Humboldt Brown (Hemp Ale) - Nectar Ales

ouser31

California

4.6/5  rDev +32.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Wow!! Had this today on tap at a local Pub House... it was amazing! has to be one of my Top 5 of all time... I say that with very little brew tastings compared to alot of others but a GREAT BEER!!!!

Great Taste all the way thru the beer! Just what a brown should be...!

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2012 05:48:27 | More by ouser31

muskiesman

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From my notes:
draft poured into a tulip glass

A - A nice dark opaque brown that built a significant egg shell head that faded rather quickly and left lite lacing

A - Mild Hop scent with big spoonful of hemp nuttiness, sweets toffee and dark fruits.

T - The hemp of course is present in an earthy malt and nutty taste. There is a nice biterness that may be the hemp or the intro of hops. Also lots of roasted malts and a little cocoa. Hops come in with grass notes and mild florals

M - The body is mid range or a tad light with fair carbonation. Finish is very nice with a bitterness and nutty feel that keeps you drinking.

O - A solid go at a Hemp Ale. Certainly not my favorite of the bunch but a good representation of what can be done. I particularly love the finish with a bitter nuttiness and roasted malt fisn
nutty quality.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2012 15:41:51 | More by muskiesman

celticfutblclub

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle into a pint glass

A - a dark brown with a thin off white to light brown head that disappears really quickly leaving nothing coating the glass.

S - toffee, dark fruit (prunes and figs), bit of hemp in there, caramel.

T - hemp is very noticeable throughout. with a piney/grass hop flavor as well. some nuttiness creeps in there as well. its ok but the hemp is a bit too pronounced and everything else needs to be more pronounced.

M - medium to light bodied. medium carbonation. some decent astringency here.

O - a decent beer. one i'll probably not revisit but would certainly drink if it was handed to me.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 00:29:39 | More by celticfutblclub

dogfishandi

New York

3.25/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle, fridge temp, snifter, bottled 10/19/11.

pours out a dark ruby reddish brown with a thin light tan/ off white head. thin lace and thin retention. good clarity.

toasted, light biscuit malts, fruity esters, maybe a hint of an herbal, earthy hop but thats streching it.

similar to the aroma, toasted grains, biscuity, the slightest hint of roast, fruity esters, slight earthiness. somewhat sweet mid palate then the slightest bitterness in the finish.

bland average mouthfeel, light bodied.

pretty average brown ale. wheres the hemp?

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 19:55:33 | More by dogfishandi

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

pours a slightly heady clear brown color that smells like a light chocolate malt and some agricultural produce. earthy and mild, tastes like a basic brown ale with a bit of organic matter. not composty per se, but not hempy either. mouthfeel is thin and only moderately carbonated. not as good as some of their other brews, this one didnt amaze me

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 02:13:59 | More by StonedTrippin

homebrew311

Illinois

2.83/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours a light chestnut brown with ruby highlights, appears thin, minimal head, zero retention

S: nose has muted brown malts, a touch of roasty character along with pumpernickel bread.

T: taste starts off with the brown malts and is overtaken by a somewhat chalky bitter flavor. The hop profile seems out of synch, or perhaps it is the hemp in the beer, but something tastes a bit off.

MF: light body, medium carbonation, a bit prickly

O: This brew is pretty uninspiring and has some weird things going on. Too many other good browns out there...

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 09:20:14 | More by homebrew311

HosP

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap at the Burger Bar in Vegas the last day in town. 12oz into a pint glass.

Dark brown pour with a lighter brown head to it. Sticky lace was left all the way down the glass. Nice roasted aroma in the nose. Malts mostly prevalent along with some light cocoa notes. A little something extra at the end that makes you wonder what the taste will be like. At first the flavor follows the nose. Roasted malts, slight cocoa and coffee flavors mix well together. Earthy taste to it, with a bit of spice dotted here and there. The spice comes out a little more at the end with a decent hop bitterness. Not sure what the spice is, but meshed well with the other flavors to create an enjoyable beer for sure. Medium body with good carbonation. I enjoyed drinking this and would have another if the opportunity arose.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2011 03:48:56 | More by HosP

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.43/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours an effervescent brown/crimson with 3 fingers of tan head. Pretty good lacing, near zero head retention

S: Toasty & grainy notes

T: Follows the nose, dirty brown sugar notes & dryness up front. Toasty & nutty notes as this warms, hints of nutmeg. Finihes toasty & malty, with some brown sugar/caramel sweetness

MF: Somewhat watery with creamy carbonation

Not a bad American Brown, starts slow but comes around

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 14:24:03 | More by russpowell

Tilley4

Tennessee

3.03/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at the Firestone Walker tasting at Maria's in Chicago...

Malty sweet aromas present with a slight chocolate touch... Very subtle...

Slightly sweet malty flavors dominate and make this brew an easy sessionable brown ale without separating it from the crowd...

Not the strongest brew I've had from these guys... Servicable? Absolutely! A masterpiece? Nope...

