What started as a road trip to France turned into an accidental pilgrimage to Belgian beer heaven. Funny how life works when you're aligned with your purpose—and also running on 3% battery and desperately hunting a Supercharger.
Life got a bit crazy lately (as it does when you're juggling Hive, kids, projects, and pretending you're too busy to drink beer… yeah, I know, I wasn’t fooling anyone). But after connecting with @detlev and some Hive legends at the Hive Summit in Aachen, we decided to reboot our taste buds and jump back into the world of liquid gold—a.k.a. BEER.
And the universe? It has a sense of humor. The very next day after making that sacred pact of pint revival, we packed our bags and headed off to… France.
Yes indeed, France! Land of wine, cheese, and people who look at you like you’ve committed a war crime when you ask for a proper pint.
Now don’t get me wrong, France is lovely. Great bread. Excellent sarcasm. Beautiful countryside. But when it comes to beer? Let’s just say they’ve outsourced excellence to us, their northern neighbors. Every bar, shop, or corner bodega we entered was pushing… Belgian beers.
Enter the Unexpected Blessing: While hopping across borders like caffeinated nomads, we had to stop to charge the EV, yes, we’re saving the planet one overpriced Tesla latte stop at a time. Turns out, the Supercharger was conveniently parked across from a small brewery still on Belgian soil, not far from the French border.
May I present to you, Brasserie des Fagnes. Kismet. Destiny. Or just dumb luck with a hoppy twist.
The Beer: Chevetogne
I went straight for the Chevetogne, because let’s face it, how do you say no to a beer with a horse logo and the color of pure amber sunshine?
Visually, it hits you with those deep caramel tones that scream “I’m not your average basic beer.”
Taste-wise? It’s like someone took the nostalgic soul of Palm and Horse Ale, then gave it a 2025 facelift.
We're talking:
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Malty backbone – like an old friend who always shows up.
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Subtle spice – not enough to punch you in the tongue, but enough to say "I’m here, respect me." (which I do, I love this kind of beer!)
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Light bitterness on the finish – because life isn't sweet all the time, and neither should your beer be.
It’s an Ambrée (amber) style, clocking in at 6.1%, it's strong enough to relax the brain, but not so strong that you start messaging your ex or launching a DAO for beer-themed NFTs (well... I don't need too much for that...).
It felt like reconnecting with my younger self. The one who used to nurse a Palm during long nights of pseudo-philosophical student debates about life, love, and if the bass guitar is to be played with a plectrum or with your fingers (guess my stance on that one!).
The Vibe: Beer + Family + Sunshine
The beer didn’t get tasted in a vacuum. It was cheersed properly, with my wife @nathalie-s, and my son, who also tried a different brew (and lived to tell the tale, because it was a pretty hefty and special one!) and my daughter, but she skipped the beers. The weather? Spot on. Sun-drenched terrace, fresh countryside air, and the kind of chill atmosphere that makes you wonder why you ever went back to work after summer break. Which I'm still wondering to be honest...
Well, there’s certainly something magic and poetic about charging your car while charging your soul with good beer (one! Not two! Still have to drive!).
TL;DR for the ADHD Beerlovers:
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🧭 Got (intentionally) lost on the way to France, found a Belgian beer haven (unintentional).
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⚡ Charged the EV. Found chevetogne charging my taste buds.
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🍺 Amber. 6.1%. Reminds me of Palm and Horse Ale, but cooler.
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👨👩👦 Shared the moment with fam. Actual sunlight. Zero regrets.
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📸 Photo proof? Of course. Scroll up.
If you're ever road-tripping near the Belgian-French border, look for Brasserie des Fagnes. Go for the charge. Stay for the Chevetogne. Thank me later.
And stay tuned, because @nathalie-s and our teenaged beer connoisseur will be posting their takes soon. (Yes, we’re raising him right, one sip at a time.)
Until next round, #BeerSaturday legends... Keep your beers cold, your batteries charged, and your sarcasm sharper than ever.
Cheers, 🍻 Borniet
📸 about my images
All photos are my own, shot on my iPhone and sometimes edited in Lightroom.
AI images? Those are created by me too, using my own prompts.
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