Smokin' Bishop - Invercargill Brewery

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smokin Bishop pours a hazy bright brown color, with a small lacing head. There is a very strong smokey beef jerky aroma. There is a strong smokey taste, very similar to smoked bacon, with a salty aftertaste. Pretty easy to drink, good full flavor. Overall a good strong smoked beer, wont dissapoint.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 04:23:43 | More by vette2006c5r

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

02-12-2013 19:45:57 | More by RedneckBeerz

Tibi81

3/5  rDev -19.6%

01-25-2013 12:40:04 | More by Tibi81

nickfl

Florida

4.23/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours with a small head of white foam on top of a hazy golden brown body's. the head settles quickly and leaves little lace.

S - Comlex smokiness with notes of toffee, leather, pipe tobacco, peat, and grass.

T - Thick, bready malt up front with some toffee. Peppery smoke shows up in the middle with notes of turpentine, new leather, and juniper. Finishes with more spicy complexity including lemongrass, good black pepper, and caramel.

M - Medium thick body, low carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.

D - I liked this quite a lot, the smoke charter is astonishingly complex. It is reminiscent of a Schlenkerla beer, but with much more depth. My only complaint, and I had to look hard to find one, is that it would be better with a bit more carbonation to push back against the flabby sweetness in the finish, still this is an exceptional smoked beer if you are into that sort of thing.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 04:27:25 | More by nickfl

kylehay2004

Florida

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: thin head but nice lacing on a hazy copper body.

S: hickory, mesquite and smokey flavors. these are fairly strong overall.

T: more of the same in the flavor which is slightly bitter with smokey, mesquite and BBQ smoked pork flavors which dont overwhlem.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: fairly standard for what I would consider a good smoked beer. wouldnt say memorable or different from others I have had but it has all the elements you want and expect from the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 04:26:13 | More by kylehay2004

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.23/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This one's a pretty good smoked beer- a style that I really appreciate when done right. Smoked over native New Zealand wood, it definitely hits you with a big smokey flavor, but this mellows a bit as you drink it. What I particularly like about the smoke here is that it's got a very nice campfire element to it, with a certain ashiness, but doesn't veer in the bacon or smoked meat direction . Don't get me wrong- I like the bacony direction of a traditional Rauchbier, but sometimes it's nice to find a smoked beer go in another direction. This wood tastes a little mesquite like, and the base beer is malty and solid enough to support it. Their is an undercurrent of herb, almost minty that couples with an ashen finish to create a unique taste. Like all smoked beers, this complements foods very well, especially mild foods. I enjoyed this with some traditional hoop cheese. Very nice!

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 23:56:18 | More by Georgiabeer

DoubleJ

California

4.28/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

The Kiwi's continue to invade the shelves of US beer stores. Here's one from New Zealand's most southern located brewery. On to the beer:

Short headed, but it retains pretty well and leaves more than a few splashes of lace around. The color is flame orange with hues that stray into yellow. As the label makes note, there is smoked wood that is added to the beer, and there's enough smoke to go around. Sweet and smokey in the nose, toffee and bready notes along with the aroma of smoked ham hocks.

A taste similar to the nose would have been good for me, but the reality is it's even better. Smoking wood hits hard upfront and retains much of its intensity throughout. The bock aspect of dough and sweet dark bread adds to the enjoyment. More smokiness hits. Somehow, the beer isn't overly dominant of neither smoke nor bock. It's a medium-full bodied beer with a slight chew, and carbonation standing towards the higher end of intensity. Despite the reputation of the bock being a drink that's a meal in a bottle, this one drink rather easy.

One fun and tasty bock. It's been a while since I've had a bock that was so good, but I think the smoked aspect helps its cause as well. This is definately one for the rauchheads.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 17:33:50 | More by DoubleJ

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a very hazy amber-copper color with a finger of frothy off-white head. The head fades down fairly quickly leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is full of smoke and oak with some sweet caramel and bready malts, vanilla, and tobacco.

T - Starts off with some sweet caramel and bready malts with some vanilla and tobacco. Through the middle, lots of smoke comes through with some oak. The finish is a mix of smoke, oak, vanilla, bacon, cured meats, tobacco, and some sweet bready malts.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a smokey and lightly sweet finish.

D - Very drinkable. Big smoke character, but in a really great way. Very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 04:54:09 | More by ngeunit1

wesley14

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

08-27-2012 20:14:56 | More by wesley14

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle given to me by @epiclurk. Shared with @tobeerornottobe.

Pours a murky mahogany colour, with a filmy head of off-white, that forms a more solid, but bubbly ring at the edges. Colour is very pleasant, body is decently weighted. Looks pretty good, all up.

