Day 85: 03.26.10 Great Divide Colette

Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, Colorado

Colette Farmhouse Ale

Style: Saison/Farmhouse
Availability: Seasonal - April - May
Format: 12oz - 6pk
ABV: 7.3%

Bottle text & Info
Colette is our homage to the beers that Belgian farm workers have enjoyed for centuries. Brewed with barley, wheat and rice and fermented at high temperatures with a special blend of four different yeast strains, Colette is fruity and slightly tart, with a dry finish that makes it that rarest of treats - a beer as refreshing as it is complex.

Tasting Notes:
Pours a hazy, golden straw colored yellow with little to no head. Some esters notes on the nose along with grass and a touch of lemon. A sort off setting smell that resembles sulfur dominates - its a bit distracting. A light to medium body holds light touches of wheat, citrus and mild clove. Some slight souring but for the most part this is one if sort of predictable. Not a bad saison, just sort of forgettable. I expect greatness from Great Divide and this is just sort of "meh."

Day 60: 03.01.10 Breckenridge 471 IPA

Breckenridge Brew Pub

Denver, Colorodo


471 IPA (Small Batch)


Style: American Double/Imperial India Pale Ale
Availability: Limited - Year Round
Format: 12oz - 6pk, 22oz
ABV: 9.2%
IBUs: 70
Malt: Pale, Munich, Caramel-30, Carapils, Torrified Wheat
Hops: Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe, Fuggles


Bottle text & Info:
"Hoppy? Brother, 471 IPA redefines hoppy. 471 is a small batch, limited edition ale that was created by our Brewmaster to separate the weak from the strong. 471 is a double IPA, that combines Pale, Munich, Caramel-30, Carapils and Torrified Wheat malts, with Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe and Fuggles hops. It has a big sweet mouthfeel, followed by more hoppiness than you've ever had at one time. Enjoy."


Tasting Notes:
Pours with a slight haze somewhere between deep golden and light amber. An thick creamy ecru head adorns the top and retains its three-quarter inch head superbly. Smells faintly of sweet tropical fruits - trademark simcoe. After that, not a whole lot on the nose, some sweet malt aromas with alcohol present. Sort of like a real young barleywine. There's definitely some good hop notes going on here. Also a lot of malt going on here, due to the high gravity. I would have like to seen this a bit more carbonated. Sticky and too sweet for my taste. Not terrible by any means but with an array of the DIPA's currently on the market, this one just gets lost in the shuffle.

Day 26: 01.26.10 Great Divide Old Ruffian

Great Divide Brewing Co.

Denver, Colorado


Old Ruffian


Style: American Barleywine
Availability: Limited - Seasonal - (January - March)
Format: 22oz
ABV: 10.2%
IBU's: 90
Batch: bottled Dec. 29th 2009"


Bottle text & Info:
Old Ruffian is a hefty, hop-forward Barley Wine- Style Ale. Seemingly mellow at the start with subtle fruit aromas and complex caramel sweetness, it quickly becomes aggressive with its bold hop flavors and huge hop bitterness. Ultimately, the big body, succulent sweetness and massive hop character come together to work wonders on your palate.  


Tasting Notes:
Pours a rust amber to brown. Shows dark cherry when backlit. Inch and half head that quickly dissipates to quarter inch. Smells of toffee and salt water taffy with hops in the mix. Smooth, creamy body - definitely a big and chewy BW. Noticeable hops with caramel, toffee and some slight souring on the finish. A solid entry into the barleywine field. This one just doesn't finish dry enough for my liking. Guess that's me largely favoring the American style over the English. I say that and I must clarify that this is still hopped enough to be considered and American interpretation - i'd place it between the Old Horizontal and the abundantly hopped Smuttynose BW.

Day 25: 01.25.10 Great Divide Tripel

Great Divide Brewing Co.

Denver, Colorado


Tripel


Style: Tripel
Availability: Limited - August - September
Format: 22oz
ABV:  9.3%
Batch Info: "bottled on Aug. 14th 2009"




Bottle text & Info:
Tripel's medium body and straw hue belie a beer of wondrous complexity. Fruity yeast character dominates throughout, while sweet malt and noble hops give way to a bit of warmth in the finish. Ever hugged a monk? This dangerously drinkable abbey-inspired ale just might have you chasing down the next one you see.


Tasting Notes:
Pours a cloudy vibrant yellow with a billowy pure white head. Smells of yeast and orange perhaps some honeydew tucked away in there. Floral for sure. I've included a pic of some very impressive carbonation stacking. Beautiful beer. Stylistically, this guy has all the components, yeast/estery, clove, slight toffee, slight bubblegum - in that order. Finishes slightly dry. The ratio of yeast to fruit note is slightly too high for my liking and although this is a solid offering from G.D. i would have to give my nod to the Stoudts. Still lots of days to dethrone the favie. stay tuned....

Day 17: 01.17.10 Great Divide Titan IPA

Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, Colorado


Titan IPA


Style: American IPA
Availability: Year Round
Format: 12oz - 6pk
ABV: 7.1%
Batch: Bottled on Nov. 13 2009


Bottle text & Info:
Titan is a big, aggressively hopped India Pale Ale brewed for hop disciples. It starts out with piney hop aromas and citrus hop flavors, and finishes with a nice rich, malty sweetness that is balanced with crisp hop bitterness.


Tasting Notes:
Pours a glowing amber with a quarter inch head. Smells earth with some serious pine and sweet malt. Grapefruit and pine jump off the front followed by caramel like malt backing. Creamy, creamy mouthfeel with some hop resin bitterness cut nicely by the sweetness. This one is kindred spirits with Green Flash West Coast. An extremely enjoyable and solid IPA made for people who drink IPA's. No training wheels here, although at a little over $11 a six - this one's priced just outside of being your stock IPA.