Colette Farmhouse Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

humuluslupulus8

Arizona

3.78/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Colette poors a slightly cloudy gold color. The head is just barely off-white and consists of large bubbles. The cloudiness of the beer made it more interesting since most beers are completely clarified.

The aroma consists of a balance of malts and piney hops. There is also an equal amount of a musty-type smell. This is my first farmhouse ale, but my reading about the style told me it would have this "old" smell. I wasn't bothered by it at all.

The taste is well balanced between the sweeter malts and bitter hops. That musty aspect is there and gives the beer a unique flavor.

The mouthfeel seems thicker than normal. I usually like this quality, but I'm not sure if it is the best fit for the flavors of the beer.

Overall, Colette is an interesting beer that seems like a good introduction to farmhouse ales for me. This is definitely a unique style, but it's also not my favorite at this point. However, I wont hesitate to try other farmhouse ale/ saisons in the future.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 03:25:01 | More by humuluslupulus8

Fcolle2

Illinois

3.44/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: hazy yellow with a two finger frothy white head that fades quickly

S: belgin yeast, wheat, a little citrus and a quite a bit of lactic acid.

T: I'm getting lots of wheat upfront. A little belgin yeast and lactic acid follow.

M: pretty thin and carbonated but it works with the style. Nice and light, good for summer.

O: bitterness from the wheat and tartness from the yeast and acid blend well. Not my favorite style but pretty good for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:56:08 | More by Fcolle2

rc51sport

Florida

4/5  rDev +4.2%

05-20-2013 02:56:22 | More by rc51sport

argock

Virginia

4.19/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz brown bottle into a cler glass tumbler. No decipherable bottling date -- rubbed off. Purchased at Knightly Spirits (Orlando, FL).

A: Straw yellow, slightly hazy as a little of the yeast snuck in. 1-2 finger white big-bubbled head with good retention but only scattered dots of lace.

S: The aroma is mostly bready, grainy maltiness with light fruitiness including pear and yellow apple and some pretty strong floral and fruity yeast esters. There is an herbal, lightly fruity and lemon citrus hoppiness in the aroma profile. Nothing light about this -- spot-on.

T: A superb mix of fruit, herbal nuances, yeast esters and solid backbone of grainy Pilsner maltiness. Malt wins of the big three, but the yeast esters are interesting with pear, apple, and some green grape flavors blending with floral, perfumy qualities. The hops are mostly bitterness, but there is some lemon rind citrus along with mild grassiness. A really excellent saison.

M: Colette hits the lush maltiness and finshes with the dry crispness this style demands. Carbonation is active without a doubt and helps bolster the refreshing qualities of this ale.

O: Colette is an outstanding American version of farmhouse ale -- clean grain and bread maltiness with fruity yeast esters finished with lemon citrus and the righ punch of dryness. Yet another reason I am sad that GD is no longer in my neck of the woods in VA.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 02:28:45 | More by argock

BeerBeast

California

4/5  rDev +4.2%

05-16-2013 06:47:57 | More by BeerBeast

grumpygerman

Alabama

4/5  rDev +4.2%

05-16-2013 01:49:43 | More by grumpygerman

KingEdward

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

05-14-2013 23:31:00 | More by KingEdward

wil19b85

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

05-14-2013 01:57:11 | More by wil19b85

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

05-13-2013 10:58:31 | More by MDDMD

Travcofarms

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -21.9%

05-13-2013 10:55:55 | More by Travcofarms

JSisk

Alabama

4.38/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I am not as well versed as many of the other reviewers on here or as knowledgeable but I know what I like and I like this beer. The smell is fantastic. The taste is complex but not to the point where one flavor overwhelms the others. I highly recommend this beer to people who are fans of saisons or Belgian farmhouse beers. Great Divide seldom disappoints and this beer is one of their finest.

Enjoy it with some spicy Mexican food!

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 01:36:44 | More by JSisk

fdig23

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.2%

05-08-2013 02:34:26 | More by fdig23

blknikon

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

05-07-2013 23:52:29 | More by blknikon

hitter114

Colorado

4/5  rDev +4.2%

05-07-2013 21:11:54 | More by hitter114

PsychicBubblegum

California

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

05-07-2013 17:47:57 | More by PsychicBubblegum

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.24/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Duvel tulip glass. Bottling date of Feb 07, 2013.

Appearance: Pours a very hazy yellowish golden orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. Solid two fingers of white head that fade into a thin patchy layer. Leaves a good amount of lacing.

Smell: A wheat driven and funky aroma with lots of Belgian yeast and spices. Belgian yeast upfront with barnyard funk and big hints of clove, white pepper, and coriander. Bready malt with big hints of wheat along with some biscuit, hay, grain, and cracker. Fruit hints of banana and apple along with citrus orange, pineapple, and lemon. Some candied sugar. Earthy hop hints of grass. A pretty nice smell.

Taste: Like its smells, yeasty and spicy with funk and some fairly tart fruit notes. Belgian yeast along with some barnyard funk upfront. Spice notes of clove, white pepper, and coriander. Light notes of candied sugar. Bready wheat and malt notes of biscuit, hay, grains, and cracker. Fruity taste of apple and banana. Citrus fruit notes of orange, pineapple, mango, and lemon. Fruit taste is fairly tart and dry. Some earthy and grassy hop notes in the background. A good Belgian style taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a medium to high level of carbonation. Crisp, spicy, and fairly tart and drying. Tingles the tongue.

Overall: A pretty nice take on the Saison style. Good use of spices and yeast. On the tarter side but good.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 06:11:18 | More by MattyG85

msondel

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%

04-28-2013 23:18:06 | More by msondel

anhigdon

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

04-28-2013 01:28:15 | More by anhigdon

Bobhoya

Arizona

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

04-28-2013 00:44:16 | More by Bobhoya

Jonada

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12oz bottled on 1/21/13. Served in a pint glass

Appearance: Pours a somewhat pale yellow color with 2 fingers of a white soapy head. Body is slightly hazy with some suspended yeast sediment floating in the glass.

Smell: Big yeast characters, wheat, funk, pineapple, pepper, and earth.

Taste: Banana and clove spiciness, wheat, pear, funk, with tropical fruit, more specifically pineapple as well. Finish is slightly sweet with a nice lingering aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and crisp. Medium carbonation.

Overall: I've never had a bad beer from Great Divide, and this one continues the trend. If you like saisons, this is worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 20:48:58 | More by Jonada

trotnixon

Maine

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%

04-24-2013 10:30:04 | More by trotnixon

abex44

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

04-24-2013 06:48:35 | More by abex44

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a hazy light yellow with a short white head. No lace. Light bubbles.

S - wheat, hay, pear, apple and light clove.

T - green apple, lemon and wheat with a light spicy finish

M - light body. Slightly tart. Semi dry. Low bitterness.

O - the aroma was a bit strange and unappealing. The flavor was enjoyable. Fruity and slightly tart. Good, light summertime beer, but not a great Saison.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 01:18:55 | More by GuzzLah

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - Pale gold, white head has some retention and some lacing.

S/T - Yeast barn house funk up front, rolling into a sweet, candy sugar finish, finishing mostly clean and dry, with some grassy, herbal hops.

M - Medium body, medium carbonation, smooth consistency.

O - Sweet candy sugar is a nice finish, but becomes a little too sweet by the end of the drink.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2013 15:25:51 | More by garuda

browniewithnuts

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

04-22-2013 09:41:00 | More by browniewithnuts