Afends x Young Henrys Hemp IPA Beer Release

It’s a tough break to take a fun-as-hell product – a beer brewed with hemp – and have to, ahem, blunt its edges.

The law stipulates the label on any hemp product for consumption shalt not contain an image of any part of the hemp plant other than seed, make reference to any psychoactive effect or include the word cannabis, marijuana or any words with similar meaning.

After several knockbacks on our Hemp IPA label, Afends and Young Henrys commissioned artist SUDS to create his playful FUN POLICE graphic – a cheeky dig at the endless regulator hoops we jumped through that still manages to colour within the lines. After all, a picture’s worth a thousand words, especially for weed.

Inside, it’s a crushable, great-tasting hemp and hop high-five, with no added novelty. The Young Henrys and Afends HEMP IPA is a big sticky number with a dank aroma of citrus, tropical and stone fruits with some spice berry. Biscuit and toasted bread flavours bring balance to the resinous vegetal notes from hemp oil and hop hash. A high-wire act, on the edge but totally in control, delivering flavour and sessionability.

Available in stores from November 1, the Hemp IPA is a great tasting product with a unique flavour that promotes sustainability and opens up a conversation on the never-ending uses of Hemp.

Watch the video for more information from the industry heavyweights & scroll below for stockist locations.

SEE LOCATIONS ON THE MAP BELOW:

PLEASE NOTE:

This product is very limited. Might be a good idea to call your local bottle-o before heading over there, just to make sure it's in stock! If your local isn't on the map and you reckon they could use a little Afends Hemp IPA in their lives, feel free to shoot them Young Henry's contact details and they'll sort 'em out!

Email info@younghenrys.com or call them on 02 9519 0048.

Delicious Magazine sat down with Oscar McMahon (Warden of Young Henrys) & asked him a few questions about the HEMP IPA itself.

Why Hemp?

Hemp and hops are related species (Cannabaceae family) that have some terpenes (flavour and aroma compounds) in common. Unlike hops which is a fragile crop only able to be grown in pretty specific conditions and areas, hemp can grow prolifically in many different parts of Australia. We thought it would be interesting to investigate the similarities between the two related plants and try to make a beer using both harmoniously.

How Is The Beer Made?

This beer is made with a mix of pale malted barleys, wheat and rolled wheat. This creates a light golden malty base with a soft, silky mouthfeel and a decent back bone for the hops, hemp, and hop hash which is also added to the IPA.

Hops create bitterness, aroma, flavour and stability in beers (by creating an acidic environment that pathogens can't survive in). The flavours and aromas can vary quite a bit between fruity, grassy, piney, herbaceous and resinous. We have replaced some of the hops we would have used in this beer with two interesting products; Hop hash which is the resinous, lupulin rich scrapings from hop pelletising equipment (once a waste product) and raw water soluble organic hemp seed oil. The hemp oil adds a really interesting grassy, minty, zest to both the aroma and the flavour, the hop has adds some pine and fruit punch to the nose and the flavour and the tassie hops add a nice fruity hop flavour in the mouth.

How Did This Collaboration Come About?

Most beers are born in a conversation over a beer and this one was no different. We were introduced to Declan and Jono (Afends founders) a few years ago and turned out to have a pretty similar ethos and views of the world, as well as quite a few friends in common.

They have proudly and passionately pushed hemp products in their industry for some time now and it definitely made sense to try hemp in a beer, were we to make one together. After a year of research and development and a few false starts we finally arrived on a beer that tastes and smells incredible, looks great and will hopefully start a few more conversations around the many possible legal uses of hemp in our country.

What Does It Taste like?

The beer itself is a juicy, fruity, herbaceous, minty/grassy smelling New England IPA style beer with a slight yeast haze, hop and hemp zest and grassiness in the mouth and a not overly pronounced but lasting bitterness. The hemp lends itself to the grassy, minty aroma and flavour and definitely lasts a while on the pallet.

To coincide with the launch of the Young Henrys x Afends Hemp IPA, we're releasing a range of limited edition merchandise featuring the Fun Police and some of the graphics that were knocked back, designed of course in Hemp.