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.
Bottled. Amber colour, mediumsized beige frothy head. Aroma is very fruity and florally hoppy along with quite caramelly notes. Flavour is fruity and floral hops along with some mild grassyness. Also quite malty and alcoholic. Yet in a quite nice balance. Quite dry as well.
Huge yellowish beige lasting head. Deep amber body with carbonation. Deep hoppy peaches and mango aroma with mealy resiny notes. Bitter-sweetish wooden resiny peaches and mango taste with chalky grassy notes. Sharpish mouthfeel. Light body. Dry peaches and resin aftertaste with grassy mango notes. Nice, highly drinkable, but perhaps a little bit soft and mild. (0.33l bottle, Bacchus Cornelius, Bruges.)
Bottle at Cask Pub & Kitchen, Pimlico. Haze amber red, very thin head. Huge grapefruit, American hop aroma. Maybe a Belgian yeast. Love the fruity hop aroma. OK in mouth. Finish is a bit disappointing, just too straight forward bitter without the fragrances of the hops. Metallic from carbonation.
Bottle from Beermerchants.com. Black pour with a decent beige head on top. Pleasant smoky/malty aroma. Tastes smokey, coffee, slight sweetness, hint of hops. Quite straightforward but also delicious. An incredibly smooth porter from Belgium, really easy to drink.
Bottled. A hazy amber beer with a huge orangey head. The aroma has notes fo hops, grass, and over ripe fruits. The flavor is sweet with strong notes of over ripe fruits as well as medium notes of malt and yeast, leading to a dry bitter finish. Very raw in its interpretation. Thanks yespr for sharing.
Bottled. A black beer with a brown head. The aroma has notes of chocolate and roasted malt as well as lighter notes of smoke. The flavor is sweet with strong notes of roasted malt, medium notes of malt, and lighter notes of chocolate, and wood, leading to a dry roasted finish. Thanks yespr for sharing.
33 cL bottle. Pours pitch black with a small tan head. Aroma is dark roasted and mild liqourice. Herbal too. Dark roasted malty, liqourice and mild ashtray hoppy. Herbal and dry finish.
Black with a large beige head. Aroma had smoke, hard roasted malt, coffee and chocolate. Flavour was dry with hard roasted malt, smoke, hops and liqerice. Finished dry and smoked.
Bottle 33 cl. Courtesy of yespr. Pours an opaque black with a dense beige head. Fat roastiness and vanilla in the nose, somewhat metallic. Medium body, licorice and hard roasted malt, a little smoke and ashes with quite some malt bitterness. 150610
33 cL bottle. Pours cloudy orange with a small off-white head. Aroma is peachy, citrusy and mild grapefruity. Grapefruity, citrusy and mild peachy flavoured. Nicely balanced with a medium dry malt base and mild yeasty note. Ends dry and slight yeasty.