Great Divide Saison Farmhouse Ale

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Saison
Denver, Colorado USA

Hazy extra pale. Lots of pedio on the nose with some herbal continental hop. Has some florals on the palate. Light finish. Drinks lighter than its abv. Not my favourite example.

On tap at Capone’s. Poured a medium and cloudy yellow color with a smaller sized white head. Aromas of yeast, some citrus, and ’musty’. Tastes of citrus, a little fruity (bananas), and spices.

ྶoz bottle) Pours a hazy yellow body with a small white head. Aroma of grass, wheat, coriander, lemongrass, pepper, florals, and toasted grain. Flavor of pepper, grass, dandelion, and grain.

Bottle… Hazy yellow ale with a small, flimsy, white head. Spicy nose provides pale grains, yellow and fuzzy fruits. Medium-bodied with middling carbonation. Well-balanced and spicy with mild, metallic bitterness and very light acidity. Lengthy, crisp, spicy, aluminum/nickel finish.

My Bottom Line:
Spicy, herbal hops combat starchy undertones while tight effervescence and cushiony cereals build this approachable Saison attempt.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A sheet of foam tops the bright yet hazy yellow.
-The grain bill did not provide as much as I would have hoped.
-Doughy yeast and light citrus reach complexity.
-That vegetal, starch-like quirkiness is the main reason I did not fall in love with brew.

Bottled on April 15th.

Bottle from dilly Deli. Poured clear yellow color with a large frothy white head that was mostly lasting with good lacing. Moderate fruit and yeasty aroma. Medium sweet spicy flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration. Medium body with a dry smooth texture and soft carbonation. Good refreshing brew.

Pours turbid deep gold with 1-finger white head. Nose is citric, limey, hoppy, with pale malt. Tastes citric, very limey, with hops, pale ,alt, slight floral and peppery notes, but no funk or horserblankety aroma. I can only guess that this one needs time to age, but as it was, it was only mediocre for me.

Bottle. Head is initially average sized, fizzy/frothy, white, mostly diminishing. Body is hazy light yellow, unfiltered. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (toasted grain, cereal), lightly hoppy (herbs, flowers), lightly yeasty (basement), with notes of bubble gum, plastic/paint, soap, and pepper. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter, slightly unclean. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Well, shoot. I’m always hopeful and excited when trying a new saison from any brewery, this being my favorite style of all, but I can’t say this one is very enjoyable or saison-like (imagine a strong witbier without the spices, perhaps?). It’s kinda dirty/clunky in the aroma, not in the "good funk" way though. Some passable toasty malt is slightly ruined by a kind of wet Corn/Rice Chex smell. In the mouth, the sweetness is thankfully not that strong, but unfortunately it does tend to linger long into the finish, and there’s just not enough acidity or bitterness to keep it in the spirit of a true saison. Not particularly clean either. As with Hades, a bit of a disappointment.