This #beersaturday post's got layers. Not like a donkey, but like a perfectly baked lasagna, except instead of pasta and cheese, it’s coastal seafood, Bavik beer, and father-son nostalgia. Buckle up, BeerSaturday legends. We’re going deep.
🏖️ Back to the Belgian Coast – Where Beer Meets Memory
Last weekend, we packed up our barely-charged energy levels and bolted for the Belgian coast. And no, we weren’t in a rush to get anywhere. That’s the beauty of renting an apartment within walking distance of both the beach and the main street, it’s basically a cheat code for adulting.
Translation: No designated driver needed. No fast food. No regrets.
Saturday night rolls in, the sea breeze has that post-summer-but-not-quite-autumn vibe, and we decide: Let’s treat ourselves.
Not fries. Not pizza. Not even Kebab!
We’re talking real seafood, in a real restaurant, where the napkins don’t double as oil absorbers.
🐟 A Menu Full of Fish... and a Surprise from the Past
We find a cozy spot, menu in hand, and I glance up—BOOM—I see Bavik on the beer list.
Now for most people, that might be just another brand. But for me? That hit home.
👨🍳 Quick Flashback: My Dad, The Chef, and The Bavik Connection
My father was a chef. A real one. Not a “watched two episodes of MasterChef” type.
He trained in the coastal region (yep, full circle), cooked in high-end joints across Belgium and Switzerland, and eventually opened up a café and traiteur business. Where? Bavikhove. Yep, the actual hometown of Brouwerij Bavik (or as they’ve re-rebranded since 2014—De Brabandere).
Naturally, he served Bavik in his café. And as a teen, I was already suspiciously fond of it, because even Bavik’s lager always felt like it had a little extra depth, like a Belgian lager with a philosophy degree.
Back in the day, Maes, Jupiler, and Cristal were your basic beer-bros. But Bavik? Bavik was the kid who read Nietzsche and still partied. Let’s call it Lager+. Just saying.
🍺 The Beer: Petrus Blond – The “Key to Heaven” (Literally)
Now, don’t panic! I didn’t order a lager. I’ve been strategically avoiding those since that one night in high school when things went very, very sideways. You know the one. We all have that one. And we all still remember it as if it was last night!
Instead, I went for something from Bavik’s Petrus line, because it was still kinda summer (even though the sky was giving off “Game of Thrones Winter Is Coming” energy).
And there it was: Petrus Blond.
📌 Quick Beer Nerd Breakdown:
Style: Belgian Blonde Ale
ABV: ~6.5%
Color: Golden like your grandma’s wedding ring.
Taste: Lightly fruity, subtly spiced, soft malts with a dry, slightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-bodied, dangerously drinkable.
Secret Power: Balanced AF. It walks that tightrope between refreshing and complex like a Cirque du Soleil performer in clogs.
Also, side note for the Latin geeks: "Clavis ad Caelum" — “The Key to Heaven” — is printed right on the bottle. If that doesn’t scream spiritual enlightenment through fermentation, I don’t know what does.
🐠 The Meal: Fish, North Sea Shrimps, and a Side of Nostalgia
The plate? A gorgeous cod filet, topped with tiny North Sea shrimps, surrounded by grilled veggies, fries (because Belgium), and a generous pool of herby sauce I would’ve straight-up bathed in if no one was watching.
Every bite hit, but what hit harder was the feeling.
That kind of deep, soul-hugging déjà vu that says, “You’ve been here before. And you’re doing it right.”
I swear I could hear my dad, somewhere over my shoulder, grinning. “You’re doing good, son.”
🌅 The Sunset Walk – Beer Buzz Meets Beach Zen
Of course, after that dinner, we took a stroll by the beach. Storm clouds rolled in like a Netflix drama. The sun punched its way through like a motivational quote.
That’s life, right? Dark skies, golden light, and a good beer in between.
Some beers are just drinks. Others are time machines. This one? It was a quiet toast to the past, a nod to my dad, and a reminder that sometimes, the best stories are poured into glasses with names like Petrus.
So if you ever find yourself on the Belgian coast, staring down a seafood platter and a beer list… Choose the one that comes with a story.
Cheers to all of you, and to #BeerSaturday, where every beer has a voice, and some of them whisper “you're doing good.”
🍻 Borniet,
Still not over that high school lager hangover, but loving this full-circle pint.
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