Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Blood Orange Imperial Ale

**Aroma:** “Moderately strong roasted malt that comes across as coffee and chocolate. Complex mix of toasty and rich malt support it. Strong dark stone-fruit esters blend well with dark roasted malt. Banana esters as well. Slight molasses.” **Flavor:** “Awesome malt complexity with chocolate, coffee, bread crust, toast. Moderately sweet up front that fades into an assertive bitterness with a hint of acidity. Somewhat dry finish with a light chocolate and roastiness that lingers. A fun blend of chocolate and banana with some underlying cherry notes. Medium-heavy body and medium-high carbonation. Big roast notes with a moderate smoke note that extends into the aftertaste. A slight herbal spice note at the end of the sip. The roast and carb dry out the beer.” **Overall:** “Great malt complexity with chocolate, coffee, and toast. Full body supports the malt and makes this really fun to drink. The bitter dry finish helps scrub that palate and prepare you for another sip. Every sip is just as impactful as the first. I love the chocolate-banana milkshake that this tastes like.”

__Aroma:__ “Intense candied orange aroma, with a touch of lemon. The crystal malt sweetness gives it a Juicy Fruit gum sweetness. Raw wort foundation, which smells more like a brew kettle than a finished beer. Citrus hops, notes of pine, and floral perfume.” __Flavor:__ “The orange character is pronounced up front but quickly fades behind a pithy bitterness and a touch of malt sweetness and becomes a fruity citrus with the swallow. Simple and estery with hints of cherry and banana and just a touch of caramel malt sweetness. Woody, earthy, and herbal hops lend a note of bitterness that’s not overwhelming. Light on carbonation and body, and a delicate flavor profile overall.” __Overall:__ “An interesting use of blood orange that works great in the aroma but clashes slightly with the base beer and hops in the flavor. It’s fruity and bitter, and the body needs more to it to support the bitterness.”

__Aroma:__ “Distinct orange aroma coupled with subtle notes of floral and fruit orchard. Foresty hops aromas that are earthy and rich. Caramel, biscuit, and toasted malt offer sweetness, with hints of molasses and stone fruit.” __Flavor:__ “The malt sweetness and esters stand out first, giving the beer a Bit-O-Honey character. Then the orange, which has the bitter qualities of the rind but is strongest in the aftertaste. Hops earthiness and floral notes, with a mellow bitterness and spiciness. The body is a little thin, and none of the fruity flavors linger long after the sip.” __Overall:__ “The fruit enhances an otherwise middle-of-the-road IPA, and overall the beer is balanced, if restrained. The fruit is well-matched to the beer, but the beer is missing some complexity that would separate it from the crowd. The sweetness of the malt is more pronounced than the delicate taste of the citrus.”