Colette Farmhouse Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

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

tastybeer

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A: Very pretty in the sunlight. Bright tangerine orange with a moderately sized white head.

S: Smell is indeed farmhouse style. Banana cream pie with spices and wild flowers. Very creamy-like and generally happy to siff.

T: Very nicely blended flavors. Spicy, peppery, wild flowers. Phenolic and there's a touch of sour as well.

M: Dry, prickly carbonation, medium body, lighty gritty.

O: Good good good.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2013 23:13:28 | More by tastybeer

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

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

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

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Rattle N Hum in New York, NY

A: Pours a very cloudy pale straw yellow in color. The beer has a thin off-white head that quickly reduces to a thin film covering most of the surface of the beer. Very little to no lacing is observed.

S: Overall, I found the smell of this beer to be quite mild. There were hints of spices, citrus, and just a touch of the funk you would expect.

T: Again, a little more on the mild side than I might have expected/desired but definitely tasty. There was a very light amount of funk with some crisp citrus notes and just a touch of spice (clove and possibly white pepper).

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of effervescent carbonation. Very dry.

O: Overall this was a very enjoyable light summer saison and definitely a beer that would go down well on a warm afternoon/evening. I found this one to be quite easy to drink and worth getting another.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2012 14:17:10 | More by dbrauneis

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

MTNboy

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: It is a cloudy blonde color with a decent amount of carbonation to the body. Almost a cream colored head and sticky lace.

Smell: It has a very spicy yeast aroma.

Taste: It reminds me a lot of a hefe. It is a very peppery and spicy beer with clove. It has an earthy quality to it.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with some bite.

Overall: Great relaxing type sit down summer evening beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2012 20:21:49 | More by MTNboy

Forb

Nebraska

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

On tap at Jake's Cigars and Spirits - Omaha, NE...

Appearance: A lightly amber / orange hue here with plenty of lively carbonation below a strong white head.

Smell: A tinge of medicine is apparent here with piney earthy elements with citrusy lemon qualities also making an appearance.

Taste: A plethora of fruit elements are at play here from what seems like lemon to more tropical fruit.

Mouthfeel: Strong carbonation amid a medium body and an acidic sour bite.

Overall: A good saison by all means.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2011 06:25:15 | More by Forb

Seru1

Alabama

4.05/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Light Polished brass with a inch thick white head and a slight haze to the body

Smell: Very much i the way of lemons and pine with a slight almost pork fat back end note lending some sweetness.

Taste: Lots of bright citrus up front but not to bitter. There is a nice balance that one can easily find refreshing. The finish is a touch woody and slightly sweet and sour.

Mouthfeel: Light but not to special. Enough to linger slightly.

Drinkability: A very nice summer bear I think, not as refreshing as the samurai but different with a nice sweet finish.

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2011 22:48:06 | More by Seru1

nickthetick

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a pure clear straw yellow into an American shaker with a bubbly finger of white head that slowly dissipates and doesn't leave any lacing.

S: fruity and sweet, bananas, spicy/cloves/coriander/nutmeg, lemon and the sweet odor of cut grass.

T: spicy off the bat that transfers to sweet fruits, tart yellow fruits prevail in this beer. From banana to apricot then to lemons. Grassy hints and bread like flavors. Spicy notes hang throughout the experience but are subtle.

MF: good medium body for a saison, moderate effervescence and surprisingly no warmth; in fact rather refreshing.

O: every time I try a new saison I say its my new favorite, not this time, its great but I've had better(insert Jim Carry face from Liar, Liar here).

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2011 21:28:02 | More by nickthetick

mactrail

California

3.45/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Very, very light color in the pint glass, a washed out straw. Not a head to speak of, but sparkling carbonation fills the mouth.

Surprising sweetness. Apple juice and a hint of Hawaiian Punch. Papaya and lime peel. Mere hints of malt. So simple and pleasant with an acidic underpinning. Touch of the raspy Belgian flavor in the back of the mouth.

Extremely quaffable, just not very beery. On he whimsical side like a good Wit.

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2011 04:30:19 | More by mactrail

homebrew311

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: pale straw color, slightly cloudy, no head

S: lemon zest, sour dough, bready malts

T: starts off sweet with notes of honey, lemon comes through with a quick tartness, nice refreshing finish

Mf: high carbonation, light body

O: nice easy drinking saison, good balance, abv is undetectable

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2011 05:58:17 | More by homebrew311

Spider889

Ohio

2.65/5  rDev -31%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Had at Bodega.

You can tell that this beer really wasn't doing it for me - my review notes are quick and lackluster. I think the word "average" pops up 4 times in less than 5 lines of text.

The beer has a very standard pale straw color. No head (Bodega, maybe) and no lace.

Some yeastiness lends spice to the nose, but it's pretty dialed down compared to what the best saisons can offer.

The taste isn't bad in any way, but saison is such a popular style these days this beer does nothing at all to stand out in the crowd. The taste was decent, but I will likely never order this again on purpose.

Overall: this beer is quite average in every sense of the word. You can do better GD. Give me a(ny) Yeti.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2011 05:51:11 | More by Spider889

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

DoktorZee

Alberta (Canada)

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

Had it on tap at the Draught House in Austin. Had the very end of the keg (which nearly filled up the glass) - free beer FTW!

A - really impressive "solid" fluffy head - looked almost like foam. The beer itself was yellow and clear with some visible carbonation.

S - solid yeast and lemon citrus notes on the nose. Maybe even just a hint of a soapy odor.

T - tastes somewhat like it smells: the yeast is a powerful component throughout, but the sourness of the lemon is in the background matching it and keeps it tangy. As it warmed it got a slight amount more bitter, which detracted a bit from the experience.

M - nice light carbonation with a very light mouthfeel; a consummate summer beer.

