Colette Farmhouse Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

nhindian

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a Fantome tulip.

Bottled on April 8, 2010, I was a bit hesitant about the age, but the only bottles there were from this batch and figured I'd take the risk.

A - Pours an interestingly murky and cloudy goldenrod with geysers of carbonation springing up everywhere. The head is huge, about 3.5-finger's worth, and incredibly rocky. The terrain is all over the place with peaks and valleys. Retention is superb as well with such active carbonation. Given the head, I was expecting a coating of lacing, but it still put up two nice walls.

S - The nose is rich in orange peel, lemony zest, bready yeast and pepper. Freshly mowed grass and ploughed hay really complete the barnyard image. Light and citric, it can easily be smelled as it rests on the table beside me.

T - The taste follows the nose almost identically. The front of the taste brings fresh, ripe, and juicy oranges and lemons. The grass and peppers follow to help tame these flavors and move it towards a more dry, crisp finish. The back-end is nice and spicy, and the finish is a nice blend of citrus and spice.

M - Mouthfeel is light and pops with carbonation. Overall crisp and dry due to the finish, it leaves a nice taste in the mouth and invites me to drink more and more.

D - Drinkability is high. There is no trace of the 7.3% alcohol in this beer and the flavors remain fresh and vibrant throughout the whole glass. It's almost like drinking a highly carbonated juice, in the best way possible.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2010 20:31:55 | More by nhindian

DoubleJ

California

4.3/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Let's get drunk, responsibly. A little pick-me-up beer from Great Divide, coming in the 12 ounce bottle format. On to the beer:

That look said "drink me". It's golden straw in color, brilliant, and filled with lively bubbles. Thick creamy lacing around the glass helps too. The head on top is semi-soapy, yet it firm and retaining itself very well. The aroma is soft, and, well, funky. There's a slightly fruity aroma, some barnyard, and cider.

I think we have a winner. Not too funky, generally sweeter than the usual saison, bubblegum, cidery sweet. All the different characteristics deliver to make a beer that is surprisingly balanced. It also has some rustic character, and the beer finishes with a dry sweetness. It's medium bodied, "bubbly smooth", and it is very easy to drink despite the strength.

Simply refreshing, and simply a delight. I knew Colette would be a reasonable choice for this late afternoon, but I didn't expect it to be so easy. It looks that Great Divide can also do that Belgian thing too.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 22:19:19 | More by DoubleJ

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A touch of age, but at 7.2% this should be fine, just not ass-kicking fresh. Poured into my Reidel pils beer glass - a current favorite - allow great catching of aroma.
Aroma is a little tart, a little sour, touch of citrus and little funk. Doesn't seem to stray too far from that - a little soft pale male.
Cloudy yellow with a big billowing head.
Starts with a nice bready malt and that moves nicely into the yeast character. Nice blending with overpowering or preventing the enjoyment of the nice complicity. Quite shot of warm in the gut. Well balanced lactic. The finish is really nice. Drying without astringency and leaving all sorts of enjoyable flavors.
Really smooth feel even without a real heavy body and very soft.
This is really nice. The blending is outstanding. I've had some that are fruitier, and I like those too, but this one shines for its complexity and blending of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 19:07:38 | More by garymuchow

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I have had this beer when fresh and with about a month of aging. The saison characteristics actually kicked in more with the one month of aging. It was almost like getting an assortment pack.

The beer pours very light yellow and the head settles in nice pillows of foam with time. I pick up light grassiness and some hopping.

The subtle flavors and smooth after-taste makes for a very nice summery flavor. It was very refreshing to take this in on a summer afternoon.

This is my favorite summer beer so far. I look forward to my next bottle of this excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 01:13:48 | More by ummswimmin

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours pale yellow with a nice head and nice lacing.

The aroma is fairly sweet, and somewhat fruity in the front. It's considerably funky as well and smells a little bit spicy.

The taste is pretty nice. It's got some funky character in the front and some subtle spice that enhances the flavor without being overpowering by any means. Sweet, but not overly so. Some hop bitterness works well with the sweetness, and the malt bill adds nice character too. It's a little messy when it's cold, but really shines as it warms up.

The body is moderately full, and has medium weight to it. The finish is fairly dry and slightly sticky. I found the carbonation a little overaggressive though. Not a big issue, but the biggest issue I think this beer has.

Overall, I'm glad to have finally found this. To think it was in the store I frequent most just being hidden in the back of the cooler. After a year or so, it's drinking nice. I haven't had the fresh, or any really old stuff, but I'd imagine that it's only going to get better.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 17:21:03 | More by BBP

nicholasdes

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This was my first Saison. I did not know what to expect from the style. Barnyard sounds tough to handle.

