Colette Farmhouse Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

kzoobrew

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review input from notes, enjoyed 09/01/10.

Straw gold colored body pours very clear. Super foamy pour, even with care it takes a few attempt to empty the bottle. Abundance of bone white head with decent retention. Large chunks of loose lacing left clinging to the side.

A bit of a surprise finding a strong maltiness in the nose. The yeast is not as funky as other saisons still manages to make its mark. Lemony tartness hits the nose, very interesting combination of smells.

Again the malt is stronger than anticipated. Bready malt is followed by the yeasty flavors. Slight clove with other indistinguishable spices. Tart flavor is light and enjoyable. Hop flavor is rather light.

Light to medium body, highly carbonated. Drinks smooth and surprising creamy. Finish could be a it more dry but the finish is still on the drier side.

Good but not a great beer. Colette just does not match my preferences in the style. Very drinkable and I was able to enjoy. Worth a try, you may like it more than I.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2010 21:29:22 | More by kzoobrew

doughanson78

Washington

3.63/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Bright white 2 finger head. Hazy straw color. Looks like a Hefe. Decent lacing.

S: Cloves. Bananas. Citrusy. Light roasted caramel. Yeasty.

T: Cloves up front. Very tangy. Very sour lemony taste. Not much banana at all.

M: Light bodied. Kinda fizzy. Crisp.

O: Pretty decent beer for a hot day. Pretty refreshing. Not one I would seek out.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2011 23:37:33 | More by doughanson78

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a hazy lightly dirty yellow color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of light funky yeast notes with light rustic malt with a subtle sour finish. Taste is also a mix between some light funky notes with some light tart notes and some light rustic malt. Light residual sugar is also discernable. Body is quite full with great bottle conditioning and good carbonation. Not the most complex example of the style but well brewed for something that is most likely brewed on a very large scale.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 19:29:42 | More by Phyl21ca

oberon

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Not a style I often seek out at all,on a warm day like today I figured it might hit the spot.Poured into a tulip glass a hazed lemonade color with a great clingy two finger white head that left broken rings of lace as it settled slowly.Funky barnyard notes in the nose along with some iron/metallic,a whiff of lemon peel as well,some are big fans of the barnyard funk,Iam not.Flavors are funky but on a smaller scale,wet grain notes along with lemon pith, and honey,there is enough sweetness to keep the funk in check for me.A decent brew,again not a fan for a reason,but I grade it accordingly.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2010 20:50:55 | More by oberon

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

Jacurdy60

Alabama

3.59/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

A-Pours a soft yellow color with a half-finger fizzy head. Poor retention and no lacing.

S-I'm getting some yeasty notes in the nose. Followed by some fruits (banana and pears) with some subtle cinnamon spice

T-Tangy fruits with a peppery, cinnamon spice finish. Not too complex.

MF-Carbonated and fizzy.

O-A pretty good saison. Not my favorite style, but it represents a saison pretty well.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 01:31:44 | More by Jacurdy60

czechsaaz

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Lots of candi sugar in the aroma. Very yeasty with spice esters too. Not much hops but a tad.

Golden, hazy with a HUGE white head that takes a good long while to settle into an inch thick lasting layer. Lots of rising bubbles from the bottom of the glass.

Nice flavor of base malt, candi sugar, bready yeast, earthy hops. Very light belgian funk, actually pretty clean fermentation for the style. I like the flavors but everythin seems a little subdued.

Full bodied with a very nice carbonation level. The carbonation makes it seem a lot lighter than it really is.

Nice beer but one of the few Great Divides that I think pales in comparisson to other breweries similar offerings.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2009 05:07:20 | More by czechsaaz

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy dark straw color. Extensive initial head. Leaves slippery lace. Eventually dies down to a thin layer of minute bubbles.

Earthy like with stale sourness. Not very appealing.

Good Saison flavor, slightly wheaty. Lots of mild citrus, clove and pepper. Nice full body with an appropriate level of carbonation. Pleasant sour aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2010 22:44:30 | More by smcolw

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours cloudy pale yellow with a foamy white head and some lacing.

