About this episode

Markus interviews brewing pioneer Kjetil Jikiun about his journey from airline pilot to co-founding Nøgne Ø and his contributions to the Norwegian beer revolution.

In this episode, Markus meets Norwegian brewing pioneer Kjetil Jikiun for a very special “beer cast” recorded in the car. Kjetil looks back on an extraordinary journey that led him from life as an airline pilot to becoming one of the key figures of the modern Norwegian beer revolution. He shares how homebrewing, American craft beer, and a deep curiosity for flavor inspired him to co-found Nøgne Ø and help introduce bold styles like IPA, saison, and imperial stout to Norway. The conversation also takes some remarkable detours: from brewing what may be the highest-altitude beer in the world on a mountain pass in Central Asia, to building a brewery project in Crete and discovering how different beer cultures can be. Kjetil reflects on innovation, responsibility, and the balance between brewing as science and brewing as art. A fascinating episode about adventure, flavor, and the courage to keep reinventing yourself.

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