunchy maltiness is present. Finishes with just the right amount of dryness and a nice grassy, lightly spiced hop finish. A really solid brown ale.
Earlier Rating: 12/18/2007 Total Score: 3.3
12 ounce bottle shared by grant. Sweet, lightly fruity, light caramel aromas with perhaps a little spiciness present. Not much in the way of hops are present. Despite this, it is pretty aromatic. Attractive ruddy-amber transparent body with a small manilla head and nice lacing present. Roasty, nutty, husky, malty start. Some mild metallic notes come through. FInishes lightly sweet with some mild, metallic, spicy hops. Not too bad. Exceeds expectations.

On tap. Pours red-peach with beige head and lace. Faint aroma of floral and sugar. Indistinct taste, not bad, but not remarkable. Best part of beer was its appearance.

Bottle. Dark brown pour with a compact beige head. Aroma is very malty and very nutty with earthy hops, light spicy notes and toffee. Taste is big malt, caramel, chocolate covered nuts, spicy hops and earthy notes. Body is medium and chewy with moderate carbonation. Ends with more earthy notes, strong nuttiness and malt notes, and caramel.