Bishops Finger
(has 2 batches)
Shepherd Neame in Faversham, Kent, England 🏴
Bitter - ESB / Strong Bitter Regular|
Score
6.35
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First brewed in 1958, Bishops Finger was the first strong ale created by Shepherd Neame after 20 years of malt rationing came to an end.
The beer was named after an ancient Kentish signpost found on the Pilgrim’s Way pointing to Canterbury and the shrine of Thomas à Becket in the city’s world-famous Cathedral.
A rich and fruity ruby ale, it has won numerous awards, including World’s Best Bitter in the 2024 World Beer Awards, and also holds EU Protected Geographical Indication, recognising its unique provenance as a Kentish Strong Ale. Uniquely, it is brewed to a charter which states it can only be brewed by the head brewer on a Friday and must use 100% natural ingredients - Kentish hops and barley - and the brewery's own artesian mineral water.
Flavour profile
Fashioned on a firm, fruity foundation of Crystal malt, this rich, ruby-coloured Kent classic belies its burly appearance with a complexity of flavour. Mouth-filling fruit, prunes, plums and dried apricot spiked with palate-prickling pepper, cinnamon and a soft bitter blood-orange finish.
The beer was named after an ancient Kentish signpost found on the Pilgrim’s Way pointing to Canterbury and the shrine of Thomas à Becket in the city’s world-famous Cathedral.
A rich and fruity ruby ale, it has won numerous awards, including World’s Best Bitter in the 2024 World Beer Awards, and also holds EU Protected Geographical Indication, recognising its unique provenance as a Kentish Strong Ale. Uniquely, it is brewed to a charter which states it can only be brewed by the head brewer on a Friday and must use 100% natural ingredients - Kentish hops and barley - and the brewery's own artesian mineral water.
Flavour profile
Fashioned on a firm, fruity foundation of Crystal malt, this rich, ruby-coloured Kent classic belies its burly appearance with a complexity of flavour. Mouth-filling fruit, prunes, plums and dried apricot spiked with palate-prickling pepper, cinnamon and a soft bitter blood-orange finish.
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6.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle at LKS. It pours clear copper - brown with a small beige head. The aroma is earth, toasty, wood, leather, light spice, dried leaves and wood. The taste is dry, bitter, wood, leather, dried leaves, spice, grass, tannin and brown bread and dry finish. Light - medium body and fine carbonation. No depth. Fair.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 May 2018
at 15:38
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle shared in Hackney - cheers to Dave. Pours clear copper with a foamy head. The nose has toasted bread, caramel. Light to medium sweet flavour with more caramel, toasted bready malts, a mild leafy note. Light bodied with fine, massaging carbonation. Sweet finish, some butterscotch, caramel, brown bread. Not bad.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 May 2018
at 15:34
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Cask at the Bishops Finger, Smithfield. Pours amber with a lasting semi-firm off white head. Aroma of malt, toffee, fruit, hop and flowers. Moderate sweetness, medium bitterness. Medium to full bodied, creamy texture, soft carbonation. An SN beer which has stood the test of time - one of their best.
Tried
from Cask
on 26 Feb 2018
at 14:56
7.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
0.5 l bottle from 'The English Shop' (Dortmund), bottled in August 2017. Clear, dark amber with a medium large, frothy, almost stable, off-white head. Sweetish-malty, herbal-grassy and moderately fruity aroma of tea leaves, marmelade and some caramel. Quite sweet, malty, slightly bitter, herbal-grassy and slightly fruity taste of caramel, honey, marmelade and tea leaves, followed by a short, moderately bitter, dry and herbal-grassy finish. Medium body, smooth and slightly effervescent mouthfeel, soft carbonation. Very pleasant beer, good balance between sweet malts and herbal-grassy hops, highly drinkable!
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Feb 2018
at 19:48
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 5.5
500ml bottle. Mistakenly thought that I had already rated this one. Pours clear copper with a medium-sized beige head. Aroma is caramel, floral hops, biscuity malt, and slightly smokey. Taste is sweet malt and floral hops.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Jan 2018
at 04:45