A tackifying resin includes a farnesene-based polymer having monomeric units derived from a farnesene monomer and one or more optional comonomers selected from the group consisting of dienes, branched mono-olefins, and vinyl aromatics and has a softening point greater than or equal to 80 degrees Celsius. A method of making the farnesene-based polymer includes combining a farnesene monomer and a solvent and optionally adding one or more comonomers selected from the group consisting of dienes, branched mono-olefins, and vinyl aromatics, to provide a monomer feed, and polymerizing the monomer feed by combining the monomer feed with a Friedel-Crafts catalyst in a vessel. The tackifying resin may be combined with an elastomer to form a hot melt adhesive composition.