Stone Brewing continues to crush it: Plans to open Napa, Calif. tap room and pilot brewery

It couldn’t happen to a cooler brewing business. Stone Brewing Co. has (yet again) announced another brewery and beer destination, expanding its craft empire with diplomacy, strategy and damn good beer. Let’s count the Stone Brewing consumer-focused locations, shall we?

Stone Brewing World Bistros and Gardens:

• Escondido, Calif.
• Liberty Station, San Diego
• Berlin, German

Now, let’s count the so called Stone Outposts:

• Richmond, Va. (the upcoming brewery and Stone Co. store)
• Oceanside, Va. (a Stone Co. store)
• Pasadena, Calif. (a Stone Co. store)
• On Kettner (a Stone Co. store) in San Diego
• The Tap Room (bar) in San Diego
• Petco Park (bar) in San Diego
• San Diego INTL Airport (bar and bistro)

Soon, we’ll be adding another location to that Stone Brewing list of properties — in wine country of all places. The Escondido, Calif.-based brewing brand will begin renovations to a 10,000-square-foot building in downtown Napa, bringing its bold and flavorful craft beer to the region well-known for its vino. Stone’s newest outpost, located on 3rd Street and Soscol Avenue, will include a pilot brewing system, a dining experience, growler fills, merchandise and that cool, classy, all-are-welcome Stone vibe.

“The historic Borreo building is the perfect space for us to put down our roots in Napa,” said Greg Koch, Stone Brewing CEO and co-founder. “Not only is it literally made of stone, it’s one of downtown’s most iconic links to the 19th century and a landmark that’s been vacant for the past 15 years. We recognize the high quality of wine that comes from the region and the appreciation that Napa Valley locals and visitors have for fresh, well-crafted drink. We are elated to become a contributing part of such an artisanal town.”

Give me all the details

The 10-barrel pilot brew system will enable brewers to produce Stone’s bold and innovative beer using core recipes as well as indigenous ingredients from the local geography. The Stone Brewing Tap Room-Napa will fill growlers and serve Stone’s year-round beers as well as special releases brewed onsite.

Stone’s food philosophy will carry over to its newest Tap Room with a dining experience that incorporates the local Napa flavors for enjoyment on premise or to take away picnic-style. Stone proudly specializes in locally grown, small-farm ingredients and features an eclectic menu of world-inspired cuisine and a unique take on comfort food. As strong advocates for environmental responsibility and high-quality food, Stone will purchase local and small-farm organic produce from the Napa region. Making the most of outstanding weather is something the San Diego-based company is quite familiar with. Locals and tourists visiting Stone Brewing Tap Room – Napa will enjoy an outdoor seating area complete with communal tables, fire pits and views overlooking downtown Napa.

The historic Borreo building, named for the family that formerly owned the historic stone structure, is an Italianate Renaissance design made from native-cut stone. It was completed in 1877 and has been vacant since 2001. While keeping historic elements in place, Stone plans to transform the building’s western wall, adding expansive doors to a stunning garden facing the Napa River.

“I’m a huge Napa fan,” said Koch. “I’ve been visiting for more than 20 years and I first toured through the Borreo Building nearly five years ago. We’ve tried a few times to make something happen there, and are thrilled to finally see it come to fruition!”

With an anticipated opening in 2017, Stone Brewing Tap Room-Napa joins two expansion projects already underway for the growing company. Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens-Berlin will open its doors in Germany this summer. Stone Brewing-Richmond will begin supplying fresh Stone beer from its 250-barrel brewhouse in July.