Stone Brewery Tour

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Brewpastor

Beer, not rocket chemistry
Joined
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While out in the San Diego area I went for a tour of Stone Brewing. If you are in the area, make the time to see this new facility, it is great and it is free.

I went on a Thursday for the 2 pm tour and was the only one there, so I had a private tour. When you get there you have the chance to sample some brews on draft and check out item for sale in a gift shop. I did my best to sample them all, but after 6 or so they stopped offering, so I had to pay for some more.

The new brewery is huge and has a new 4 vessel, 120 bbl brewhouse from Germany. The Lauter tun (which can just be made out in the picture below as the third vessel) is 19 feet across! Very cool set-up, lots of computer inner-facing and sensors... Because of their set up they can brew 24/7 if they need to and produce something like 200,000 bbls annually.

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The tank farm is huge and includes a number of 140 bbl fermenters, as well as some 360 bbl tanks for triple batches. In the picture below you might make out a guy standing under a tank cleaning - that is how large these things are.

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The DE filter alone (in the foreground below) is about six and a half feet tall!

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They have a huge cooler in which pallets can stack 3 high and I can't even guess the number of cases and case it would hold. It is huge. In it there are a number of oak barrels with specialty brews aging. The also distribute a large number of other products and the cooler is like a candy store.

I was told the way the make their oaked Arrogant Bastard is by making an oak tea and adding that to the finished brew.

I could go on and on but it might be better for me to just stop and see what question you might have. The brews all hit the spot, but I particularly enjoyed the 6-6-06 Epic Verticle and the Russian Imperail Stout.
 
They do big, in your face ales and are really taking off. Many are saying they have become one the the premier micros in the country. If you like hoppy ales and have a chance, check them out. They do lots of 22 oz. bombers and all their bottles are screen printed. The ales to get a bit of cold conditioning. I believe they told me they are in something like 20 staes now and plan on doubling production by next year, so I imagine you will be seeing them soon.
 
Nice write up. I love Stone, and am reather pleased of the 2 cases of Stone 22ozers Ive manage to collect to put my beer in
 
Stone does release the big beers fairly quick, but they say to age them. I've got two bottles of the Barleywine, the Russian Imperial Stout, and the 06 Vertical Epic in the fridge now, as well as a couple of their regular brews, the Arrogant Bastard, Ruination IPA and Smoked Porter. The Pale Ale I drank yesterday, and the IPA last week. Time to get some more. :D
 
Really Neat Report. Thanks BP. I'm also looking forward to your article in BYO.

I'm curious as to what their water source is. With a set up like that they would be using quite a bit of water.

Any info for us?

Thanks!
 
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