Hop Horizons
Beer Information
Shepherd Neame: Bishop's Finger
This ESB is/was brewed by Shepherd Neame in Faversham, Kent, England. It's achieved an overall score of 40.57%. Based on 10 tastings, the average ABV is 5.40%.
Bishops Finger is a traditional Kentish strong ale from Shepherd Neame, weighing in at 5.2% in bottle and 4.6% on cask. First brewed in 1958 after the end of post-war malt rationing, it takes its name from the finger-shaped signposts that pointed pilgrims towards Canterbury.
It pours a rich chestnut-ruby under an off-white head. The nose combines toffee, toasted malt and dark berries with plum, dried apricot and gentle peppery spice.
The flavour is full and fruity, opening with caramel and biscuit before moving into prunes, raisins and orange marmalade. Target, Challenger, Goldings and First Gold hops add herbs, spice and a firm bitterness, leading to a dry, blood-orange finish.
Despite all that malt, Bishops Finger never turns overly sweet. The fruit, warming strength and earthy Kentish hops stay well balanced, making it equally suited to slow bottled drinking or a carefully kept cask pint.
Rich, distinctive and reassuringly traditional, this is one of Shepherd Neame's finest permanent beers โ and a particularly characterful example of English strong ale.
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Images of This Beer in the Logbooks
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In Book 19 on page 13 (visualisation):
In Book 23 on page 25 (visualisation):
In Book 28 on page 16 (visualisation):
In Book 29 on page 16 (visualisation):
In Book 34 on page 41 (visualisation):
In Book 99 on page 24 (visualisation):
In Book 130 on page 32 (visualisation):
In Book 205 on page 12 (visualisation):
In Book 209 on page 1 (visualisation):
Beer Listing
| Date and Time | Container | Pub/Place and Where | Strength ABV | Colour | Score Components | Score | Descriptive word(s) | Book No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Nov 2001 at 9:50 pm | bottle | (home), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | dark golden |
Taste: 70.59% Head: 66.67% Aroma: 40% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
34.707% | tangy | 10 |
| 25th Nov 2001 at 7:05 pm | bottle | (home), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | dark golden |
Taste: 70.59% Head: 44.44% Aroma: 40% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
32.022% | tasty-ish | 11 |
| 20th Mar 2002 at 7:35 pm | bottle | (home), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | medium-golden |
Taste: 70.59% Head: 66.67% Aroma: 40% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
34.620% | tangy | 17 |
| 13th Jun 2002 at 10:55 pm | bottle | (home), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | medium-golden |
Taste: 70.59% Head: 66.67% Aroma: 40% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
34.791% | English | 22 |
| 21st Aug 2002 at 10:40 pm | bottle | (home - yard), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | medium-golden |
Taste: 82.35% Head: 88.89% Aroma: 40% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
44.073% | dry | 30 |
| 27th Oct 2002 at 7:00 pm | bottle | (home), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | dark golden |
Taste: 82.35% Head: 66.67% Aroma: 80% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
52.696% | tantalising | 34 |
| 30th Apr 2003 at 10:20 pm | bottle | The Head of Steam, Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | medium-golden |
Taste: 70.59% Head: 66.67% Aroma: 40% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
33.968% | bitter | 50 |
| 26th Aug 2003 at 8:55 pm | bottle | (home), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | dark golden |
Taste: 70.59% Head: 88.89% Aroma: 40% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
36.324% | bitter | 63 |
| 8th Dec 2003 at 10:15 pm | bottle | (home), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | dark golden |
Taste: 82.35% Head: 88.89% Aroma: 40% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
47.026% | malty | 80 |
| 25th Feb 2004 at 10:00 pm | bottle | (home), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.40 | medium-golden |
Taste: 82.35% Head: 88.89% Aroma: 80% Ease: 66.67% Clarity: 100% |
55.514% | candy | 90 |
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Other Beers (etc.) by Shepherd Neame
Apart from Bishop's Finger, Hop Horizons lists 75 others by Shepherd Neame. These are:
1698 Celebration Ale 19th Hole Ale 4-4-2 Amber Ale Artesian Dark Ale Artesian Light Ale Autumn Blaze Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale Best Bitter Brilliant Ale Burns Ale Canterbury Jack (3.5% draught version) Canterbury Jack (4% bottled version) Central City Red Racer IPA India Pale Ale Christmas Ale 2003 Christmas Ale 2006 Christmas Ale 2010 Cinque Ale Dad's Delight Double Stout (4% version) Double Stout (5.2% version) Dragonfire Early Bird East India Pale Ale Firestone Walker Red Nectar Ale Fremlin's Bitter Fuggles Gentleman Jack Golden Ale Premium Goldings Hatherwood Hop Hunter Session IPA Hatherwood IPA (for Lidl) Hatherwood Plunged Orange Pale Ale Hatherwood Porter (for Lidl) Hatherwood Red Rye Captain Pale Ale Hatherwood Shipwreck Lager Hatherwood Twisted Knots American IPA Holsten Export Hop to the Future Hurlimann Export Bier India Pale Ale Kent's Best Late Red London Porter (for Sainsbury's) Mainbrace IPA (for Asda) Master Brew (in bottle) Master Brew (on draught) New Dawn New World Pale Orchard View (w/ Sheppy's) Procession Lager Rudolph's Reward Rusty Rivet Samuel Adams Blonde Ambition Single Hopped Kentish Ale Spitfire Spitfire Gold Spitfire Lager Spooks Ale Summer Ale (for Sainsbury's) Summer Sizzler Sun & Planet Sun Lik Beer Tapping the Admiral Tins'Ale Traditional Kentish Ale (for Sainsbury's) Up and Under Ale Whitechapel Porter Whitstable Bay Black Stout Whitstable Bay Blonde Premium Lager Whitstable Bay Organic Ale Whitstable Bay Pale Ale Whitstable Bay Red IPA Winter Hop Ale ล vyturys Baltijos Red Ale