In 2003, Tony Traen, took over Kapel van Viven from Willy De Lobel (the founder of Kapel van Viven) Since then, chapel of Viven has undergone several changes: a brand new look, an improved recipe for the Monastery of Viven and a new name. Chapel and Monastry of Viven were baptized Viven Blond and Viven Brown.
The idea to apply our Flemish brewing art to non-Flemish beers haunted Tony and together with Dirk Naudts (owner of the Proef brewery), he developed the recipes of the promising Viven Ale, Viven Porter, Viven Imperial IPA and Viven Master IPA. These exceptional beers, that would truly tempt any beer connoisseur, have been successfully launched onto the beer market in 2010, making them accessible to a wider audience of beer lovers.
For Tony and Krystle Traen, the driving forces behind the brewery, Viven has been a passion for over twenty years.
Krystle, one of the few female brewers in Belgium, is responsible for the taste of the different beers in the range. She composes the recipes and brews the first test batches in the kettles in Damme. When a new beer is tasted and approved by Krystle, the production moves to the Proefbrouwerij in Lochristi to be able to brew higher volumes. Tony is responsible for the administration, transport and sales. He started the Viven story, more than twenty years ago, in the little town of Vivenkapelle and turned it into an international brand.
Color ámbar, turbia, corona de espuma blanco hueso bien conservada. Potente aroma a malta tostada, hierba, cítricos maduros, especias... En boca es potente, amarga, llena de sabor, con mucho cuerpo, especiada...Probándola se siente claramente una cerveza orientada al estilo West Coast IPA, el cual no es precisamente mi estilo favorito ni el que yo más disfrute, no obstante encuentro esta cerveza de una calidad indiscutible. Muy buena
330ml bottle from Beers of Europe, online. Pours black with moderate sized beige head, nice lasting top. Aroma is smoke, roasted malts, big coffee notes, milk chocolate. Taste is smoke, wood, roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, hint of fruity zest, dry bitter finish. Medium bodied. I'm still not convinced I have the taste for smoked beers but this is certainly the best and most balanced one I have had to date.
Bottle 0,33ltr: Opaque black coloured brew with an great dry bitter taste and great hints of smoked, chocolate and coffee. Like the famous fluid smokey ham-meat beer from Alaskan brewery, very nice one.
330ml bottle bought as part of a delivery from Beers of Europe and drunk of home. It pours very dark brown and slightly translucent with a small brown head. Aroma of smoky plums, light flowery notes, some ruby chocolate. Sweet taste, a little smoky, more stone fruits, some light bitter hops near the finish. Slightly watery body, carbonation on the soft side. Reserved and unique.
The last tasting from an order at a Belgium retailer, I wanted it to be this 33 cl bottle of barley wine. Bottle is opened and I pour into a Delirium snifter. A dark caramel colored liquid with a modest skim of silvery tan foam. The smell is traditional and likewise good. I get ripe dark fruit, grain and cane syrup. I take a drink and will say this beer reminds me of as much a dark Belgian ale as a barley wine. I don't mind, I like that style as I like a good barley wine. Dark plums, dark biscuits, raisins, a curious small sour presence, a toffee sweetness, malt and some wood. A decent beer, better than anticipated.