Colette Farmhouse Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

SWMeyer4141

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Review from notes...

Poured into snifter.

Appearance-Straw colored body with no head, no retention and no lacing.

Smell-Earthy and Grainy. Lemon and some slight pine.

Taste-I get a nice peach flavor, but thats about it. Picked up some slight clove from the yeast maybe and a little funk. Nice change of pace beer.

Mouthfeel-Light to medium bodied with medium carbonation. Prickly on tongue.

Overall-I'm glad theres a 6 pack Saison out there but I really wasn't turned on too much by this beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 04:58:34 | More by SWMeyer4141

Dotcubed

Arkansas

3.35/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Part of a mixed six.

I like this brewery, and any chance I get to try another of their offerings is worth the expense.

Urine yellow makes it off putting but still looks like a nice example of the style. . Some sediment in the bottle. Lemony. Tart apple.

Slight lace. Yeast, and a bit of funk. Clearly farmhouse. Lovely tinge of lime.

Heft of malt weight to it. A delight. Wish I had more.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 03:23:10 | More by Dotcubed

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Hazy straw yellow body. Small head that quickly recedes. Not much of a skim, just a slight ring around the edges. Little, to no lacing.

S: Slight lemon, banana, yeast notes. Very little must/funk/feet/farm/saison smell.

T: A bit out of style, with an almost complete void of the characteristic saison flavors. There isn't much of an earthy/funky flavor. Instead, its a clean lemon, wheat flavor. Tastes like a wit beer.

M: Light-medium body. Semi-dry finish. Feels good on the palate.

D: Don't get me wrong, this beer was quite enjoyable. It just didn't taste like a saison. If you blind folded me and gave me this, i'd identify it as a pretty solid wit beer that I would get quite a bit of enjoyment out of.

Bottled Date: April 15, 2009
Consumed: May 13, 2009

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2009 01:26:14 | More by callmemickey

bgreg3

Indiana

3.33/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

App.-Pours a cloudy yellow with a foamy white head that disappears after a little, the carbonation dances on the way up , it swirls and makes an interesting beer to look at.

Smell- Smells fruity , a little lemony , wheaty very enticing and makes you wonder how it is going to taste.

Taste- Complex , first thing is this beer tastes like it was brewed with lemon peel because I taste the lemon stronger than if it were brewed with amarillo hops (it could be a combination of both though) , then it takes your taste buds on a ride as it moves on to a berry taste and it has a very strong wheat presence throughout this is the most sour beer I've had by the way

MF- Very strong and acidic to the toungue , it is good on the palate though , with a light-medium feel. Rolls around nicely. kind of crisp and refreshing.

Drink- Stick to 12 oz of this if possible , I had a bomber and it just became very tart and difficult to drink after a while , definetely eat something with this and take your time with it too

Not worth buying again but a good experience.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2009 03:04:09 | More by bgreg3

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

nope. this one pours a thick hazy yellow color like a lemon, with yeast floaters and a small white head. smells really yeast, and not nice wild yeast like a lot of other saisons, but like rotting citrus fruit and shampoo. that said, there is some element of refreshing aromas, but the yeast spoils it for me. flavor is not bad, tart and crisp lemon notes, mild spice, and some crystal malt body. not sure how this one got so far off track, but the feel is not nice either. way way to thick and heavy for the style. this is supposed to be a crisp drinkable early summer beer, but it fails to serve that purpose. this might be my least favorite great divide beer so far, which is unfortunate. i had really high hopes for this one, as i am huge on the saison/farmhouse style, but this was a real letdown. might be better from the bottle rather than the tap?

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2012 17:48:40 | More by StonedTrippin

Murrhey

Montana

3.33/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Reviewed live.

A- Three finger white frothy head. For how agitated the carbonation is, I'm surprised at the retention which is well over a minute long. No lacing to speak of, I'm afraid. Pale golden color with nice clarity. Definite particles floating about.

S- Noble hops and earthy yeast tones. Light malts. Grassy and light. Nothing pops.

T- Light and some sweetness, sugar, earthy yeast and light fruits...maybe apple?

M- Light with grainy feel and somewhat dry finish.

