Ochre And Ash
HammerHeart Brewing Company

 

From a 16oz can:

Appearance: Black, good head.

Smell: Starts with pine, then smoke and ash underneath.

Taste: Roasted, blackened malt, low sweetness. The piney hops start coming through in the middle with more roasted malts. Dry finish with blackened malt and hint of smoke.

Overall: Always great to see a new Hammerheart beer. I looked at my notes for their previous black IPA and Ochre and Ash has less coffee-like flavor and more blackened malt flavor. Not super hoppy. A fine beer!

From a 16oz can. No date on the can.

This beer is a pitch black color in the glass. There's a 1 1/2 finger tan colored head. The head is frothy looking and long lasting. There's some lacing on the glass.
Aroma is just full of licorice. There's notes of the hops and they're into the pine territory.
Taste is nice and bitter up front from the hops. There's a pine character to the hops. The beer does turn toward licorice on the backside. There's just a faint, yet pleasing hint of smoke in the beer. There's also some sweetness in this beer that does surprise me a bit, but in a good way.
I am enjoying the feeling of this beer. Very smooth. Nice bitterness feeling.
This is just an all around pleasing beer. So glad I bought it.

12oz can. No dating information found.
Dark cola brown colored body, with a cherry red back lit edge. Two fingers of tan head have a long life and maintains as a full cap. Lattice work of lacing left on the non-drinking side of the glass.
Aroma of smoky malt and a bit of citrus/pine. The malt, outside of the smoke, smells like the middle of a malted milk ball.
Taste continues with the theme of smoky malt. Sweet and savory. Background notes of orange citrus and pine resin. Some chocolate from the malts. Bitterness is a partner with the smoke, and extends deep into the long lived aftertaste.
Medium mouthfeel, with a metallic note. The malt keeps the ever present bitterness from doing more than numbing the tongue. Excellent carbonation.
The smoke is a well done integration to the brewed expression, and works well with the other smells and flavors. More smoke than otherwise encountered for this style. The smoke is more savory campfire than smoked meats.