OK, I've come up with a recipe to use for my first attempt at this. Here it is, in case anyone is interested or has any other input:
GREAT DIVIDE "COLETTE"-ish
(5 gallons, 6 gallon boil)
- 4 lb., 12oz. Franco-Belges pilsen malt
- 3 lb. 2-row
- 1 lb. wheat malt
- 8 oz. flaked rice
- 8 oz. corn sugar
- 4 oz. crystal 60L
- 1 oz. Mt. Hood (5.5% AA), 60 min.
- 1/2 oz. Mt. Hood(5.5%AA), 10 min.
- 1 oz. Strisselspalt(3.4%AA), 5 min.
-Single infusion mash, 149F for 60 min.
As for yeast, I'm hoping to culture some from a Colette bottle, but if that doesn't work I guess I'll just pitch a couple different saison strains. I plan on fermenting between 80-85 degrees. The estimated OG for this recipe is only about 1.056, since I would like a slightly lower alcohol content than the 7.2% that Colette is listed at. Saisons tend to hide their alcohol well and sneak up on you - I'd like to be able to drink a few without getting hammered.
Sound good? Any suggestions or critiques for this recipe are appreciated. One other thing I am considering is maybe using some lemon zest and grains of paradise, since Colette definitely has just a hint of citrusy character to it. I'm just not sure how much to add without making the lemon flavor too strong. I'll have to do a bit of research.