O- Drinkable for the style, which I am usually not fond of.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 06:56:55 | More by Murrhey

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.3/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into portsmouth snifter

Pours 1 finger of white head. Decent retention. Leaves a little bit of splattered lace. Color is a pale straw yellow.

Aroma: Big lemon citrus flavor. It also has a nice farmhouse funk to it. Earthy and herbal. Some spice. Lovin the funk here.

Taste: Pepper and spice. Some lemon zest. Yeast flavors. It has some cloves and banana flavors in the finish. Not as funky as the nose, but it still has some barnyard flavors to it. It has a slight apple flavor to it, but it is fairly hidden.

Mouthfeel: Funky and fizzy. Lighter bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends kind of dry.

Overall, a decent saison. Decently drinkable. I really enjoyed the funk in the nose. I wish it was more present in the taste. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 02:20:12 | More by mothman

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

3.28/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A fair if a bit forgettable take on a farmhouse ale.

Presentation: 12 oz brown capped bottle. Overall Great Divide layout with a yellow and light cream range with dark fonts, theme is of a checkered country-side picnic with a trite silhouette of a farmhouse sexy girl holding a pitchfork... Besides the needless sexism these bottles feel overtly design with a formula that does not make them particularly attractive, not bad, but not particularly pleasantly designed. Side narrative notes intent, main ingredients, general description of the brew, and food pairings. Shows bottling date (Feb 23 2010), and Alc. by Vol. (7.3%). Served in a tulip glass.

A - The initial look is rather rich with a hazy straw to pale gold pour, over 1" of generous foamy head. However retention feels mediocre at best, and lace a bit short.

S - Fair aroma with a yeasty range, and an earthy touch where a moldy note predominates. Wheat touches with some light clove, citrus, and not so much of a funky or rich earthy sense but that light moldiness again being as close as it gets. Why do they use rice here? Saisons really don't need any adjunct feel to them... And for an instant this comes close, rice or not.

T - Taste follows with a predominant Belgium yeasty sense, a bit unidimensional and predictable, not unpleasing but rather forgettable. Slightly sour with a faint grassy touch. Hmmm, it swings back and forth between a rather mediocre range and a hint at what it tries to be.

M - Medium-light body with good carbonation, rather crisp, and a slightly tangy and dry finish.

D - Not very memorable but rather drinkable.

Notes: It's a nice brew but it has a feeling like it wants to get there but it can't really make it. It's a long way from being a noticeable farmhouse ale... And surely this might be the least remarkable offering I've tried from Great Divide.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 01:01:45 | More by Daniellobo

trappistlover

Arizona

3.25/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

(12oz bottle). Pour hazy light golden color with white head. Very active carbonation. Aroma has grass, wheat, and some lemon. Taste is sweet malt with a bit of tart. Spiciness as well. Thin bodied with an oily texture. Finish is dry. Any ok beer that would be better if the abv were lower. Then, this would at least be sessionable. As it is, I wouldn’t want to make this my drink of the night. (or day?).

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 01:59:36 | More by trappistlover

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a bright yet hazy straw color. A heavy pour yields only a fingers worth of pearly white foam which dissipates to a film with a thick ring around the glass.

S - intense aroma. Tart and funky. Notes of orange peel and lemon pith are most apparent. Funkiness was unexpected but welcome.

T - dry bread crusty malt profile. Lemon and orange notes mid palate. A touch of spice and funk at the back end. Funk lasts through the quick finish.

M - light bodied close to medium with a creamy yet slightly watery texture. Carbonation is medium.

O - while it sure is refreshing it is sort of one dimensional. Nose is dominated by funk and citrus. Taste is essentially the same. I will do an updated review as it is a cold night and I just might not be in the mood for this style. But as of now its good but not quite what I was expecting from Great Divide.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 03:17:12 | More by Teleweizen2

Oxymoron

Colorado

3.23/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Seems like GD is just pumping out all the new beers lately. Pours a mostly clear lemony yellow color with lots of fizz. An ample frothy white head with good retention and lacing. Took a while to settle down great lacing throughout. Maybe a touch light for a saison but it there is a big variable there.