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2011 02:26:25 | More by Tilley4

Seanibus

California

2.9/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A perfectly serviceable brown ale, but nothing worth getting excited about, and certainly nothing as exciting as its gimmick.

Pours deep coppery brown with a mediocre head. The aroma is slight and woody. The flavor is thin, with a woody, brown sugar flavor that fades away essentially to nothing. The finish is watery, with a faint bitterness. The mouthfeel is slick and watery.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 00:09:00 | More by Seanibus

chodinheaven

Maryland

3.15/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Dark ruby-brown beer with a small slightly tan head on top that reduces down to not much. Some nice lacing evident. The smell is of caramel malts and a hint of chocolate, with bready undertones that set it off. Not overly aromatic, but smells okay.

The taste is malty and bready, with a small hop bite in the middle. Caramel malts give it a balanced sweetness up front while the breadiness comes through in the back end mostly, giving it a full body, almost too full for the style. A little bit of spiciness, probably from the hemp, adds a bit of character to a sort of bland brown ale. Somewhat creamy in the feel in the back, but tingly on the top of the tongue. Definitely leaves and unwanted and lingering mouthfeel that actually makes the experience much less enjoyable. It seems to be the main problem with a decent beer, definitely docking points in my book. Overall, I probably wouldn't buy this again, but worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 01:51:54 | More by chodinheaven

UCLABrewN84

California

4.3/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Schooners Patio Grille in Santa Clarita, CA.

Pours an almost opaque super dark crimson-brown with a 1 inch foamy tan head that fades to a film on the top of the beer. A latticework of lace lines the glass on the drink down. Smell is of roasted malt, slight cocoa and coffee aromas, and a nutty quality. Taste is of roasted malt, roasted nuts, cocoa powder, and slight coffee beans. A nice roasty bitterness lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and smooth mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with some nice roasty and earthy flavors. I tried this a while ago in the bottle and didn't care for it too much, but on tap this is most excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2011 19:14:50 | More by UCLABrewN84

paperbackfoster

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - A lively, if thin, head comes up to one and a half fingers before clumping down to a half. It tops off a body that looks much more like a red ale than a brown, with deep translucent ruby tones.

S - Earthy. Grassy/woody hops in a wash of bread malts. Detectable yeast.

T - A pleasant snap of roast and bitterness greets you, followed by a grassier body that’s on the sour side. The finish is bitter with a fair bit of nuttiness. It has the characteristics of a good brown, perhaps with a different hop profile. I think it’s a welcome twist.

M - On the thinner side. Feels more carbonated than it is. Definitely lingers on the tongue.

Overall - A refreshing brown, both in taste and in being a different player in a tried and true field. Again, this beer really is close to style, with all of the elements of a solid brown beer. However, the tweaks on the formula - a noticeable hop profile (part of which perhaps coming from the hemp) and altered body (in taste and feel) are worth a go. Really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 21:45:33 | More by paperbackfoster

elNopalero

Texas

3.53/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Standard brown ale flavors dominate—lot of malt, light carbonation—with a bit of what I am guessing is a hemp aftertaste? Not entirely sure as it's not hoppy but there's definitely a distinct flavor that comes across in the finish. Drinkable, enjoyed it as a shared bottle, but otherwise just there. No complaints, nor cause for celebration.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 22:38:27 | More by elNopalero

GratefulBeerGuy

New Hampshire

3.73/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brewed with hemp....

A dark brown, 1" pretty standard formed head, dissipates pretty quick.

A sweet, dark malt scent, gentle chocolate, zippy herbs, slightly spicey...mild rootbeer scent too.

A very herbal and spicey edged hop flavor first, roastie malt after, the malt is very crispy and light feeling with decent complexity for a brown. Really nice balance, dark malt, sour-ish yeast in the finish.

The Hemp must add a certain complexity to the herbal and maybe even spice-like effect.Enjoyable brown.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 21:17:55 | More by GratefulBeerGuy

vonghost

Nevada

3.13/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Color was a nice brown a little hazy creamy head that is not long lasting.

I got mostly carmel aromas.

Carmel was the dominant flavor but I got a little bit of a toasty taste at the finish. Silky mouthfeel, light with an average finish.

Overall a good beer, If someone really enjoys Hemp Beer this is one I would say give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 00:39:04 | More by vonghost

DarthKostrizer

California

3.25/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Look: Deep brown in color with traces of red throughout and a 1/4 inch head with no retention

Smell: Sweet caramel malt hemp oil and brown sugar

Taste: Hints of roasted malt and caramel not much more

Mouthfeel: Medium body medium carbonation

Overall: Nice little brown ale. I truly think that is one style that it is hard to make good but this one is pretty close

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 03:36:08 | More by DarthKostrizer

DCon

Missouri

2.9/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Enjoyed on-tap @ the Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar in St. Louis, MO for $6. Tapped from the Marijuana Leaf Tap Handle (which is an attractive one for some...) into a 12oz Pint Glass.

Appearance- Received with a 2 finger head that dies quickly. Amber color body, clear, and leaves no lacing...

