World of Beer Craft: Stone Brewing releases its first Berlin-brewed beers

Seven years in the making, Stone Brewing Co. has gone where few (if any) American craft breweries have gone before, conquering the milestone of brewing in Europe (Germany, no less) while launching into 17 countries. Stone Brewing announced last week that its Berlin, Germany, brewery is now fully operational, and the company is now distributing all over Europe. Holy shit, right? Especially when you consider a quote like this from last year:

If you’re unsure how American beer is viewed in Germany, ask Sylvia Kopp [the Brewers Association’s newly appointed ambassador to Europe].

“People in my classes,” said Kopp, who tutors 500 Germans each year at her Berlin Beer Academy, “still think American beer is that fizzy yellow thing.”

We raise our pints to Stone on its pioneering effort to change the impression of American beer around the world. According to the press release:

“We’re very excited that our state-of-the-art brewery is online and that kegging and canning are underway,” said Greg Koch, Stone CEO and co-founder. “I’m proud of the job Team Stone has done…the facility is amazingly beautiful, the beers are tasting really incredible and this is a spectacular, monumental moment for American craft beer as a whole.”

Who’s running this operation?

At the helm of Stone’s Berlin brewery is Thomas Tyrell, a 25-year veteran of the international beer community. As Director of Brewing Operations, Tyrell manages all aspects of the production department, including brewing and packaging operations, production scheduling, incoming ingredients and materials, utilities, maintenance and, most importantly, beer quality. Tyrell is celebrated for his research on yeast strains, fermentation and beer flavor stability. Before joining StoneBerlin, he most recently spent eight years as an instructor and brewing engineer at VLB Berlin, where he led research and development projects and served as a technological consultant for breweries big and small across the world.

What about the destination experience?

The stunningly beautiful Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens — Berlin will open this summer. Housed in an expansive 1901 historic gasworks building, two bars will welcome fans to Germany’s largest draft selection with 65 beers on tap, featuring Stone and a wide array of guest craft and artisanal ales and lagers. The bistro will follow Stone’s food philosophy, focusing on small-farm organic produce and advocating for environmental responsibility and the Slow Food movement.