The nose is mostly malty. Some Belgian notes but limited overall. The malt has a pilsner aroma with some grainy and husky notes. Some hints of aromatic malt and a light note of biscuit. The yeast is there but would like a bit more character. Some floral and fruity notes. A light peppery but earthy aroma on the back end. Some stale notes as well (which I think other are getting funk).

The taste is a bit off. The first flavor I picked up was plastic. More specifically a rubbery flavor that balanced with the grainy malt notes. Some sweetness at first with a almost sugary quality but finishes dry. A light tang but has more of an infection note that lactic. The yeast comes out more versus the nose. A good yeast taste with a light apricot, herbal and spicy notes. Would have liked to see more of this come out. Some hoppy notes on the back end, but not really distinct.

The body finishes a bit dry. This is enhanced by a high carbonation with a slight carbonic bite. Light but noticeable. Overall, there are some good positives here, specifically with the yeast. But some negative, with the rubbery flavors (and the lack of more yeast). Still drinkable though.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2009 21:41:41 | More by Oxymoron

JamnesCameron

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a New Belgium globe. Pours a hazy straw with about two fingers of stark white head that drops fairly slowly to a thin wisp of foam. Lacing evident.

Aromas of lemon, lemon zest, pineapple, pepper, earthy and a little musty. So far, so good.

Flavors of tart lemonade, a little on the sweet side, subdued pepper, coriander (don't like my saisons spiced). Some bite from the carbonation. Finish is medium with lemon tart and spice lingering.

Mouthfeel is medium, not as dry as I would prefer in a saison, heavy prickle from the carbonation.

Overall an okay attempt. Don't know that I'd pick this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 00:07:52 | More by JamnesCameron

mdcrouser

Missouri

3.23/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Pretty pour, with a creamy top of lacy white head sits atop a completely cloudy cylinder - saw a previous review that described it as polished brass, which is apt.

Farmy and a bit acidic - not really citrus so much, but something that is somewhat off-putting.

Horsey up front, with veiled assumptions of citrus. The hops are in the background, but ill-defined.

Incredible in the mouth - creamy, with some soft carbonation. The foundation is there, but the flavor to back it up is not.

I'd like to enjoy this beer more, but I can't bring myself to do so. Honestly, it's kind of a mess - great look and mouthfeel - odd nose and taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 03:31:45 | More by mdcrouser

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-cloudy, pale gold with a thick white head that quickly thins out

S-smells like a spicy belgian pale ale...a lot of wheat scent and belgian spices. i could also be smelling a belgian tartness in here too. its a pretty strong scent

T-comes in much like a belgian strong pale ale, it has the belgian malts and spices. i'm finding that this is a crappy saison. its not a bad take on the belgian pale ale, but i'm having a difficult time finding the farm house in this. after the first hit, it goes in to an off tasting maltiness and a touch of booze. the after-taste is strong of belgian malts.

M-medium carbonation with a watery finish

D-overall...this is no sasion. come in to this expecting some barnyard funk and you'll be disappointed. if you're wanting a decent pale belgian, then this won't upset you. it does go down easily for the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 19:40:37 | More by AdamBear

BetterDarker

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours cloudy, bright lemony yellow with a frothy, white head. The head disaapates quickly with clinging foam on the sides of the glass. Great looking beer.

Smell is what you would expect from a saison. Spicy, a bit earthy. Nothing particulary remarkable.

Taste is good, slightly tart, light, citrusy. Very little malt or hop flavor, pretty much what you would expect from a saison.

Mouthfeel is good, solid carbonation, obviously not a heavy feel.

One bottle is enough to satisfy a hankering for a saison. Wouldn't make a session out of this beer, but it's a drinkable beer, 650 mls is enough.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2009 00:32:15 | More by BetterDarker

chaz01

Ohio

3.15/5  rDev -18%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

650 ml bottle poured into a belgium fishbowl glass. My bottle does not say "Colette" -- instead it says "Saison" - but other than that it appears to be the exact same label as the one pictured. It has a 2009 date and has been kept cool in my cellar (not intentionally aged, just never got a chance to drink this).

A: Pale yellow straw-colored, pretty hazy and cloudy, with a thick white head.

S: Floral, yeasty, bready aroma with a little lemony zest as well.

