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Bishops Farewell

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First brewed in 1996 for the retirement of the Bishop of Peterborough, Bishops Farewell is a golden ale built on Cascade and Challenger hops. It is fuller than the brewery's lighter beers: a smooth, bready malt background carries rich fruit notes of orange and grapefruit, with a touch of sweetness before a refreshing, moderately bitter finish. The brewery counts it among the early British beers to use Cascade. Cask strength is 4.6 %; a bottled version has been sold at 5.0 %.

ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceSession

AWARDS

Silver · 2013
SIBA Indie Beer Awards
Cask Premium Bitters
Silver · 2011
International Brewing Awards
Class 3 Cask Ale
★Silver — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (Cask Premium Bitters)
★Silver — International Brewing Awards (Class 3 Cask Ale)
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
fruitybreadyorange
fruity
bready
orange
citrusy
malty
hoppy
Aroma
The nose leads with fresh citrus notes of orange and grapefruit from the Cascade hops, complemented by a soft, bready maltiness underneath.
not found:juicy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Bishops Farewell

◎ Appearance

Bishops Farewell presents a bright golden hue with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent white head that clings to the glass. The carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, creating a lively yet controlled presentation typical of a cask-conditioned ale.

bright goldenexcellent claritypersistent head

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with fresh citrus notes of orange and grapefruit from the Cascade hops, complemented by a soft, bready maltiness underneath. A gentle floral character emerges from the Challenger hops, creating a balanced and inviting aromatic profile without aggressive hop intensity.

citrus, orange, grapefruitbready maltgentle floral notes

◐ Taste

The palate opens with a smooth, malt-forward entry that builds into rich fruit character throughout the mid-palate. A touch of sweetness rounds out the body before the Cascade and Challenger hops deliver a refreshing, moderately bitter finish that cleans the palate without dominating.

smooth maltorange and grapefruit fruitmoderate bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is crisp and refreshing with lingering moderate bitterness. A subtle sweetness fades gracefully, leaving a clean, dry aftertaste that invites another sip.

crisp, refreshingmoderate bitterness
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
77
Taste
79
Appearance
80
Finish
77
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve at 7–10°C. Light and refreshing — serve cold to keep the delicate hop and malt balance intact.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Bishops Farewell

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About Golden Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Golden Ale?

Golden Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Golden Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same fruity, refreshing, bready character as Bishops Farewell will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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