Colette Farmhouse Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

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

tdm168

North Carolina

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

A - bright, cloudy yellow with a loose, bubbly head that fades quickly

S - lemon, a bit tart

T - lemon zest, a hint of orange, faint yeast, fruity

M - medium bodied, well carbonated, a bit crisp, a bit warm in the finish

This is a rather refreshing Saison. It has a nice citrusy, fruity flavor that is balanced and enjoyable. It's also easy to drink. I will probably pick this up again.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 16:52:12 | More by tdm168

BeerDawgs

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - A hazy blond, straw color with 3 fingers of head and sticky lace all over the glass. Lots of bubbles running through the beer, impressive!

S - Sweet malts, a touch of funk, not much. Tany tartiness. Maybe pears and pineapple. Smells excellent

T - Nice and light fruitiness flavor. Excellent beer for July! Spiciness. No presence of alcohol, though it is 7.3%

M - medium bodied, but tons of carbonation. Kind of sizzles in your mouth. Love it

O - An excellent saison. I will be purchasing this one again. Impressed with another one of Great Divide's beers

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 00:03:59 | More by BeerDawgs

DavidST

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulip glass, bottled on March 23, 2012. This pours a hazy straw light yellow color with a short lived off white head which quickly dissipates. The smells are nice lots of sweet yeast esters, a little funk, some earthy tones, good stuff. The feel is medium high carbonation. The taste is great nice fruit yeast esters a dry finish some earthy flavors good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 02:44:58 | More by DavidST

Phelps

Arizona

2.78/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Enjoyed in a tulip at Flanny's.

Perfectly clear apple juice-color, a light orange. There’s almost no head — just a thin, wispy ring of white.

Pear and red apple mix, in the nose along with a subtle tanginess, crackers, green apple and a little pepper.

More spice appears in the flavor — very peppery. Alcohol, apple, pear. Weird tang on the sides of the tongue. Finishes dry, but the tang lingers.

Medium-light body with moderate, tingly carb. Not much alcohol, just some warmth in the throat.

A weird girl, this Colette. The overbearing fruits and odd tang make me think it’s not really to style. Not my favorite GD brew.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2012 21:15:21 | More by Phelps

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

alameda5

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this with a Great Divide 12 pack sampler.

The appearance of this beer is a beautiful cloudy yellow, with a nice white fluffy head.

The nose of this beer is very pleasant with hints of citrus and apple.

Now the taste. The beer is a good interpretation of a classic begian Saison. This one has a very nice, light, fruity taste. For me this would be a perfect beer for the summer months.

The mouthfeel has a lot of carbonation, but is smooth at the same time.

Overall I really like this beer. Glad I bought the sampler pack.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 22:17:45 | More by alameda5

UCLABrewN84

California

3.8/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on 3/23/12.

Pours a murky yellow with a 1 inch foamy white head that settles to a thin cap on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain, rice, yeast, and spice. Taste is of grain, citrus fruit, citrus zest, yeast, and spices on the finish. There is a mild spice bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer flavor wise but the aroma is a bit of a letdown in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 07:23:00 | More by UCLABrewN84

kylehay2004

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: large white foamny head on a golden body. Nice lacing.

S: clove, musty plae malts, subtle citrus sweetness and mild corriander,

T: breads and mild yeast presence with nice herbal and earthy notes. Mild lemon sweetness and spice without tart or tangy flavors.

M: high carbonation and light body.

Overall: A nice standard saison. It isn't expecitional in any one way but it represents the style very well.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 05:00:14 | More by kylehay2004

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

smakawhat

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass.

A real soft fluffy white head on creation, very bright and white, settles real nicely on to a gorgeous lemon and dark buttery gold body. Nice pinhead sized bubbles in the head also. Body is slightly dull but really glowing. Very nice looking beer.

Real nice baked bread action on this, white crisp flour, some slight butter, dry yeast sense, very nice.

Taste is a nice mix of fruit sweetness and dry bread. Good rich mouthfeel and very dry finish on the aftertaste, playfully carbonated without taking much away from the palate. Orange and tangerine seems to come through with a nice citrus quality, and an almost floral sense.

Overall a real refreshing and nice saison. Hardly booze either at 7.3 percent too.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 02:46:39 | More by smakawhat

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

merc7186

New York

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer poured on tap at Coles in Buffalo NY, poured into a pint glass.

A: Mildly Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Lots of Light, White Head Ring, Mild Lacing

S: Yeast, Wheat, Honey, Mild Fruit

T: Honey, Wheat, Yeast, Crisp Apple

M: Average Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Mildly Drying, Semi Sweet

Overall, a very light saison that is vry drinkable..not overpowering on any aspect.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2012 20:12:44 | More by merc7186

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

CFHMagnet

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A normal pour (stopping near the end to agitate of course) delivered a finger and a half of pearly white, and very fizzy head. This broke down to just a topcoat in a minute or so, and was down to a ring soon after. The body is a very murky light gold color, with very fine dissolved sediment floating around.