T: Fruity, tart flavors of lemon and citrus with some peppery spice notes as well. A bit overly tart and perhaps a little off -- I'm wondering if it's more due to the age on the beer than the beer itself.

M: Medium bodied, very carbonated and effervescent.

D: I'll re-review the beer if I get a chance to have a fresh bottle, but for 2 year old Belgian, this didn't seem to age all that well.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 13:10:52 | More by chaz01

coastiefish

Oregon

3.13/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottled Feb 23 2010
Opened Apr 21 2010

First nip from the bottle, got the typical tart of the style, followed by an very vivid copper taste.

Poured into a pint glass (don't forget the sediment at the bottom of the bottle!)

Soft hazy bright gold, thin layer of head, when carefully poured (thick layer with froth on the second pour when I was a bit rougher with the pour, though it dwindled down quickly to a thin layer)

On the nose, tart fruit, clove, tiny bit astringent, bit of apricot/peach being detected as well.

Everything on the nose I get on the tongue. A bit of lemon is coming through. Yeasty and dry, but not too dry. Watery finish is worth mentioning.

Mouth feel is light & airy. Id like to have more body in this brew, it just isnt there.

This is a drinkable brew, but there are better ones out there. (Apricot Farmhouse from Upright Brewing an excellent example, and #5 from Upright, a classic example extremely well executed) I wouldnt suggest this to exemplify the farmhouse/saison style. Though, the 7.3% on a hot summer day with nothing to do except sample some brews could justify a round.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2010 06:29:56 | More by coastiefish

Reaper16

Alabama

3.05/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

served on-tap @ Great Divide Brewery, Denver, CO into a weissbier glass

Pours a bright yellow color with 1.5 fingers of perfectly white head. The lacing was adequate. There was little to no haze in the saison; it looks to have been filtered pretty cleanly. Curious.

Lots of yeasty aromas abound from the glass despite its filtered quality. Banana and lemon, mostly. Zippy wheat. It smells good, certainly, but it smells mostly like a hefewiezen, not a saison. There isn't any pepper, funk, other fruit, etc. that would be characteristic of a saison/farmhouse ale.

Taste follows the nose. Plenty of lemon and banana and cracker malt. Again, if Colette were a hefe then I would rate the beer higher. As is I can only give it 2.5 at the most. It tastes sorta good but isn't true to style.

The thickness of the mouthfeel was fine. What docks Colette points is the sharpness of its carbonation. It isn't particularly bubbly but it is sharp on the tongue, to the point of mild uncomfortability. If you can get past that then Colette is a super-easy drinking summer beer that does much of the same things right that a nice hefe would.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2010 21:55:47 | More by Reaper16

chugalug06

Colorado

3.05/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This brew is much different with a month or two on it than it is fresh.

A - Cloudy yellow with orange and red hues. Nice white foamy head. Pours very aggressive.

S - Nice sour funk. Very aggressive scent. No banana that I smelt before.

T - Funky brew. Changes greatly with only a little time. Very nice and sweet with pleasant Belgian yeasty funk.

M - Very light and wet. A enjoyable brew with slight heat to be found. Doesn't mellow with time... No bitterness.

O - Good but not nearly as good as it is fresh. Find this one fresh and jump on it!

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 01:12:08 | More by chugalug06

shand

Florida

3.03/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a nonic.

Pour this in a glass and serve it to one of your BMC buddies with a cold. Because this looks just like another lite beer, there's absolutely none of the cloudiness other reviewers note, just a clear piss yellow. As long as they can't smell it, they wouldn't know it wasn't Miller Light until it hit their tastebuds. Aroma is a nice funkiness from the yeast and some typical Belgian fruits, nothing out of the ordinary. The taste is pretty alright. Now, I know I don't usually like Belgian styles like this, I'd normally just pass it up, but I loved the bottle and heard it was more approachable and drinkable. But instead, it took out anything interesting that Saisons usually have and replaced it with overpowering generic yeastiness and frutiness with a bit of spiciness. Not my bgag.

