ABV: 6.5%
IBU:25
Malts: Pils, Flaked wheat, Honey malt
Hops: Crystal, Sterling

The brewers, John and Dave, of Off Color Brewing both met while attending one of the most reputable brewing schools in the U.S., the Siebel Institute. Before attending school, John was going for his doctorate before realizing that made him very unhappy, while beer made him very happy. Dave at the time was unemployed and figure he had nothing to lose by attending brewing school. Off Color Brewing was first envisioned while they both interned at Metropolitan Brewery. However, the brewery wasn’t conceived until they both got their experience at other larger breweries, such as Goose Island, and Two Brothers Brewery.

“Saisons are the hoppiest of the Belgian beers and Apex Predator is no exception. But beers with a pronounced hop profile don’t have to be defined by it. With a fragrant juicy fruit aroma, dry finish, and a hint of honey, Apex Predator has many distinct layers. We use a free rise fermentation, where the yeast is allowed to get as high as 27 C (or 80 F for silly Americans) during fermentation. When paired with the correct yeast, we create a pleasant bubblegum character.”- Off Color Brewing

This farmhouse ale poured a hazy gold color with a thick frothy head which turned into a thin layer almost immediately. Aromas of tangerine, Inca Cola, clove, grass, and dried leafs are prominent. While sipping this beer you get strong notes of funk, hay, fruity esters, lemon verbena, and chamomile upfront, with some earthiness and baking spices on the back end. The finish is dry, but not too dry, due to the addition of honey malts which help add a touch of sweetness and balance out any bitterness.

Apex Predator is a true farmhouse ale with all the correct characteristics. This beer is highly carbonated as any Belgian beer should be, and with no noticeable bitterness, its a crisp and refreshing beer. There are a lot of barn yard flavors going on in this beer, so if that’s not your style, this one may not be for you. But if you’re like me, and can not get enough of the funk, I definitely suggest diving into this one head first. This is also one of Off Colors year round beers, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find on shelves.