Smells of sweet wheat, some dusty grain, yeast, and some lemon zest.

Lemony, tart with sweet wheat and some coarse grain, lightly bitter husk. Some lemon rind.

Lighter bodied and carbonated. Appropriate.

Overall, a bit mild, and more of a lemony wheat beer. Not super complex, but good.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 20:58:22 | More by OtherShoe2

WesWes

New York

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a hazy gold color with a towering white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a dry, peppery scent along with a light pale and wheat malt aroma. It's quite spicy with lots of yeast esters. The taste is decent as well. It's smooth with a nice pale, wheat, and Munich malt flavor. There is a bit of malt sweetness, but it's curbed with loads of yeast spiciness. It goes down easy with a dry, funky finish. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a pretty good saison. I'm not crazy with either the malt bill or yeast character.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2010 17:18:23 | More by WesWes

bohemiandonut

California

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

If it looks like a Farmhouse, smells (kinda) like a Farmhouse, and tastes (alledgedly) like a Farmhouse, what the hell is it doing in a six pack? I intend to find out.

Nice and cloudy, though there is a lurking bias to discount this beer just because it's made in Colorado, which colors it a bit with artificiality. Still, it smells promising if maybe a little like a lemon based cleaning agent.

This is an incredibly refreshing beer. Rather sweet, but with enough odd yeast character to carry it. There's a lot missing here though, unfortunately. It's of course unrealistic to expect something like Dupont or Karmeliet from Great Divide, and I almost feel bad docking points for a magic I can't even explain, but you either know how to make an authentic Belgian ale or you don't. As I expected, one is left with the feeling of a "normal" beer stripped of flavor and injected with "Saison flavor." Not bad for what it is, just not the epic journey that others in this league are.

GD must be commended on this venture though. I applaud the format and the risk-taking. Much more exciting than the stupid beers coming out of Stone lately.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 04:06:40 | More by bohemiandonut

dirtylou

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz single, bottleworks

appearance: served in a hilliards can-pint, hazy pale straw body, a light white film. a general bland appearance

smell: lots of wheat, wildflower, honey, mild spice

taste: drinks more like a weizen than a farmhouse, however subtle a difference that may be. lots of wheat, honey, pale malt, wildflowers. Clean and refreshing, thought not overly exciting.

mouthfeel: light, clean, fresh

overall: nice summer-y beer, though not a real standout

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 01:32:12 | More by dirtylou

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-Looks like apple juice. Slightly murky. Head is large and it slowly fades to a thin sheath. The beer glows.

S-Quite yeasty. Pale fruits. Spice. Dandelions. Sweetness mixes well with the Saison barnyard aroma.

T-Boasts a very solid flavor that is a great depiction of the style. Funky and musty. Dry but sweet in certain aspects. A very good generalization of the style.

M-Plenty of bubbles. Medium body. Flip flops between crisp and rich.

O/D-A solid Saison. I prefer my Saisons to be funkier and more tart. This is pretty legit however. I only bout a single but this runs around $12.25 for a six pack in my area. Quite overpriced. Still decent.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 03:00:55 | More by VelvetExtract

zac16125

South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured in a tulip glass
Bottled on Mar 5th, 2012

A: Pours a slightly hazy light straw yellow with 2 plus fingers width of bright white head, which dissipates down at a moderate rate to only a thin outer ring. Leaves no appreciable lacing.

S: Clove, pears and apples, wheat, the slightest tart aroma, no discernible funk notes, but still nice.

T: Crisp apples, peppery spice, wheat, clove. Lots of spice here. I get almost no tart/sour or funk flavors. Taste is pretty good, but its rather one dimensional, and doesnt bring the things I expect in a saison.

M/D: Crisp with high carbonation which makes it feel lighter than it otherwise would be. Very drying. No hint of the 7.3% ABV. Drinkability is pretty good but somewhat limited by the huge carbonation.