Smells very wheaty. Yeast strong as well, with a hint of spice. A very American take on the saison.

Wheat, yeast and biscuit make up most of the flavor. Some real good spiciness combined with a nice light refreshing grassiness on the end.

Light to medium bodied. Flows easily over the tongue and refreshes. Very high carbonation, tart and dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 02:58:24 | More by CFHMagnet

yamar68

Minnesota

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

Poured from 12oz bottle to tulip. Bottle date 3/1/12:

Pours a hazy pear gold with a lively, noisy few fingers of white head. Plenty of beading, lacing is rather weak.

Super estery... wet grass, white grapes, black pepper, lemon zest... pretty inviting.

The taste offers a lot of the same dynamics as the nose with the addition of some milder sweet malts. Green apple, more grapes.

Smoother than some low ABV saisons I've had. Can't complain there.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 23:20:42 | More by yamar68

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served from tap into a Trappe Door tulip. Poured a bright hazy yellow with a two finger white head that subsided to half a finger slowly. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, banana, fruit, spices, wheat, and grain. The flavor was of sweet malt, fruit, banana, spices, wheat, and grain. It had a light feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a decent brew. While this one was quite refreshing, it was also not very memorable at the same time. Nothing on this one really stood out and tried to grab your attention which was a bit of a letdown for me. Drinking this one out by the pool on a hot summer day might be enjoyable, but if you are looking for something to enjoy complexities on, I would go with something else unless you are into that.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2012 11:27:48 | More by thagr81us

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

iSip

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Great Divide Collette Farmhouse Ale: Bright golden color, nice creamy head and a big aroma of Belgian hops invite you to take a sip. The flavor transports you to, well not a Belgian farmhouse, but rather a Belgian abbey. The Collette is a lighter Belgian Trippel in by view, and a good one at that. The flavor is a pleasant floral sweetness infused with distinctive Belgian yeast and a bit of a chalky finish. Call it what you will, but anyway the Collette is another great beer from Great Divide.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 14:53:02 | More by iSip

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

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

fmccormi

New York

3.65/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Straight pour from 12oz pry-off bottle to my Ommegang Independence Day stemmed tulip. Bottling date of March 2, 2012 printed near the bottom-right corner of the label (“BOTTLED ON: MAR 02 2012”).

Appearance (2.0): This starts with about three fingers of bone-white, fast dissipating, crackling head sitting atop a clear, pale-yellow body. A deliberate re-pour to stir up sediments results in a slightly darker, murky body that resembles orange juice. Looks better after the re-pour.

Smell (3.5): Heavy straw scent on this one, dry and earthy with a bright herbal component mixed in. Some lightly sweet, toasty biscuit character in the background, not bad. Relatively tame nose, no spiciness is particularly prominent here but I like the straw

Taste (4.0): Starts with a very nice, earthy character that’s followed by a crisp, spicy-grassy noble hop bite, which I enjoy. The body is dry and crackery with decent mix of dry straw / earthy hay and a slightly tart, bright, wheat character. There’s a subtle spice character in the back that I can’t pin down, like coriander with a bit of cumin mixed in. The biscuit character comes back with a sweetness that personally I enjoy quite a bit—reminds you that this beer isn’t water, even if it feels light. It’s like there’s some apple juice blended in.

Mouthfeel (3.5): Dry as all get out. Light on the tongue, crisp but medium-bodied. Carbonation is a bit fizzy and doesn’t stick, a bit coarse without a lot of force behind it, but it’s not detracting very much.

Overall (3.5): I love the fact that you can get a decent saison in a sixer without paying an arm and a leg, but it also doesn’t really hold its own against the really good examples of the style. Also, the appearance is really a bummer. I wanted to like this more, but for my money I’d rather spend a little more and get something I’ll only have once in a while . . . still waiting for that great saison in affordable 12oz bottles (other than Hennepin, which for the record I do enjoy quite a bit :-)

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 04:32:08 | More by fmccormi

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma: Bold fruity esters and spicy phenols. Banana and clove, lots of wheat, a good dose of lemon citrus. Belgian yeast, mildly spicy although not peppery.

Appearance: Straw. Moderately hazy. Small white head dissolves quickly. Little lacing.

Taste: Lots of lemon, some black pepper. Bitter malt, Munich or Vienna and some Pilsner. Residual white sugar. Sweet from the lemon and malt. Good dose of bitter from the malt and yeast.

Mouthfeel: Light body. Finishes mildly dry. Carbonation is light, but is obviously present.

Overall: A bit odd with the lemon and strong black pepper. Some good some bad, nothing special.

Drank on 5/2/2012. Bottled 3/26/2012.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 01:02:39 | More by soulfly1492

jfclark

3.7/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: very little head, bubbles like soda that dispense quickly. Color is very yellowish and cloudy.

S: nothing too note worthy. not the most aromatic beer

T: taste is refreshing and enjoyable, alcohol is not noticeable.

M: enjoyable carbonation that is pleasant in the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 22:03:56 | More by jfclark

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