All About Beer Magazine

(ESCONDIDO, CA) - Stone Brewing Co. may be celebrating its sweet 16 this year, but true fans know that the brewery’s aggressively-flavored bitter ales are anything but sweet. To commemorate the happy (hoppy?) day, Stone is releasing Stone 16th Anniversary IPA on August 13, and will hold its annual 16th Anniversary Celebration & Invitational Beer Festival August 17 and 18. One hundred percent of the profits from the festival will be donated to local charities including: Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos,Fight ALD, Palomar Family YMCA, and Surfrider Foundation.
Sixteen years ago Steve Wagner and Greg Koch opened the doors of Stone Brewing Co., and sold their very first keg of Stone Pale Ale to the only customer who would drive to the brewery and pick it up (shout out to Vince Marsaglia of Pizza Port fame!). Stone has grown from a small operation producing 400 barrels of tasty beer during its first year of production, to a projected 180,000 barrels this year. Although much has changed, brewing and promoting craft beer has always remained at the forefront of the company’s goals. Also a core value of Stone’s culture is giving back to the community.
“Each year we’ve raised a glass to celebrate our accomplishments but more importantly, we’ve raised more than $1.5 million for local charities since our first Anniversary Celebration back in 1996,” said Greg Koch, CEO and Co-Founder of Stone Brewing Co. “We want to exceed last year’s donation amount of $240,000 and contribute to worthy charities around our community. We hope you join us for a great time. Cheers!”

The two-day event begins Friday, August 17 with the Brewers Reception held on the grounds of California State University San Marcos (CSUSM). The $75 ticket price includes a commemorative glass, tastings of special beers, meet and greet with the world-class brewers featured at the festival, and complimentary gourmet fare and live music. The Stone 16th Anniversary Celebration & Invitational Beer Festival is also held at CSUSM and tickets are $40 per person, per session – Session A is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Session B is 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Festival features more than 40 breweries and 100 beers, as well as the infamous Arrogant Bastard Ale onion rings, complimentary homebrewed sodas, and samples of Mike’s Beer Cheese. Ticket holders will receive a commemorative tasting glass with 10 four-ounce samples. All Access Pass/Rare Beer Section tickets have already sold out.

For those that want to take a more personal approach to Stone’s philanthropic efforts, the company suggests joining Dyehards for Charity. The Stone Dyehards are a cadre of brave Team Stone members and Stone fans willing to dye their hair to raise money for select charities. For more information or to donate, visit stonebrewing.com/dyehards.

To purchase tickets and for more information on the Stone 16th Anniversary Celebration & Beer Festival, visit stonebrewing.com/anniv, facebook.com/StoneBrewingCo ortwitter.com/StoneBrewingCo.

Stone 16th Anniversary Celebration & Invitational Beer Festival

California State University San Marcos
333 South Twin Oaks Valley Road
San Marcos, CA 92096

Brewers Reception

Friday, August 17 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
$75 per ticket
Tickets: http://www.stonebrew.com/anniv/friday/

Stone 16th Anniversary Celebration & Invitational Beer Festival

Saturday, August 18
Session A: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
$40 per ticket
Tickets: http://www.stonebrew.com/anniv/saturday/

Session B: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
$40 per ticket
Tickets: http://www.stonebrew.com/anniv/saturdayb/

All Access Pass & Rare Beer Section

$75 per ticket – Sold Out

Suggested tweet: Tix for @StoneBrewingCo 16th Anniv Celebration & Invitational #Beer Festival 8/17-18 @ Cal State San Marcos: http://www.stonebrewing.com/anniv#Stone16

Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 by Steve Wagner and Greg Koch in North County San Diego, CA. It is the 11th largest craft brewery in the United States and has been named “All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine – TWICE! A recently announced $50M+ expansion plan (that includes a hotel among other lofty ventures) is underway, as are developments to become the first American craft brewery to open a brewhouse in Europe. Visit stonebrewing.com for more information.