If you are visiting craft breweries around the country, a must-stop on your tour is Stone Brewery in San Diego. The brewery opened in 1996 and is now the largest brewery in Southern California. They have expanded to many locations, but the original Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens is in Escondido. Here, they have an expansive restaurant with an outdoor patio and one-acre organic beer garden. The Stone story is full of “hoppiness”— producing standout beers with excellent service and consistency.
Tours
Experience their newly expanded tour route, where an expert guide will lead you through the heart of the brewing facility and packaging hall in Escondido. You’ll get an insider’s look at the brewing process and craft beer culture, then finish it off with a selection of core and special-release beers served in a souvenir glass for you to take home. Tours can be booked online in advance, and they reserve a few tickets for walk-in customers.
Stone World Bistro & Gardens
After our visit to the Stone facility, our takeaway is that Stone has created an amazing craft brewery experience. The already impressive brewery is anchored by one of the best culinary experiences in California. Where else are you going to find a one-acre beer garden? There are 36 year-round and seasonal craft brews on tap. It all started with the Stone Pale Ale, and now the current selection is overwhelming from American Ales, Belgian Style Ales, IPAs, Stouts and on and on. We are sure you will find a few beers on tap that pair well with your lunch or dinner selection at the bistro.
Company Store
The Stone Company Store is a unique shopping experience. Pick up some Stone apparel, barware, or even some of their special recipe hot sauce. They also sell 1- and 2-liter growlers filled with year-round beers and special releases. We always recommend purchasing a memento from your travels to enjoy once you get home.
Events
Stone has special themed events at the brewery throughout the year. Their 23rd Anniversary is coming up in August and they are having a three-day celebration. On Saturday August 17th at the Escondido location, they will have a Rare Beer Festival, showcasing their most unique and hard-to-find beers.
Opening Winter 2019
The new Stone Brewery Hotel, opening later this year across from the brewery, will be a 100,000 square foot, beer-centric specialty hotel. We suggest booking a room at the Stone Brewery Hotel to enjoy the Southern California winter months.
Stone Brewing
1999 Citracado Parkway
Escondido, CA 92029 Other US Locations
San Diego, CA l Oceanside, CA l Pasadena, CA l Napa, CA l Richmond, VA
