Meet the faces behind Viven

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.
since 1999
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.

History

2020

New website is launched

Viven has a new website where you can find our complete portfolio (originals, craft series and also the new experimtum beers). the online shop is now activated so you easily order your selection of beers.

2019

Viven champagner weisse becomes a new member of the original portfolio

During the presentation of the new experimentum beers, we also get a lot of feedback from our clients (barowners, restaurants,...) This Viven champagner weisse with it's 4,8% alc and the use of champagne yeast was directly a full hit. We directly added this beer to our original portfolio.

2019

Viven craft series

A new stream on craft beers are presented within the new brewery in Sijsele. We took the best from our experimentum beers and started brewing them on our new 12HL brewhouse. In this way we brewed at first our premium tripel, then the fantastic barley wine, the spiced ambree and the last beer to be added was our New England ipa. Cheers on the new beers...

2018

New 12Hl brewery in Sijsele

The old brewhouse has become to small. So we build a new brewhouse in Sijsele, quit unique because the brewhouse was build in Sijsele! From now on we can work on the craft series, this will be our steady selection out of the many experimtum beers we already created.

2017

Experimentum, new beers, you like them a lot or may'be a little less

With the new brewery in mind we start creating a new beer every month. We supply them to our bars who want to be a part of the experiment. they give us their feedback so we can keep up fine tuning the beers.

2015

New brewing house in Sijsele

In 2015, the new brewhouse is ready to start in Sijsele. From this moment on many more beers can be created.

2015

Starting up the Viven master ipa

In the meanwhile Tony's wife 'Krystle' has joined the adventure on the brewery, together they have the idea to brew a new ipa. This ipa should represent the story of Tony's grandparents. His grandmom was a German singer for the Germand officers that arrived in Damme during the second worldwar. Tony's grandfather was a master mechanic on the improvised landingsway between Sijsele and Bruges. Together they started their romance during the war, it was a big risque, but the love survived... Based on this story, they brew an ipa based on the Germand Merkur hop and called the beer Master! ipa ;-) cheers

2007

Extra new beers within the range of Viven, Viven ale - Viven porter and Viven imperial ipa are the new members

Tony gets more occupied by brewing new beers together with Dirk Naudts. They start up some new test brewing with mostly the accent on hoppy beers. Fast enough they can see the beers are perfect to add to the portfolio of the beer. In 2007 the ipa style was net yet so well known, so we may say we are one of the first breweries to have an ipa served on European beer market.

2005

Takeover and rebranding: Viven

The continuation of the beers, in the mean time well known among the inhabitants, is endangered. The initial founder quits without any follow-up. In the search for a successor, Tony Traen of Drankenservice Traen (DST), becomes the right fit. He gives the beers a new impulse and rebrands them as Viven Blond and Viven Bruin (brown).

2001

A brown accomplice: Klooster van Viven

The blond 'Kapel van Viven' gets a brown accomplice: 'Klooster van Viven'

1999

How it all started

Viven is named after the village of Vivenkapelle. More than twenty years ago, hobby brewer and proud resident, Willy de Lobel, honoured his municipality by naming one of his beers after her. The blonde thirst quencher was given the name 'Chapel of Viven', named after the ancient chapel that colored the history of the village. The beer was an immediate success among the residents.

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since 1999