A: crystal clean straw color with light white head and lot of bubbles

N: The aromas coming off this beer are heavy and intense. Lots of hay with leather, light fruit, green apple and the tang of alcohol.

T: Full flavor with lite wheat flavor and hints of Belgium yeast. Crisp with hay and fruitiness. Very good.

M: fresh and crisp and lite on the tongue. The carbonation gives it a full mouthfeel, but not heavy.

D: I really liked this and could easily have a few. The crispness gives a refreshing feel that makes it easy to keep drinking it.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2009 04:17:13 | More by nicholasdes

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottled Feb 18 2010

A - First off I am impressed by the mild lacing and heavy carbonation of this beer. Pours a hazy yellow with a half inch of head.

S - Slight funk with lemon and mild wheat backbone. Maybe smells a bit of apples which means the yeast has done it's job.

T - Ow wow pretty damn good. Starts off yeasty with a mild apple or pear taste and leads to a clean semi bitter finish but fruity. I don't know how but I liked it better than Hennepin since it seems just as flavorful with less ABV.

M - Clean and crisp almost effervescent.

D - Well I have two more and plan to have one more now but damn this is the best drinkable Saison I ever had. I hope the same with age...

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2010 08:16:18 | More by DrDemento456

womencantsail

California

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The pour is a fairly clear straw color with a massive white head that eventually settles down.

S: Quite a lot of fruity esters to the aroma. Heavy on the banana and pear notes, but lots of citrus going on, too. There is a touch of tart apple and lemon peel and some light malt and straw. Very nice.

T: The flavor is somewhat light, but in a good/refreshing way. Banana sweetness followed by sweet pears. A touch of citrus peel bitterness, yeast, and light spices. A little bit of bready malt sweetness, too.

M: Medium bodied with medium to high carbonation and a crispness to the finish.

O: A really great saison. I found this to be a fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 04:52:21 | More by womencantsail

Arithmeticus

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured chilled in flared ale glass

A: cloudy, pale yellow; fantastic carbonation; big head that dissipates quickly; no lacing
S: lemon, lime, citrus; sweet; bottle conditioning prominent
T: fantastic Belgian-style ale; tar, hefty flavor; wheat and pear prominent; hopping is understated

This is a really solid, flavorful farmhouse alee

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 23:48:44 | More by Arithmeticus

Yokoono76

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: slightly cloudy light golden color, head only 1 finger and left quickly.

S: initially it's light and slightly yeasty, the aroma warms up after half a glass and subtle notes of coriander and wheat appear.

T: clean, crisp, creamy light aftertaste, light notes of fruit, fresh cut wheat and subtle spice, definitely fits the style of beer.

M: light and very smooth, "dances on the tongue"

O: it's a great beer, refreshing, light citrus and spice, fresh wheat... Takes me to a summer BBQ with bright blue skies, cool breeze and wheat fields. Lovely, fresh, light, kitchen, gingham red and white, summer breeze, swinging on a tire swing great feeling... Very pleased with this beer!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 17:27:35 | More by Yokoono76

BeerWizard

Colorado

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

I got burnt out on this last year but am glad I went back this year - this stuff is great. Poured into a goblet from a bottle. The bottle is a cheeful yellow color, that for the most part matches the color of the ale. Thin head, translucent, very fine bubbles.

The nose is nice and crisp; apples, yeast, alcohol, and like a faint raisin or fig aroma. The flavor is nice, too, champagne-y and almost like a cider. There's some tart sweetness and the alcohol gives it some good backing. The mouthfeel is nice and the finish breaks off clean for the most part. It almost has this lingering, woody finish, but it's not barrelled as far as I know so I don't know where I'm getting that from.

Overall, pretty psyched to have this one again. This is a real nice one from Great Divide.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 01:03:42 | More by BeerWizard

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

ianjsullivan

Maryland

4.23/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

ST: 12oz poured into a chalice.

A: Pale and hazy orange with a half-a-finger-nail white head.

S: Lemon, banana, earth, and funk.

T: Lots of bright citrus lemon joins with sweet malt and mineral earth. The finish is lemon peel.

M: Medium and smooth.

O: A very impressive offering. Wonderful flavor, complex, and enjoyable to drink. It goes well with food to boot. I highly recommend if you enjoy saisons or unfiltered beers.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 21:20:28 | More by ianjsullivan

lsummers

California

4.23/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a bright golden yellow with a bright one finger head. Higher carbonation clearly evident in it's stream of bubbles. Smells of peppery grapes and pears. The clean fruity notes are the most prominant, with a touch of acidic farmyard. Tastes of peppery funky lemon and pear. A touch of pineapple and cereal. Mouthfeel is clean and sharp. Bounces on the tongue.