Nose is intense—smokiness is the key, but it has a really savoury note to it, so that it smells like nothing less than Arnotts Cheddar Shapes. There's certainly something cheesy to it. Perhaps it's just the right balance of smoke, sweet and savoury flavours. It's very, very strange to be smelling cheese from your beer, but there you go. I'll pay it for it's unusualness.

Taste is lighter, and disappointingly a little too sweet. There's a caramelly tone to the flavour, especially on the front, which gives too much width to the palate, and oddly masks the smokiness. On the back, the smokiness has more freedom, and blends with a distinct roasted or bitter bite on the back to give a suggestion of char. It's very interesting.

Feel is a touch too thin, although it has a fineness which is quite pleasant.

Overall, pretty interesting stuff from a brewery I've been less than impressed with in the past—in fact, I'd almost sworn off them, and probably would have bypassed this one had not it been a gift. I'm glad I didn't bypass it in the end, however; this gave me an interesting beer experience.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 03:00:03 | More by lacqueredmouse

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy amber with a thin white mousse.

S: Aromas of caramel, toffee, biscuit, and molasses are chased by a strong scent of woodsmoke on the nose.

T: Notes of caramel, toffee, biscuit, minerals, grassy hops, roasted nuts, and woodsmoke wash across the palate. The finish is clipped and woody with robust notes of woodsmoke and roasted nuts.

M: Medium-to-full in body, dry, and chewy. Carbonation is very firm. Alcohol presence is minimal.

O: This is an interesting bock, one of the better examples of this style brewed outside of Germany. Still, the lackluster head retention and overwhelming smoke flavor do knock some points off of its score overall. A very unique and innovative brew to be sure, but it could use some tweaking in order to iron out the rough edges.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 16:00:11 | More by mrfrancis

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

07-17-2012 19:08:57 | More by rolltide8425

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Strong, malty aroma has a firm smoky overtone and a hint of - bacon? I get a hint of yeast as well. It pours a clear, coppery brown with a decent eggshell head. Malty flavor has a barbecue overtone, smoky and a little sweet, with hints of yeast and hops. Firm-bodied texture has good fizz. An interesting ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 23:11:47 | More by Cyberkedi

polishkaz

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

06-04-2012 02:37:51 | More by polishkaz

drpimento

Wisconsin

2.83/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Awww, got a bum bottle. Let it warm out of the fridge and it opened without and gas escaping. Poured with zero head. Color is a clear amber and no bubble trails. Flavor's actually pretty good except for the missing carbonic tang - but smoke, malt, sweet, bitter are good..Body is good despite the barest hint of carbonation. Finish is like flavor, with only a slight hint of smoke in a diminishing role. Unfortunate.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 02:08:53 | More by drpimento

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.63/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a nice translucent amber with about one full finger of off white head. The foam fades steadily after the pour, leaving a nice ring along the edges of the beer. There is very little lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is pure smoke. It has scents of smoke, meat, leather, and tobacco.

T: It starts out crisp and wet without much fanfare. But the smoke notes come on immediately after. There isn't much nuance in the taste. It's like drinking liquid smoke with a touch of cured meat. The finish is a bit bitter.

M: Light bodied beer. This beer hits the palate immediately takes over. But it fades quickly after a swig.

O: This beer is alright. If you're in the mood for something really smoky, then this is your fix. There doesn't seem to be much complexity to it. I'd glad to have tried it, but I won;t be seeking it out again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 18:08:52 | More by trxxpaxxs

Bung

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz. Picked from Greenville Beer Exchange. Cloudy dark orange pour, just a whispy layer of off white head.

Aroma, malty, caramel, bacon. A nice smoked woodiness.

Taste, Rick solid big smoke, BBQ and bacon. Roast malt, not as sweet as the nose. A little roast and hoppy bitterness in the finish.

About medium bodied, but the carbonation is lively and keeps it a little crisper than some. Real nice drinker, just be ready for the advertised style.

Do not hesitate to try. Love the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 02:27:08 | More by Bung

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.13/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I didn't know what to expect with this beer, but am familiar with manuka wood and can't wait to try it's medicinal qualities infused into a bock.

The beer pours a cloudy, dark amber with a thin, tan head that laces nicely. This beer looks richer than bocks I'm used to and glistens like buckwheat honey (a lighter amber) when held to the light. Something about this beer, from the label to the beer sitting in my DFH goblet, is so inviting.
The smell of this beer is quite intriguing as well. It seems to blend a subtle smokiness with medicinal spiciness and a sweet malt base. I appreciate the fact that this beer doesn't try and cover up everything with smoke, yet still lets you know it's a smoked beer....Balance. Even when I let this beer warm there is still only a modest smoke in competition with all the other aromatics this beer offers.
The taste doesn't disappoint with a smooth smokiness in a lovely balance by some hoppy bitterness and syrupy malt sweetness. The aftertaste is tobacco and a smooth chocolaty/caramely richness. There is a little bit of smoke and spice that sits on the palate, but it's not overwhelming.
Overall, I was more impressed with this beer than expected. It was pricey ($7/12oz), but definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 04:51:00 | More by ThePorterSorter