O: Not bad. Lots of spice, which I enjoy, but other than that is doesnt do a whole lot for me. Its certainly belgium influenced, but I don't see it falling into the saison style. Maybe more along the lines of a very spice belgium pale or a not very good tripel. Overall, it was a decent drink, but I likely wouldn't have one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 00:24:14 | More by zac16125

BeerAsAStoryteller

Colorado

3.56/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a fat bubbled head that hangs around for a minute and fades fast. A little hazy, golden color.

S: Good barnyard funk right up front, with a little bready yeast. Mild citrus hops hiding under the funk.

T: Very mild citrus, and a fairly weighty, lingering melon note. Slight sweetness up front. Not funky, as the nose suggests. Very mild tartness.

M: Medium-light bodied with strong, sparkly carbonation.

O: About what I expect out of a six-pack saison; tasty and refreshing, but nothing real special. Would be great for someone who enjoys a lighter saison.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 05:35:45 | More by BeerAsAStoryteller

glid02

Georgia

3.55/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up from Green's on Ponce in Atlanta.

Pours a hazy lemon-yellow color with a one-finger white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving light lacing.

Smells of pears and green apples with good amounts of light malts.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Pears and green apples with a very slight amount of funk coming in midway through the sip. As it warms small amounts of herbal hop flavors enter into things. The ending is sweet and mildly dry.

Mouthfeel is good. It has a nice thickness with moderately active carbonation.

Drinkability is alright. I didn't have a problem finishing the bottle but I'm not too excited about another.

Overall this is a decent beer but it's got a way to go before it's anything more than that. I'd like to see GD tweak their new beers and get them on the level with Old Ruffian and OA Yeti.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2009 01:15:52 | More by glid02

BieresDesMoines

Iowa

3.55/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy yellow with a medium head and some lace. The aroma is tart with a little yeasty baguette breadiness. The flavor is spicy and bready while also maintaining a subtle tartness. The beer is nicely dry and lightly fruity with a bit of lemon rind. Enjoyable, and one more reason I'd like to see Great Divide back in Iowa.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 17:53:53 | More by BieresDesMoines

Halcyondays

California

3.55/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a lightly hazy goldenrod with a medium white head, limited lace.

S: Lemon, some notes of spice nice.

T: Light malt character, dominated by the yeast. Lemons, white pepper, coriander, a good flavour, but there isn't a lot to it.

M: Medium-bodied with a frothy soft carbonation, pretty smooth.

O: A solid American saison, but not too impressive. You're not getting Dupont.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2011 22:06:04 | More by Halcyondays

HalfFull

California

3.55/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. single poured into a wine glass. Miss Colette pours a hazed lemon gold with a half inch of nearly white foam. Retention is moderate, settling out a bit too swiftly, yet keeping a light cap with some agitation.

Aroma of wheat and yeast and a bit reminiscent of a subtle La Fin du Monde. More Tripel than Saison as it lacks the subtle spice notes but is solid nonetheless.

Flavor is a bit thin given the expectations of the aroma. Lemony hops and a subtle spice character. Exposure softens the aroma and reveals a tinge of sourness. Farmhouse notes expand with warming but are restrained by a light level of carbonation.

An interesting brew and an affordable entre to the saison style. Still a bit subdued and light in spice and nuance. Appears to be bottle conditioned but would benefit from a bit more carbonation.

Simple, easy and pleasant. No faults. More of a Belgian Pale.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 04:21:58 | More by HalfFull

Rayek

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Hazy brass with frenetic carbonation. All those bubbles hold up a big and soapy white cap that has very nice staying power. The only downside is that little lace is left behind.

S: Musty and slightly spicy with pepper and clove aromas. A fair amount of straw can be sensed as well.

T: To me, this beer starts out tasting distinctly like an APL. The dry malts upfront are the only thing going on at first. The spicy clove and pepper bitterness arrives just in time to add some complexity. Things get really interesting toward the end when the beer becomes distinctly sour. Perhaps a bit too much so. Finishes dry, sour and tart.

M: Medium body feels grainy. Carbonation feels about right given the style.