Overall, this one is one great beer. A definite must try and one I wouldn't mind keeping stocked in my fridge. A super complex beer I wouldn't mind having on any summer evening.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 05:29:36 | More by lsummers

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a nice hazy straw yellow with good carbonation and a nice white head. Nose is wheat, rice, clove. Taste is belgian yeast, clove, banana, wheat. Mouthfeel has a nice tart, crisp finish, with clove, fruits and spice. Just right amount of booze. Very drinkable indeed.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2010 04:24:32 | More by barleywinefiend

JEdmund

Kansas

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Bottled on April 8, 2010; tasted on May 2, 2010)

A: Honey colored and hazy, though clearer than any other saison I've seen.

S: Wheat, banana, somewhat minerally. Reminds me a bit of a pils, making me think it has pils malt and certainly the rice is a contributing factor.

T: Really nice flavor with a big finish. Starts smooth thanks to the wheat, then midway it gets just a bit peppery and then on comes a drying tartness and a quick blast of hop bitterness, and finally a hint of fruitiness from the yeast. Finishes dry and light.

D: At 7% ABV, this isn't something you can drink all afternoon. I wish it were just 5%, but then it may not have all this delicious flavor. I'm just happy there's an affordable and delicious saison in six-packs! Great Divide makes great beer, and Colette is further proof.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2010 13:43:56 | More by JEdmund

Dalem

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy yellow that resembles the summer sun right before it starts to set and a fluffy head that hangs on strong and leaves a serious lace all through the glass. Aromas of citrus zest, tall grass after a rain, white pepper and banana esters fill the nose-all of them fragrant, refined and working in harmony with not one of them overtaking the proceedings.
Citrus, particularly lemon zest and orange peel, and some sour apple head off the flavors. Bready yeasts and coriander take over the middle setting their own distinction from what is first tasted. A third level of complexity is brought into the finish where a couple of dashes of banana shakes hands with peppery spices. There is the slightest of alcohol warmness at the end but is hidden very well to the point where one might not realize they're sipping on something in the 7.5% abv range.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2010 02:05:24 | More by Dalem

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle with 3/10/10 bottling date.

A - cloudy golden yellow. frothy, huge head which leaves sticky lacing all over the glass before you even have a chance to take a sip. the retention holds up almost indefinitely while drinking.

S - there's plenty of yeasty funkiness, as the wheat elements and some light fruit pop through the nose. colette seems to emit a "come hither" scent, which excites me to drink it.

T - it's definitely a saison styled beer, with a lovely yeast flavor which mixes with breadiness and wheat. there's a somewhat sweet taste towards the back end, as the brew finishes off slightly bitter, lingering a bit to leave a nice imprint on your palate.

M - slightly creamy, but not too heavy in the mouth.

D - the 7.3% abv is amazingly masked with a lovely array of flavors, rendering this a highly drinkable farmhouse style ale. each time i have one, i usually wish there was more on my local store's shelves.

great divide strikes again, as i can't wait until next spring so i can find more. american saisons are in full swing, and this is an excellent example of what domestic breweries are capable of.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2010 06:10:19 | More by xnicknj

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on April 5, 2011.

A: Poured a white pepper laced, crayon yellow color, with about a 1/2 finger or so solid white head that stayed a flimsy froth throughout the session.

S: Farmhouse funk, with a little bit of Bazooka bubble gum infused as well. Spicy, but not too...

T: Very fresh tasting.... and goes well with food I might add. A bit boozier than many saisons I've sample recently, but the balance amongst the other ingredients was second to none: Mild citrus character, coriander, and fresh filtered water... all with a Belgian flair.

M: Not too sweet, but still sweeter than many other farmhouses on the market. Still, I found the sugar content to be of the candy variety. The carbonation was good for the style and the lacing was minimal.

O: I've never tried this particular style from Great Divide and this one didn't disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 18:38:47 | More by Chaney

jwinship83

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle drank from my new belgium globe glass.

A- a hearty pour yields a somewhat hazy golden yellow colored body under a small bright white head that quickly becomes no more than a crown. small spots of lacing are left on the sides of my glass.

S- the first thing i pick out of the nose is malted wheat. after that i get a pretty heavy dose of pepper and other spices. very yeasty, and i think im picked up a little barnyard-y bret. i didnt know this beer was wild? floral and earthy hops at the end.

