Le Predateur
Off Color Brewing

Le PredateurLe Predateur
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From:
Off Color Brewing
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Saison
Ranked #447
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
89
Ranked #12,807
Avg:
3.96 | pDev: 9.09%
Reviews:
20
Ratings:
82
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 19, 2024
Added:
Nov 22, 2014
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  13
A beret-wearing, baguette-eating, mustached farmhouse ale made with French malts, French saison yeast, and Australian hops... what?

25 IBU
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Ratings by johnnnniee:
Photo of johnnnniee
Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottle from Julio's
Deep yellow color smallish white head, moderate lacing. Sweet honey like maltiness with a moderate amount of earthy funk and some solid earthy citrus pine hop flavor. Very nice brew!
Nov 29, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by soarinsteven from Illinois

Jan 19, 2024
 
Rated: 3.58 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Jan 25, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Nov 08, 2021
 
Rated: 3.87 by Jsalz21 from New Jersey

Nov 02, 2021
 
Rated: 4.54 by Ristaccia from Nebraska

May 10, 2021
 
Rated: 3.51 by joran from Kansas

May 01, 2021
 
Rated: 4.03 by loganburgh from Michigan

Jan 03, 2021
 
Rated: 4.13 by raelian from District of Columbia

Nov 09, 2020
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I'm the first review of this re-release; November 2015 probably being last previous.
So, I thought it an interesting exercise to read other BA reviews more thoroughly than usual to see if I could figure out how much recipe tweaking -- and maturing -- Off Color has done in the past five years. One reviewer is one of the two that I follow closely (Beerchitect) and the other is new to me, but accomplished (SLeffler27.) Based on reading their reviews and having drank two copies of the 2020 release, my quick judgment is: this recipe has not changed much over the five years. In short, Off Color got it right the first time.

Le Prédateur still Looks on the light side and its ample foam from a hard pour settles. Smells are both mild and simple, but also complexed and fruity. Both Taste and Feel follow the same dynamic that simple, good saisons follow: be complex, subltle and use what ever you got leftover. To me, this is the balance that saisons offer us better than most other styles .... particularly as table ales that make food better.

I probably will detail my 2-line review more (I bought a 4 pack.) I intend to comment more on how Le Predateur complements different foods (it seems versatile, in part due to its simplicity.) But, let's leave that for later. Given BA's deal with UnTappd, I think I'll record the complementing over at UnTappd.

I am a big fan of Off Color. They are fast-overcoming my #1 for uniques on BA (New Glarus) and, by far, are my #1 for volume on BA and UnTappd. So I like finding a brew that I missed tasting from Off Color when they were kids and, then, finding that they are finding their way in the Belgian tradition ... and, then, discover that they got it close-to-right the first time several years ago.

9/16/21 Had again as part of their Predateur 4-pack. I'm liking this as #2 after Apex. But we will see how the food chain evolves. I've edited the above and am keeping count over at UnTappd.
Oct 05, 2020
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Unknown vintage; drank 1/18/16 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque dandelion appearance.

A rough pour yielded a big, bright white head; frothy lace.

Fresh banana, caramel & a hint of sea salt notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Fresh banana & caramel flavors up front; faint sea salt notes on the finish, which includes a champagne bite on the lips.

The caramel note adds an unique, welcome dimension to this; I'm not a huge saison guy but this was up my alley.
May 01, 2019
 
Rated: 4.04 by Kurmaraja from California

May 08, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by kraticus41 from Minnesota

Dec 27, 2016
 
Rated: 3.66 by TheHopsman from Nebraska

Aug 09, 2016
Photo of biegaman
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)

4.27/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Le Prédateur has bubbles that rival those of a real Champagne and its clean, bright yellow complexion is reminiscent of the clear waters and hot sun of the Riviera. In addition, it's got a keen sense of fashion, looking both posh and expensive. I'll buy this Chicago-brewed beer as being French!

The bout of immediate, summery refreshment typically brought on by the first sniff of a Saison is even more intense in this bouquet. The culprit? Australian hops are used and provide that much more lemon drop and tropical citrus in addition to the already inherently fruity French Saison yeast.

If you've ever met farmhouse yeast you know it doesn't relent - not even to the likes of brash, candied, colourful tasting, citrus-glazed New World hops (though they factor heavily into the taste too). Peppery spice and fresh-baked, crusty, rustic bread are noted as they always are...

And they're every bit as delicious as they always are too. Off Colour aught to offer this in bigger bottles - I mean huge Costco-sized packaging, a size you'd buy to share with a big group of friends (except that I'd drink it all myself). The ale is grainy, zestful, fruity, dry, effervescent and just a tinge tart.

Voila! The components of a great Saison. Le Prédateur is more than 'très bien' - c'est magnifique! If anyone you know has some and asks 'voulez vous boire avec moi (ce soir)?' you should quickly and emphatically answer ' oui oui!'. In all seriousness, it's a fantastic farmhouse ale well worth seeking out.
Jun 16, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by psoriasaurus from Thailand

Jun 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.09 by puftdank from Illinois

May 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by orangesol from Pennsylvania

Apr 11, 2016
Photo of flagmantho
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington

4.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 12oz bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: lightly hazy silvery-gold hue with a finger of frothy white foam atop. The head leaves a nice creamy lace as it dissipates.

Smell: funky, tart and just a dash phenolic. There's a nice farmhouse complexity going on here.

Taste: sweet and fruity with a good pear character, like a nice tripel, but with some funk and a dash of tartness to it. This beer ticks a lot of boxes for me!

Mouthfeel: medium-light body but with a massive carbonation and very nice creaminess that I quite enjoy.

Overall: I could see this beer not being for everyone, but a funky orchardy tripel is something that's right up my alley.
Mar 29, 2016
 
Rated: 4.01 by scruffwhor from Illinois

Mar 21, 2016
Le Predateur from Off Color Brewing
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 82 ratings