Flavor- High malts and this makes up almost the entire taste. Very weak and has a mild bitterness at the end.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, Medium Carbonation, Watery, and doesn't leave much on the palate except a bit of caramel here.

Overall Impression- How can you pass up a Tap Handle that has a Marijuana Leaf on the front of it!?!? Had to have. I did feel that it not only didn't have enough body behind it, it also was weak and could have used more ingredients. Sweet, malty, and had good tastes but lacked some. I'm not dissing this brew by any means, but just simply wouldn't go back to it..

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2011 04:57:53 | More by DCon

vande

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: a reddish-brown that displays a bit of viscosity as it kisses the glass, yet no foam/head present...pours giving the presence of a flat beer....

S: Light nuttiness that wafts from my glass, with an undertone of chocolate and coffee...While it is present, it is not super strong.

T: Watered down coffee blended with a nice nutty flavor...hints of chocolate & grains spread through out...not bad..

M: light, somewhat thinner...little corbonation...

O: Decent brown ale. Glad I tried it... May have to drink one on a cooler night..

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 03:14:04 | More by vande

jmvecchio1

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Humboldt Brown pours out a clear brownish/orange hue with a light head. The aroma of this beer is deeply earthy and exceptionally unique. True to the American Brown Ale style, this is a richly malty beer. You get a nice blend of chocolate and caramel malts that play nicely with the toasty quality that the hemp seeds add to the beer. On the swallow you get a snap of hops that lingers throughout the drink. Overall, this is a sturdy brown ale.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2011 21:00:02 | More by jmvecchio1

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.68/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a dark slightly red brown that was slightly translucent. A one finger bubbly head appeared that didn't cling, and only lasted for a few moments. Aroma was a tad acidic, with definite hints of a milk chocolate, and a tad of brown wheat bread. Taste was slightly sweet, hint of lactose and burnt dark chocolate. Finished with a roasted flavor in the mouth. Felt ok in the mouth, tingled the tongue a bit much for my liking. Coated well but just felt a little thin at time, with just a tad of carbonation could be felt. Overall a reasonable brown. Fairly solid middle of the road.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 22:34:31 | More by mountdew1

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a mug.

3.5 A: Clear dark amber/light brown color. Two fingers of frothy beige head with average retention and nearly no lacing.

3.5 S: Dry, toasty nuttiness. Pithy, barely herbal earthiness, presumably from the hemp. Chocolate and a touch of coffee underneath it all. Overall grainy. Not bad, but a little weak.

3.5 T: Not as dry as the nose suggests. There's actually a decent amount of caramel in there. Toasty nuttiness is a big component again. Grassy hops. Grainy, chocolate, coffee in that order. I can definitely taste the hemp and it is actually a great addition to the beer. Pithy and herbal and highly compatible. This would be scored much higher if it didn't taste watered down despite a good amount of flavor. And on to the mouthfeel we go...

2.5 M: Light body. Much thinner than I want. Surprisingly creamy for how light the body is. Good moderate carbonation and very smooth.

3.5 D: If they upped the mash temp of this by a good 4 or 5 degrees, this could be a very good beer. Nose and taste are both pretty good, I just want more of it.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 16:42:30 | More by DavoleBomb

emerge077

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a crystalline dark copper, more of a sun tea color, with a thin layer of off-white foam across the top. Wispy skim doesn't have much staying power, but there is some that fades to a ring at the edges.

Wet barley and maple syrup aroma.

Dry and husky grain, toasty and mellow. Pretty easy going with moderate carbonation and a lighter body. Residual dry roast malt, pretty smooth and not bitter. Lingering toasted malts in the aftertaste, dry but fairly pleasant. Whatever hemp seed is in here, it doesn't lend much, some woody/earthy flavors perhaps, but it would be hard to pick out and isolate from the dominant malt flavors. Overall not too bad, a fairly simple but decent brown ale. Simplicity is underrated.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 02:37:51 | More by emerge077

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz stubby.
A) Pours with a two finger head, tan in color. The head settles some leaving a nice lacing across the top. Clear mahogany colored body.
S) Toasty. Mellow caramel. Some roasted grain notes. Earthy hops but not too strong.
T) Slight sourness up front at first then cuts out as the palate gets acclimated. A subtle astringency throughout - I don't know if that is from the hemp or what. Some nutty and toasty notes. Caramel and chocolate. Lingering hop bite in the finish.
M) A gritty feel like coffee. Medium body.
O) Overall true to brown ale style.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 19:36:16 | More by u2carew

liveandletdie

Washington

2.48/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

I hadn't realised this was a brown ale from passing it by on the shelf at albertsons. However it was on sale and a closer look revealed it was infact a brown ale and not the pale ale one might think of with a green cardboard cutout. So since I usually like browns I decided to try it out. Looked pretty thin, not a lot of head on the beer. Slight hempness smell though not like the weed smell you get from some green bottles- more of a foresty smell. Flavor was not good and not bad- just rather lacking. Made me wonder why they called it a brown ale. This one does go down pretty easily but that's about it, not much flavor to speak of and hardly a brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 23:18:42 | More by liveandletdie