D - super drinkable; no hint of the 7+% alcohol.

Had this in 95 degree heat on the patio; perfect for the occasion, and one I definitely have again.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2011 00:32:17 | More by DoktorZee

MEsquandoles

Texas

3.7/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

$5.5 for a near pint in Belgian-y glass at Black Star Co-op.

Glowing hazy yellow with white head of tiny bubbles.

Smells is complex, but mostly lemon verbena, honeysuckle, coriander, and other Saison and Wit yeast products.

Cantaloupe and melon. Like a bigger version of a Wit.

My first sip I thought was surprisingly sweet, but the more I drank it I thought it was surprisingly dry. Light body for 7.3%abv.

Website shows 4 different yeasts at higher temperatures. No mention of added sugars or spices used, but it seems like they did.

So many similarities to a Wit keeps me from liking it more, but interesting and worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2011 01:04:01 | More by MEsquandoles

Mebuzzard

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The new 2011 batch on tap, Rockies opening day. Sunny outside, perfect for this brew.

Cloudy pour, very hazy and bright. A deep, yet pale golden pour. Big white head, great lacing.

Aroma is very nice; spicy, floral, bready. I've said this before about myself--I think I'm quite sensitive to corn aromas, and I get that here. I'll knock a tic off the score, but not much since it might just be me. Somewhat sweet it seems

Yup, it's a bit sweet in the taste. Overall it's flavors are nice. Bready--with spice. Coriander, florals, a bit of soft citrus. Fairly rich is the mouth. I'd like to see more of something to cleanse the finish, but still very nice.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2011 17:24:33 | More by Mebuzzard

DIM

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

a: This was a slightly cloudy pale golden color. It was served to me with a short, fizzy cap that quickly faded.

s: Light funk with some earthy grains. Faint cloves and a little something sweet that seemed out of place. No trace of the 7.3% abv.

t: Starts off with a light sweetness that is disconcertingly "corny". It is short lived, but very out of place. The finish dries out with ample bitterness and a little earthiness. A little pepper lingers on the tongue.

m: Not quite as actively carbonated as a saison should be with a heavier than average body.

d: It finishes like a pretty good saison, but that sweetness up front was distracting. I'm sure no corn was used, but that is the word I would associate with that flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2010 15:46:55 | More by DIM

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Prime 16 into a shaker pint.

A: Very, very pale straw - almost green when held up to daylight; one finger of frothy white foam; average retention and some light lace. Not bad for the style.

S: Bright, lively aroma of lemon, flowers, grass, and lightly spicy yeast. Quite nice.

T: Starts fruity, with citrus and pear, then gets spicier and hoppier. Mix of spice and pronounced grassiness on the finish. Slight tartness makes it refreshing. Enjoyable.

M: Light and lively lively with tons of explosive carbonation, but not so much as to be overwhelming.

D: There's no way I'd peg this at anything over 6.5% - it goes down too easily. While not necessarily the most drinkable saison I've had, it's definitely up there.

Notes: With great interplay of everything that makes saisons fun - yeast, tartness, spiciness, and grassy hops - this is a very solid beer. I'd put it slightly ahead of Smutty's Farmhouse and just behind Hennepin among American expressions of the style. Good stuff.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2010 19:22:41 | More by woosterbill

hops4life

Connecticut

3.43/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Plan B in W. Htfd, CT. I drink a lot of Saison, and this is wayyy off the style for a Saison. Citrus, clove, some of the ester profile I associate with the wheat/white homebrew styles of a decade ago (or today, but that is the time period I associate with banana/clove hysteria). I would have pegged it as "spiced hefeweizen" or a summer beer with an identity crisis. Hop character was completely supressed under the spice. It makes for a very drinkable pint, even at 7.5%, but there is much better to be had.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2010 03:13:03 | More by hops4life

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazed yellow gold with moderate cap of soapy white bubbles, little retention. Scent begins with equal parts tangy wheat and floral hops, light vanilla cookie like sweetness with a splash of watery fruit and lemongrass on the finish with the lightest hint of herbs. Taste is a touch more aggressive than scent dictated but still well balanced with strong tangy wheat and floral notes still the star, the backbone has an aggressive shortbread taste with a hint of vanilla as well as watery fruit (pears), combines pleasantly with a hop profile that provides a touch of lemon zest and earthy spiciness. Medium bodied and dry finish. A nice non-funkdified saison which keeps things dry and light with some well blended flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2010 14:50:49 | More by rfgetz

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

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

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

On tap at Max's today.

The beer pours a slightly hazy honey color with good head retention and decent lacing. On the nose, this is definitely saison light. It has the aroma I normally expect in a saison, but it's just dialed down a bit. Anyways, I otherwise get honey, clove and maybe some nutmeg. Flavors replicae the nose, with this beer coming across as more of a wheat beer then a saison. However, I do also get a bit of orange citrus and a hint of tartness. The beer starts off with some moderate sweetness, but that quickly dovetails into some fairly dry spice on the finish. Mouthfeel is fairly light, to the point where it's almost a bit watery. However, drinkability is pretty good... I just wish this beer had a bit more flavor.

Nothing wrong with this beer, though I can't imagine why I'd ever want to get this as opposed to the real McCoy from Belgian. Frankly, I doubt Dupont could make this bland and uninteresting a saison if they tried.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2010 21:55:11 | More by johnmichaelsen

HookedOnWinter

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at Great Divide

From the day Great Divide tapped the Saison, I've had 2-3 a week. It's a great beer that's fun to drink, and it's refreshing enough that I like having more than one in a row. It's got a little citrus / sour taste to it, with some great carbonation and a beautiful color. Overall, a great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2009 19:12:37 | More by HookedOnWinter