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This weekend we had the pleasure of interviewing the founder and CEO of Stone Brewing Co., Greg Koch.  Not only is Stone one of our favorite beers,  it is consistently voted as one of the best beers in the US and the World. Lucky for me, the Stone HQ, now with its recently completed World Bistro and Gardens, is only about an hour drive, or if I’m smart, an hour train ride away. We hope you enjoy the following insight of one of the personalities behind the famed Arrogant Bastard Ale, among others:

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Sloshspot: Stone has been an award winning beer pretty much since day one – was this expected?  

Greg Koch: Sure. Why not! Otherwise, we would have stayed home.

SS: Has the process for creating and developing new beers changed since the early days of the brand? 

GK: Our philosophy and style hasn’t changed, but as our company has grown some of our methodologies have naturally changed.  Each brewer on our team has the opportunity to contribute to the process, so as our brewing team has grown, so has the talent pool!  This has been of great benefit.

SS: Is there something unique to Stone brewing process or quality control that you can't find in any other American beers? 

GK: Only in our willingness to speak in our own voice (and loudly) perhaps.  I believe our uniqueness is principally in our personality and style.  After all, from there it’s principally barley, hops, water and yeast.  I often relate it to a band.  A band might typically have vocal, guitar, bass and drums.  Yet, one band with the same instrumentation can be dramatically different than another.  And while there are tens of thousands of bands out there using only those four instruments, from time to time there is one that just simply rises above.  Why?  It’s not their instrumentation.  It’s their style, creativity and personality that is coming through and sometimes it just works.  At Stone, it just works.

SS:  Stone has some of the most interesting branding and naming of beers in the industry - What can you tell us about creative process i.e., when naming a new beer or creating the graphics? 

GK:  I can go back to that band / music analogy above.  We don’t use a specific creative process per se.  Sometimes the riff comes first, sometimes it’s the rhythm.  Sometimes it’s the subject matter of what we want the song to be about, and sometimes it’s a lyrical idea.  One creative element sparks a complimentary element, and so on.  Eventually, you’ve got the full song.  Sometimes it’s a smooth, effortless process.  Sometimes it’s like pulling teeth.  Usually, it’s somewhere in between.

SS: Does Stone have a brand philosophy? 

GK:  We have a brewery philosophy, but not a ‘brand’ philosophy.  The brewery philosophy has never been stated formally, but it could be said that it is to be ourselves and let our heart and soul shine through.  Be honest. Be amazing.

SS: Was there someone in mind when you developed "Arrogant Bastard"? 

GK:  It was the beer.  The beer has existed since the beginning of time.  We were simply the first to discover it…but it was already there.  And it was already named Arrogant Bastard Ale.

SS:  Who is the Stone Customer?

GK: That has never been for us to decide, or foolishly try to define.  Those that enjoy Stone have figured it out for themselves. 

SS: What is something special or unusual that Stone does for its employees?

GK: Special, but not unusual, is the “beer privileges” that the Team gets!

SS: What is the best thing about working at Stone?

GK: Uhhh, well…duh!

SS: Stone seems to have a sizable cult following? Is there anything you could attribute this to? 

GK: We make very good beer.  We have fun making that very good beer.  We know that we make very good beer, and we love sharing it with people that love very good beer.  Therefore, folks that love very good beer appreciate this very much.  That’s very cool.

SS: Are there any people that get free Stone for life?

GK: Me and my partner, Stone Brewmaster Steve Wagner.  But we really didn’t get it free.  Unless millions invested (and in debt to the bank for!), and crazy hours in the early days when no one knew, or cared, who the hell we were could be considered “free.”

SS: Where are the Stone secret recipes kept? How many people know about them?

GK: I’d tell you, but then I’d have to hire you. And swear you to secrecy.  And I don’t even know if you can brew worth a damn or not (which is pretty important in this equation).

SS: Are there any humorous or interesting folklore about the brand floating around Stone HQ?

GK: Undoubtedly.  However, I am GK The Rumor Killa.  Or maybe that’s GK Tha Ruma Killa.  Whatever.  At any rate they don’t share them with me because I inject folklore-deflating “let me tell you what really happened” into each tale…and then it pretty much dies then and there.  KJGK they call me (Kill Joy GK).  Or do they?  Maybe that’s just folklore.

SS: Currently how many other countries get the pleasure of drinking Stone?  

GK: Other than the USofA, Sweden, the UK, and Japan.  In limited amounts.

SS: If there were one thing that sets Stone apart from the competition, what would this be?

GK: We are artisans.  The idea of “competition” is not relevant in our world.  Our world is the world of artisans.  Artisans love being able to appreciate and enjoy each other’s work.  You want other artisans to produce things that are special and unique.  After all, when they do our lives are enriched!  If pressed, I would say that the “competition” is those that don’t produce beers of merit.  Those beers lower the bar.  Beers that lower the bar influence (sadly) the public opinion of beer.  When the public opinion of beer is lowered, they begin to have the opinion that “amazing beer” is a myth.  That it only exists in the warped or uniformed mind, not reality, without realizing that they are the ones that are uniformed.  It causes them to say things like “Sure, I love a beer on a hot day or when I’m at a ballgame” without having a hint of understanding that they have hopelessly marginalized what’s actually possible in the world of amazing beer…and marginalized themselves at the same time.

For more information, visit www.stonebrew.com. Or you can follow the Greg's Twitter at: www.twitter/stonegreg

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