Some 10,000 years ago, hemp was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fibre. The plant, which is a variety of the Cannabis sativa species, is extensively used today for industrial purposes including clothes, pet food, paper, plastics and biofuel.
Although both marijuana and industrial hemp derive from the Cannabis sativa species, and the two strains contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), hemp and marijuana have a very distinct composition and different uses.
When compared with marijuana, hemp has decreased psychoactive effects as it contains lower concentrations of THC and higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD). Its legality varies from country to country, and in Australia in particular, it was banned from the early 1900s until last year when it was legalised to be grown and sold as food.
Melbourne’s East 9th Brewing was one of the first companies to jump on this new market with the launch of their “Doss Blockos Hempire Hemp Ale”, which uses organic hemp seeds to create a brew with a flavour the creators describe as “nutty and smoky, with a subtle creamy mouth feel”.
The new partnership between Young Henrys from Sydney’s Inner West and Afends shows how more and more brands are joining forces to bring their own version of a hemp-infused beverage to market.
The Aussie brewery recalls one of its biggest challenges when devising the product was coming up with the visual identity. Australian legislation stipulates that the labels on all hemp-based products for consumption can’t showcase an image of the actual hemp plant or any part of it except the seed.
Regulations also prohibit on the labels any reference to the psychoactive effects or the inclusion of the word cannabis, marijuana or similar.
“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,” Young Henrys explains on its website.
“After all, a sick picture’s worth a thousand different words for weed.”
The brewery goes on to describe the taste of their new product as “a big sticky number with a dank aroma of citrus, tropical and stone fruits”.
“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.”
Well, you can’t deny it, that sounds very enticing.