The mouthfeel was fairly nice though, it's crisp and well-carbonated. But overall, I didn't really enjoy this beer. Then again, it's not a style I tend to enjoy, so your mileage may vary.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2011 04:57:53 | More by shand

yemenmocha

Arizona

3.03/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a straw color with minimal white head. Nose is mixed citrus, with a hint of human bile & pineapple. Some barnyard on the nose too. On the palate there's some spice, pineapple, more funk, and a zesty-lemony citrus quality. Finishes lemony and cracker-like, rather dry cracker like.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 03:10:48 | More by yemenmocha

JohnnyMc

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

My first Saison.

Pours out very golden with a lot of white and fluffy head.

Smells strongly of Belgian yeast, fruit notes and earthy grass.

The taste is very strongly dominated by wet grass/hay and earthy notes with hints of fruits. Pretty dry and finishes very crisp and clean.

I know a lot of these things are typical for the style, but I wasn't a huge fan. That said, it's not a terrible beer, just not a favorite.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 18:56:22 | More by JohnnyMc

OldSchoolGamer

Ohio

3/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I think Great Divide is easily one of my favorite breweries. Their Imperial Stouts and IPAs are out of this world. However, I am not a Saison fan, so we will see if they can change my opinion about the style.

A: Pours a hazy, pale yellow or straw color. Lots of bubbles coming up from the bottom. Nice bubbly, white head that sticks around.

S: The first smell is very musty. Smells almost like sauerkraut. Some Belgian funk. Maybe some grassiness or something. Doesn't smell very appetizing.

T: Thankfully that sauerkraut smell doesn't come through in the taste. I get Belgian yeast. There is a earthy like flavor, almost like grass or something. Maybe some corn. There is just a hint of citrus, but you really have to look for it. Flavor is pretty bland overall. Nothing stands out.

M: I would say medium-light bodied. Some prickly carbonation. Yeah, thats about it.

D: You can probably tell by now that I don't care for this beer. So for me, the drinkability is gonna be kinda low due to the lack of decent flavor. I guess it is kind of refreshing. Drinks pretty smoothly.

Great Divide churned out a turd in my opinion. Its funny how they can make 'grand slam' beers like Yeti and Titan, but make average beers like this and Samurai. I still love Great Divide, but would have appreciated more effort or originality in this summer brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2009 18:27:21 | More by OldSchoolGamer

Beaver13

Colorado

2.95/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

22 oz bottle. Pours a hazy yellow with a frothy white head that quickly diminishes to a thin collar.

The aroma is musty yeast and some light banana and cloves.

The flavor is musty yeast with a surprising sweet sugary fruitiness at the finish. The alcohol isn't obvious at all. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with light carbonation and kind of watery.

Overall, not a bad summer beer, but not too interesting for a saison - a little too sweet and the sweet sugary fruits don't jive well with the yeast funk.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2009 05:00:51 | More by Beaver13

hwwty4

Missouri

2.95/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured a 12oz bottle into my Boulevard Tank 7 tulip. This beer pours a slightly hazy, lighter then School Bus Yellow with a massive 4 inch cap that leaves fingers of lacing all the way down the sides of the glass. The aroma was pretty prevalent from the pour. A slightly sulfuric aroma poured crept from the bottle right after opening it, just the way I like it. Damp earth, lemon zest, a hint of ground black pepper all mixed together with baled hay. I rather exciting nose from a American Saison. It has my hopes up. Unfortunately the flavor let them down rather considerably. The flavor profile seems to be a muddled jumble of flavors that are never really defined individually but do not come together as a whole either. Up front is the all to sweet mark of quite a bit of pale malts. It underlies the entirety of the flavor profile. Milled barley, slight clove, white pepper and just a bit of coriander. Almost no citrus or grass. Just a bit of wheat tang, no fruit and for some reason the after flavor really bothers me. I cant quite put my finger on the flavor but it irks me something badly. The mouthfeel is hands down the hardest aspect to nail on a Saison, and this one misses the mark. Medium bodied with almost a creamy aspect, not really dry at all. Sugary. Where are those high temperatures they were talking about. Other then the spices, I really don't think esters play that much of a role in the anything. I know I'm hard on Saisons. They are my favorite style and I really do love GD, but Colette just doesn't do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2010 00:56:35 | More by hwwty4