Beer & Hike: Huy 2025

Preface. It was four years ago on a sunny, clear sky day in March. At that time, the simple activity of being outdoors and taking a hike was the penultimate expression of freedom in our restricted lives. The town of Huy was one of the great discoveries of my personal journey during those bleak times. The trees were bare, but the signs of Spring caused the eyes and heart to see everything in full bloom. There was also the hope that this was the Spring that would eventually return life to normal. There was an extra appreciation, a heightened purity, about going on a hike in those days. Despite Huy being a shell, whose bars and restaurants were sitting in mothballs, I was entertained by one of the most surrendipitous beer experiences that I have encountered, a virtual guided tour by a collection of beers brewed by a small nanobrewery that were sold in a local printing and copy business. Each type of beer had its own label which featured one of the main sites of the city. Four years later, I decided to return to Huy and update my experience.

This time it was June. Summer had officially arrived, and Mother Nature had decided to kick it off in style. The temperature was in the 80’s, with high humidity, and the massive stone fortress of Huy seemed to radiate the heat like a large brick oven. But Huy was full of color. Life had returned to it, and it was buzzing with daytrippers and locals alike.

However, I would come to find that my experience in 2021 would remain for all time stuck in the covid times like amber. The nanobrewery, Le Cabane des Brasseurs, had closed down and the Huy history-themed beers were no more. I found this quote on their Facebook page with the translation below.

“A chapter closes.

July 1, 2020 – September 23, 2024… After a two-year wait to officially close the company due to dishonest individuals, La Cabane des Brasseurs is finally shutting its doors.
This project was particularly dear to my heart, and it was no longer possible to continue under these circumstances.
I still want to thank you for all your compliments on my often quirky recipes.
As some of you know, my brewing journey hasn’t ended there. Having brewing in my blood (literally), it was impossible for me not to continue. I had the immense pleasure of working with fabulous people at Brasserie Léopold 7. And now here I am at Brasserie du Clocher in the Namur region. The recipes are no longer my own, the facilities are larger, but the joy of brewing remains the same.
Thank you again.“

It is a shame that they couldn’t continue. It was a fantastic concept. Despite the disappointment, this hike would fulfil another beer pilgrimage which was ear-marked during the previous hike. So rather than revisiting the history explored in my previous blog post, this post will simply soak in the abundant green scenery that you find in the River Meuse region between Liege and Namur.

Starting Point	Parking du Port-Neuve-Voie
Distance	15 km
My Hiking Time	3h

It’s Not Just a Beer, It’s a Journey

Ok, a smidgeon of history. The hike officially starts from the Freedom Trail marker which commemorates the liberation of Huy by the 3rd US Armored Division on September 6, 1944.

The Huy fortress was used as a prison by the Germans and near the top of the hill is a memorial to 15 civilians who were executed in the fortress for participating in the resistance.

The forest around the fortress is quite dense with undergrowth, and the hot humid day gave it a choking pungent quality. But after passing some open farm land, the forest breathes and becomes a paradise for the majority of the hike. Some of the trails here are like trenches which add a kind of quest-like vibe from time to time. Lush emerald green abounds in places.

Taverne-Brasserie ‘L’Elysee Beaufort’

About two-thirds the way through the hike, you finally reach the beer pilgrimage I spoke of. I passed by this brasserie four years ago when it was shut up for the pandemic. L’Elysee Beaufort has a wonderful atmosphere inside and out and an even better beer selection with a lot of regional beers that you can’t easily find in Flanders. It is safe to say, this brasserie ranks in my upper echelon of recommended Belgian pubs. It was worthy of being the only featured beer highlight of the hike.

Four years ago, I went directly past the brasserie to the River Meuse riverside and followed it back to Huy. This time, I cut back through the forest which shortens the hike considerably and gives some excellent trail views.

Huy

Huy is small but picturesque. The fortress is as ominous as it is impressive, but lacks any decorative flair whatsoever. Meanwhile, the Collegiate Church of Our Lady and Saint Domitian is a unique and charming church. It’s rose window is always a must-see. The Grand Place was no longer a deserted ghost town as it was four years ago. I didn’t stop for a final celebratory beer. There is an Irish pub on the Grand Place and the tavern Le Vieux Huy near the Pont des Chaines looks like a cozy spot for a beer. This is still a part of Huy that I have yet to experience.

Final Remarks

Huy still remains an under-appreciated town. Without an easy train connection like its more famous neighbors, Liege and Namur, Huy will always be more of a car or motorcycle daytrip gem that will exist for those willing to make the effort to find it. But the rewards are worth it. I hope someday, someone can resurrect the city-themed beers of Le Cabane des Brasseurs, as I could see them adding to the town’s identity and mystique and give beer pilgrims a reason to seek it out. I don’t often repeat a hike, but those I did during the covid era just beg to be discovered under different circumstances. This one was well worth it, and perhaps it will spark others like it in 2026.