D: Not quite what I was expecting, but still decent. A greater level of complexity out front would have been nice. The sourness of the finish was a bit too much for me. I'm still glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2009 15:22:05 | More by Rayek

prototypic

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Saison pours a pale gold color. There's a light amount of haze clouding the scene, but not much. An active white heads caps it off and reaches a couple of fingers deep. Given the activity, it was much slower to recede than I expected. Lacing was on the lighter end of the spectrum.

The nose is easily above average, but isn't stunning. It smells a little fruity initially. Light pear and lemon are noted. Yeast is very prominent. Belgian yeast is here, but it's not as strong as I'd like. It certainly has strong earthy and herbal notes. I'm not picking up anything overtly vegetal (which is a good thing). It's a little musky, but not quite funky. I'm not picking up any alcohol. It smells alright, but doesn't "wow" in any way.

The flavor profile is pretty consistent with the nose. It's certainly fruity up front, but not in a sweet way. Lemon is the strongest fruit flavor, but pear is present as well. A rather strong herbal flavor mixes with some spicy notes. There might be a little clove here. Tough to tell. It's hoppier than I anticipated. I like that aspect of it. It has a nice bitter surge. The hops taste mostly floral in variety. Yeasty flavors emerge somewhat late, but are strong. Belgian yeast is definitely appreciated (in more ways than one). I'm still not picking up any alcohol. It finishes bitter and dry. This is pretty good stuff. Above average. Ultimately, it's just a tad too herbal.

Saison has a medium body that's nearly smooth. Active carbonation really prevents it from getting there. Too much buzziness. Drinkability is okay. Above average. The flavor's alright, but I'm not in love with it. It goes down pretty easy. A bomber will due.

This is the second Great Divide beer in a row that really hasn't dazzled me. After rolling out consistently great beer, this and the 15th Anniversary Release are just in the 'pretty good' category. This one would probably be improved if the herbal aspect was toned down a little. The other flavors seem to work nicely and I like the hoppy aspect of it, but that vegetal bit is just too strong. Not a bad effort, but a little disappointing. Worth a try nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2009 02:50:18 | More by prototypic

cdizinno

South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: Poured into a tulip glass from a bottle, similar the the one pictured, but instead of "SAISON" written in big block letters, mine reads "COLETTE" and the little farmer on the left who is working in the picture turned into a sassy looking chick in a skirt with a pitchfork. Bottled on: MAR 10 2010, printed on label.

A: Initially clear, golden yellow with a nice fluffy head that dies quickly. After a swirl of the sediment: Murky, yellow-straw color.

S: Slightly tart, sweet smell along with the typical 'farmhouse' yeast aroma.

T&M: Very complex, fruity, spicy, tart flavor. Fairly sweet with a good bit of alcohol burn. After a swirl of the sediment: The tarness is definitely mellowed and it is smoother. Medium bodied.

Fairly good farmhouse. A bit too tart and sweet for regular drinking. But good for a 'one off'.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 17:57:54 | More by cdizinno

Natural510

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, packaged Apr 8 2010

Nice look; opaque, pale golden-orange. Impressive head, frothy & bone-white.
Funky yeast scent with lemon & spice notes.
Yeast up-front, with a distinct breadedness. Peppery, with a hint of lemon rind. Subtle hop and dry finish.
Good feel, with the carbonation and dryness from the yeast, albeit slightly watery.

Not-bad saison, not too distinctive either. Will give a nice yeast kick and alcohol fix on a warm day.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2010 05:55:47 | More by Natural510

brandoneast

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A transparent brew with minimal lacing that dissipates quickly. Aromas and flavors of wheat crackers, lemon zest, and very minimal chevre cheese. Not a very aggressive saison but highly drinkable. No problems here and I am stoked about a saison sixer!

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2010 03:39:13 | More by brandoneast

rajendra82

Georgia

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very pale, hazy yellow appearance, and a lot of carbonation gave this look a bit of a macro vibe, but the lemon zest and orange peel on the nose indicated that this was not one of the mass produced swill. The taste was pretty timid for a Saison, with flavors of lemon, simple sugar, and white pepper coming across each light and refreshing sip. The ABV felt nowhere near 7.3%, and the body was soft and airy. Very refreshing, but left me longing for more depth.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 04:03:19 | More by rajendra82