Domingo

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Interesting. A rauchbier bock made in New Zealand using local smoked malts.
Pours a slightly hazy khaki color. Very foamy at first (a near gusher) and it never dies down. Lots of lacing sticks to the glass.
Heavy smoke on the nose. A slightly more bitter smoky note than the beechwood used in Bamberg, but similar. Beyond that, sweeter notes come out from the base beer, too.
Slightly sweet and caramelized on the front of the palate, smoky and slightly bitter on the back. The bitterness from their smoke (it's using manuka, a local plant) actually keeps things in check like an extension of the fairly mild hops. The smoke is stronger at first, but as the beer sits a bit, it calms down. The sweetness from the malts is never too strong, and never heads into BBQ sauce territory that old Schlenkerla bottles do. I find that the beer holds itself together pretty well.
Not a bad rauchbier at all, and maybe the best I've had outside of Bamberg itself.
It's a little potent and I'm not sure about wanting several, but it's a tasty item to split.
Glad to see brewers that are literally on the other side of the world doing this style some justice. Speaking of which - this really should be considered a Rauchbier, even if it is pushing style boundaries a bit.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 03:10:43 | More by Domingo

rajendra82

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The sienna colored body was quite cloudy, with a small head despite a vigorous and fizzy carbonation upon pour. The smell of smoke hit me immediately upon pouring, and holing it up to the nose revealed the aroma quite clearly. The smoke seemed to mask other odors, but one in a while I could detect some raisins and toffee. The taste was dominated by smoke, as expected, but the other flavors like tart cherry, raisin, and brown sugar were also evident. The beer felt a little thin for a bock, but the smoky finish lingered on. A good beer to try, if you a smoked malt fan, but does not stray too far from the Bamberg formula.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 03:55:44 | More by rajendra82

TrickkyGangsta

Florida

1/5  rDev -73.2%

02-14-2012 15:44:37 | More by TrickkyGangsta

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Never heard of manuka before this label, but I'm game to try a new kind of smoke in my beer! Boom! This stuff pours a hazy glowing sunrise amber topped by a half-finger of short-lived dirty cream foam. The nose comprises soft-cedar-style smoke (so this is manuka...), light glazed ham, caramel, honey, and light mandarin orange. This smells like smoky heaven. Or at least something close... The taste holds notes of honey, light maple syrup, smoked glazed ham, light smoke (straight dark vapor, baby), light mandarin orange, and a hint of grapefruit peel. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, a very nice bit o' smoky goodness. Good times, good times.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 06:24:36 | More by TMoney2591

goatxpower

California

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- hazy copper color with small white head

S- caramel, smoked meats, hints of malt and hops. Smells like a Rauchbier.

T- smoke, obviously, but not the usual beechwood or alder that is more common in smoked beers. This beer is smoked using a wood called Manuka. The smoke has aromatic, almost sandalwood-like qualities to it.
After the smoke is a nice sort of pastry-like sweetness. The taste of the hops marries itself with the taste of the Manuka smoke, providing an intricate flavor component that is both bitter and smokey at the same time.
On the tail end comes fruit like pears and apples, while the initial smoke lingers.

M- pretty standard bock feel

O- If you like smoked beers, this is a good one to check out, it is a very drinkable smoked bock with some interesting flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 01:01:04 | More by goatxpower

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.3/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark amber with a large, quickly fading head.
Nose shows prominent smoke, as in smoked meat smoke. Also some woody character. Underneath is sweet rich malt and caramel hints.
Smoke carries through as a flavour along with the caramel. Finishes weakly with a faint grainy character.
Nice moderate carbonation and rich body.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2011 09:51:21 | More by CrazyDavros

shambeano

Australia

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

shared with about a couple of friends. poured into a tulip.

A- pours a dark ruby with about 1cm of head. very slowly subsides to a little bit of a whisper. some lacing. looks very nice.

S- whole bunch of sweet malts in it, bit of oaky smoke in it too, meaty smoke though not peat. little bit of dark dried fruit. nice but i was expecting more.

T- initially a bit of malty sweetness and a touch of fruit, perhaps a pinapple. but then the smoked malt kicks in. Oaky, and definitely a bit on the meaty side as opposed to peat. Not over the top, the smokiness is just the perfect ending to the malty, slightly fruity beginning. the smoke is the perfect finish, very nice.

M- on the thicker side, little creamy, very nice. with a dry finish.

D- i could very happily drink a whole longneck, the 7% is undetectable.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 12:20:23 | More by shambeano