Black Hemp Ale

We had first heard about the making of this beer way back in October from Showmebeer. After months of keeping our eyes open, and with little luck, we finally came upon this beer at Finnegan's Irish Pub on Wednesday night. Jen ordered it at $7 a 12 Oz. bottle

Appearance: Thin head layer with a varying degree of bubbles both big and small clinging to the side of the glass (lacing). Deep rich dark chocolate brown that, apart from the dark hue that inhibits visible carbonation, it looks relatively clear.

Aroma: Roasted malt and chocolate adjunct.  There are also some elements of toasted malt sugars that really begin to blossom as the beer settles. At the very end one can pick out the earthy-nut essence of the hemp seeds.

Taste: Malted sugars and caramel barley at the very foretaste which is then followed by a mellow, roasted nutty flavor from the hemp (I'm assuming) with hints of chocolate as well as some indistinct dark fruity undertones are interspersed throughout the flavor complexity. Bitterness finishes off the beer in a firm bark tannin flavor leaving the taste in the mouth very dry and resinous. These indistinct tannin characters also assimilate themselves to nut shells hitting the mid palate and sticking.
Mouthfeel: Highly carbonated that distributes the majority of the flavors to the tongue, but leaving a strong spiked sensation that is almost too aggressive. Medium bodied, but very loose from the carbonation but a clean drinkable texture. Finish is dry.
Overall Impression: O'Fallon's Black Hemp Ale is quite interesting and very much worthy of tasting. Just yet another good beer they can proudly put into the line-up. One of the few and only breweries to specialize in the use of hemp and truly excel at it. Too bad we weren't able to get their Hemp Hop Rye to compare. Best served slightly warmer than normal refrigeration. Carbonation was only deterrence.


Jen: 89/100
Tim: 85/100