This is the story about a great beer as told by its creator … Kjetil Jikiun:

“It all started in 2006, during my days as an airline pilot. I was on a layover in Washington DC having some interesting beers at “The Brickskeller”. At that time, “The Brickskeller” was the best craft beer bar in DC. I decided that my last beer of that evening was going to be “Avery Mephistopholes”. A dark and strong Imperial Stout. This beer impressed me a lot. There and then, I was so inspired that I wrote down the recipe for my own version of this kind of beer on a paper napkin.

Back in Norway, at Nøgne Ø, I brewed this beer. At 16% abv and really intensely roasted, with added coffee, it was decided that this beautiful beer needed its own, dedicated packaging. It was sold in a cardboard tube with a small neck tag with a Japanese Haiku. This beer won a gold medal in World Beer cup in 2008.

After this, I simply could not stop. We made “Dark Horizon” second edition, this time packaged in a steel canister. Artwork was inspired by Arabic letters. Then I did a similar kind of beer using sake yeast: “Red Horizon”. This one came in three different editions.

We then made the third edition of “Dark Horizon”. This time with lots of hops. The theme was Egyptian. Besides we brewed the”Sweet Horizon”, which had lots of chocolaty sweet notes. Then came “Dark Horizon” 4th edition. This smooth gem was packaged in a Triangular cardboard box with old norse runes.

The last “Dark Horizon” was brewed in 2014 and was released in January 2017. This is the 5th edition and one of the last beers I designed before leaving Nøgne Ø. This is in many ways a milestone, since it’s the last “Dark Horizon“ beer with the original philosophy and vision. I am truly excited that this beautiful beer is now available in the market.

Of course, this does not mean that the “Dark Horizon“ legacy is over. Absolutely not.

This series of extreme beers will have its renewed life in the form of a Σολο beer: “Σόλο Protagonist (Πρωταγωνιστής)”.

With this beer, I totally commit to carry on with my dedication. The seed which was sowed in Brickskeller some 10 years ago will continue to bear fruit. This is my promise!

I guess it is time to say:

“The King is dead. Long live the King!“

So, the first Protagonist is a tribute to sweet Greek coffee. Very rich and full bodied. As sweet as a dessert, or a liqueur. A bottle should be shared by at least 5 persons, and served in oversized snifters.
Indeed it is the darkest, strongest and sweetest beer ever to be presented on a Greek label!

More at www.solobeer.gr/protagonist
Cheers!

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