T- the taste starts out with malted wheat before quickly moving into he cracked pepper and spices that i could smell. im definitely getting a mild bret like character here. lightly funky/barnyard-y. some pear, apple, and other light summer fruits like white grapes. earthy and floral hops at the end.

M- the body is a solid medium, and the carbonation is right there also. decently dry. the alcohol is well hidden.

O- overall, this is a pretty enjoyable saison that has a lot of differences than most examples of the style. the addition of wild yeast makes me curious how this will hold up in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2011 02:52:01 | More by jwinship83

ocelot2500

Arizona

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy pale golden color with a frothy white head that leaves a ring of lacing.

Smells of yeast spiciness, citrus, and grassy notes.

Tastes of a fairly refreshing citrus character with some sweetness underneath. Sharp wheat notes hit first, followed by a pleasant lemongrass note that is countered with a peppery spiciness. A bready, slightly grainy pale malt sweetness underlies everything, rounding out the taste. Fairly balanced between sweet and bitter, and has a dry finish.

Mouthfeel is medium-light with an effervescence to it.

Overall, a very good American Saison that could become a staple of my yearly rotations.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 22:53:16 | More by ocelot2500

Yetiman420

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Consumed outside in 85 degree sunny weather after a long day of yard work in a Saison Dupont saison glass. Consider this review biased by environmental factors.

Pours and exceptional white yellow hazy with a two finger micro bubble head.

Aroma is a benchmark of attributes from saison yeast - citrus, spice, and perhaps some clove.

Taste is soft on the finish. Would prefer a bit drier. Cigar-like flavor and I came back with spicy 3/4 of the way through.

Full mouthfeel and what I would expect from the haze and micro bubbles.

Drinkability is where mouthfeel and aroma compensate for the soft, lingering finish.

An excellent offering by Great Divide.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2009 16:09:16 | More by Yetiman420

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.2/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazy daffodil yellow with swirling yeast and several streams of rapidly rising bubbles. The ultimate destination is a pillowy head of alabaster colored foam that looks good, just not as good as Belgium's best. Sudsy lace appears to be more melty than sticky.

The aroma is outstanding and is everything that a non-funky farmhouse ale nose should be. It's chock full of lemon zest, meadow flowers and assorted herbs and spices. At least one of the four different yeast strains must have originated in Belgium.

Saison is yet another winner from the masters at Great Divide. It isn't as good as their best (not much is), but it's still an excellent example of a Belgian-style saison from the U.S. of A. The beer is drier than expected and has a pleasing tangy tartness as well.

The malt bill includes barley, wheat and rice. Those last two are probably meant to keep things light. Mission accomplished. That said, there's an underlying pale malt sweetness that keeps the flavor profile grounded and balanced.

Specifics include subtle shortbread, tangy wheat, lemon zest, coriander and hints of clove and white pepper. The brewery doesn't publish the ingredients list, but it's doubtful that any of those spices are actually added to the kettles. Again, it's most likely the result of four supremely estery yeast strains. Alcohol is nowhere to be found.

When it comes to mouthfeel, most American craft brewers are unable to replicate the excellence of the best Belgian ales. This offering is no exception, but it fits the rest of the beer's attributes very well. Let's go with somewhere between light and medium, with just enough 'hang on' and nicely dialed-in carbonation.

With the release of Saison Farmhouse Ale, Great Divide has proven once again that they are one of the world's finest craft breweries. Forget top-10. These guys are in my top-3. Bottom line: this is delicious, drinkable beer on hot summer days, cold winter nights... and everything in between.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2010 15:44:58 | More by BuckeyeNation

emmasdad

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours the color of cloudy spun gold, capped with a beautiful rocky white head. This one looks so inviting in the glass. Aroma of strawberries, lemons, yeast and wheat. Tastes almost exactly like it smells, spicy and refreshing, with a good hint of lemon-citrus and a peppery tang on the back end. The alcohol is not the least bit evident in this one, and it makes for a delicious and refreshing late spring afternoon beer. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 21:32:07 | More by emmasdad

aasher

Indiana

4.2/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: very active (alot of bubbling), pours golden yellow with a medium white head which slowly dissipates, very cloudy body

Smell: smells very yeasty and "bready", slight citrus accents

Taste: excellent flavor, tastes like good saison/farmhouse should, very yeasty and has slight fruit flavor accent

Mouthfeel: excellent mouthfeel, smooth and good consistency

Drinkability: very drinkable, is light but not too light, has good flavor and is very appealing

I'd definitely recommend this beer

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 05:28:20 | More by aasher