Great Divide Brewing Co. Colette Farmhouse Ale
Great Divide introduced Colette this past spring as one of a trio of beers that the company they re-released in new packaging (alongside Hoss and Claymore Scotch Ale). Colette had been previously released as Great Divide Saison in the spring of 2009, available then only in 22-ounce bottles. This time around, along with the renaming would also come new packaging, 6-packs as opposed to single 22-ounce bottles.
Saisons and farmhouse ales are one of the beer styles that has really risen to prominence in the past couple of years, as evidenced by the increasing number of American brewers producing some variation on the style. And herein lies the real beauty of this style, that it lends itself to myriad interpretations. Just take a look at two of the more prominent examples emerging from Belgium. Saison Dupont is generally considered the paragon of the farmhouse ale style, and it’s a fabulous beer. At once spicy, malty, refreshing, with layers of flavor and a notable yet restrained hoppiness. Then there are versions from Brasserie Fantome, perhaps the most iconoclastic of all brewers of this style. Their range of saison-inspired beers are usually inflected with some measure of brettanomyces, lending each beer an earthy character that is more pronounced in some versions than others. The Fantome Saison is very enjoyable, flavorful, and refreshing, while the seasonal saisons (“Ete”, “Hiver”, etc.) tend to have a more noticeable brett character, lending them a range of inspiring and challenging flavors found in few other beers.
American brewers’ versions are no less unique relative to one another. Ommegang’s Hennepin is fairly clean and refreshing, while Smuttynose’s Farmhouse Ale has more spice character. Pretty Things’ Jack d’Or is quite hop-forward, and Jolly Pumpkin produces the masterful, brett-influenced Bam Biere, while Goose Island ages their saison-styled beer Sofie in Chardonnay barrels. The result: you could head down to your local bottle shop, pick up a half-dozen bottles of Belgian and American farmhouse ales, and end up tasting six beers that had a clear familial relationship, but were utterly distinct at the same time.
Great Divide brews Colette using malted barley, wheat, rice and a blend of four different yeast strains. Fermentation takes place at high temperatures (saison yeasts tend to produce the bulk of their unique flavors at temperatures in the high 70’s and mid 80’s, much higher than most brewing yeasts like to operate), and the beer finishes quite dry, resulting in a final ABV of 7.3%.
Tasting Notes
Colette pours a pale, slightly hazy lemon-gold with a huge meringue-like head that drops very slowly, supported by a wealth of effervescent carbonation seething up through the beer. The nose has spicy belgian phenolics of cloves and grains of paradise, alongside lemon peel, leafy hops, wheat and grains. The palate is softly textured with effervescent carbonation. The range of flavors opens up with sweet malt, balanced by citrusy lemon and orange, followed by herbal leafy hops and clove and cardamom spices. Rounded sweet flavors make up a persistent, medium-length finish.
This is a lovely, refreshing beer that is perfect for a summer day spent outside, preferably while grilling. It’s refreshing and bright, good for both sipping slowly or diving right into and enjoying. I’m really falling in love with Belgian beers this summer. They’re proving to be so enjoyable and versatile, working well on both the days of striking heat or cooler rain!
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