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Stone Brewing Co.

From Alfawiki
Stone Brewing
Company typePrivate (acquired by Sapporo Breweries)
IndustryBrewing
Founded1996 in San Marcos, California, United States
FounderGreg Koch
Headquarters
Escondido
,
United States
Area served
United States, Europe (formerly)
Key people
Maria Stipp (CEO), Greg Koch (Executive Chairman), Steve Wagner (President)
ProductsCraft beer
Number of employees
1,100 (2015)
ParentSapporo Breweries (since 2022)
Websitewww.stonebrewing.com

Stone Brewing (previously known as Stone Brewing Co.) is a brewery based in Escondido, California, USA. Established in 1996 in San Marcos, it holds the distinction of being Southern California's largest brewery. By sales volume in 2020, it was ranked as the ninth biggest craft brewery across the United States.

The brewery launched its operations with Stone Pale Ale, which served as its signature ale until it was discontinued in 2015. Its most renowned product, Arrogant Bastard Ale, is widely credited with elevating San Diego's status within the craft beer community. Stone's offerings are generally characterized by a high hop profile and alcohol content ranging from 6% to 10%, reflecting typical West Coast craft beer attributes.

Stone Brewing has received accolades as a "world class brewery" from both RateBeer and BeerAdvocate, with Beer Advocate voters naming it the top "All Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth."

In August 2022, Sapporo Breweries purchased Stone for $165 million. This acquisition allowed Sapporo to broaden its international reach by utilizing Stone’s brewery facilities to produce Sapporo beers for distribution throughout North America.

Key leadership includes CEO Maria Stipp, Executive Chairman Greg Koch (the company’s founder), and President Steve Wagner. The company employs around 1,100 individuals and produced more than 325,000 barrels of beer in 2015. Stone’s business approach focuses on creating bold, unique products that sustain a competitive edge within the craft beer sector.

History

Stone Brewing commenced operations in San Marcos in 1996 at the location now occupied by Port Brewing Company and The Lost Abbey.[1] The original gargoyle artwork—used for Arrogant Bastard Ale, Stone Ruination IPA, and Stone Levitation Ale—was designed by local artist Thomas K. Matthews.

Since 1999, Stone has managed its own distribution division, Stone Distributing Company, which serves Southern California and represents over 40 brands spanning craft beer, cider, and kombucha.[2]

In 2006, Stone moved into a purpose-built facility located in Escondido. A packaging hall dedicated to bottling and kegging was added in 2013. The Escondido brewery produced 325,645 US beer barrels in 2015 and features the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens - Escondido—a restaurant covering 8,500 square feet with an expansive outdoor patio and one acre of gardens. This site also contains a Stone Company Store offering merchandise alongside various growlers.[3]

A second location for Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens opened in May 2013 at Liberty Station within San Diego’s Point Loma area. This $8 million investment resulted in a 23,500 square foot space that accommodates 700 guests inside historic buildings formerly part of the Naval Training Center.[4]

Additional Stone Company Stores operate in Oceanside, Pasadena, and the Little Italy district of San Diego, retailing bottles, kegs, and growlers.[5]

In June 2008, Stone installed 1,561 solar panels atop its brewery roof, effectively cutting energy expenses by nearly fifty percent while offsetting over 538,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.[6]

During summer 2014, plans were announced for Stone Brewing Berlin. This facility features a 100-hectoliter brewery with onsite canning operations that began functioning in June 2016 at Berlin Mariendorf. It distributed flagship products such as Stone IPA and Arrogant Bastard Ale across several European markets. The site also included a restaurant and gardens under the name Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens - Berlin. In April 2019, BrewDog—a Scottish company—acquired the Berlin operation.[7]

On October 8, 2014, Richmond, Virginia was chosen as the location for Stone’s inaugural East Coast brewery after competing against Columbus and Norfolk. The following day Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe officially announced this decision. The Richmond facility opened its Company Store in March 2016 and began brewing Stone IPA by July of that year.[8]

In May 2016, Stone revealed intentions to establish a taproom with a small-scale brewery inside Napa’s historic Borrero building; this venue opened its doors in May 2018.[9][10]

On February 12, 2018, Stone filed legal action against MillerCoors concerning Keystone beer packaging that prominently featured "Stone," claiming it caused consumer confusion.[11]

In June 2022, an agreement was reached for Sapporo Breweries to acquire Stone for $168 million; this transaction did not include Stone Distributing Company, which will continue operating independently.[12][13]

Awards

Stone Brewing has earned a wide array of prestigious honors at leading international beer contests, underscoring its strong market presence and competitive edge. Notable distinctions comprise:

Name Style Honors
Double Bastard Ale Strong Ale Silver Medal, 2005 Great American Beer Festival
Levitation Ale Amber Ale Gold Medal, 2007 Great American Beer Festival
Old Guardian Barley Wine Silver Medal, 2000 Great American Beer Festival
Pale Ale ESB Bronze Medal, 2008 World Beer Cup; Bronze Medal, 2006 Great American Beer Festival
Ruination India Pale Ale Bronze Medal, 2006 World Beer Cup
Smoked Porter With Chipotle Chile-spiced beer Silver Medal, 2010 Great American Beer Festival
Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale Black India Pale Ale Bronze Medal, 2010 Great American Beer Festival
Imperial Russian Stout Imperial Stout Gold Medal, 2014 U.S. Open Beer Championship
Go To IPA Sessions Beer Gold Medal, 2014 U.S. Open Beer Championship
Witty Moron Other Belgian Style Ale Gold Medals, 2014 and 2017 Great American Beer Festival
Delicious IPA Near Gluten Free Gold Medal, 2016 U.S. Open Beer Championship
Tropic of Thunder India Pale Lager Bronze Medal, 2019 U.S. Open Beer Championship
Stone IPA West Coast IPA Gold Medal, 2021 U.S. Open Beer Championship

See also

External links

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