Too sloe

You know you're in Belgium when your bottle of beer features a cartoon version of itself on the label. So it is with Sloeber, not the most attractive name for a beer I've ever encountered. A dark gold body under a beehive hairdo of bright white foam which thankfully subsides quite quickly.

Nothing much is going on in the aroma, just a vaguely sweaty yeast thing. The flavour is understated but far from unpleasant. It's a little on the watery side, being a tiddling 7.5% ABV, but overlaying this there's a rather wonderful peach and mandarin flavour: sweet, but with a certain tartness as well. An additional grainy breadiness lurks beneath.

I confess that I've held on to this bottle a little longer than the label indicated I should have so I'm left wondering what it would be like if fresh -- a little livlier, I'd say, with more of that lovely fresh fruit. But even carelessly matured it works quite well, even if it lacks the oomph of stronger Belgian blonde ales.