First Berlin-Brewed Stone Beers Tap Monday

Very good point! Many be it'll happen in time. I liked the Polish craft beer scene when I was there a couple years ago. I wish you nothing but success in your new endeavors! It's good to see Californian/SoCal beer represented so well abroad. Cheers!

 

Congrats Stone. You guys always do things right, hope this project follows suit.

 

Can confirm. Dated a girl from WI for a while. Every time we were up there I would want to go to New Glarus, but everyone is drinking Natty Ice and asking why I dont just drink that...

 

@StoneGreg How bout Currywurst and pommes frites? Back in the mid 80's when I visited West Berlin we would drink Berliner Weiss and eat currywurst and pommel frites almost every night after work. A great diet when your military pay was small. FYI I'll be there the first weekend in March for a concert near your StoneBerlin. I hope you guys will be open then. Looking forward to bringing my European friends to the brewery.

 

LOL. We've actually had signs posted since our announcement event in July 2014 that we won't be serving currywurst. Sorry my friend. And dang, we won't be open when you're here either...not until late March. Disappointing you on TWO fronts. Well, you'll be welcome to visit all the same, and we'll have Berlin-brewed Stone beers around town at least!

 

Oh I'm bummed out about not being open early March. But I can pass on the currywurst. pommel frites with mayo on the other hand? The wife and I visited Berlin back in 2009 for a concert and I had her try the currywurst. She didn't care for it. I hope you will have info on your site on what locations will be serving Stone beers while I'm there in March. I've been telling all my Euro friends about all the craft love here in the states and I would like to have them experience it themselves. It get very very expensive shipping bottles/cans over to the UK and Slovakia.

 

That would be really cool eventually but the article and Stone's general tone throughout the process make me think they will just make their beers like they already do, but for the German Market.

 

Now I want Currywurst.

 

Sounds like a vision we all have had a one point. Let me spread this food dish or home brew to as many people as possible. The vision is now global. Congrats

I do wonder. Is the area prepared? Will they backlash super hoppy beers? Have there been test trials? Are they used to some hoppy imported stuff? I also wonder why a local brewery hasn't delved into the hoppier beers (and if they have, it sorta sucks as some huge American Corp comes in and takes away the pints from the smaller guys trying local hoppy beers). With their millions invested, I doubt they care about their footprint or market share loss/gain on others vs. them.

What I'm getting at is, was Stone even needed in the general area? Were the hoppier bolder styles just too slow to build vs. demand? I don't care for STONE IPA or the other regular varieties. but I guess it doesnt hurt to be the first to enter the market and stake your claim. Just be prepared as BP and others come jumping in as they watch Stone fail/succeed on certain styles ....

Its ambitious to be that first though (Xocoveza is one that should be shared with everyone. so not withstanding the hoppy beers, I agree of this huge expansion on the Xocoveza basis alone ). I'm left skeptical about their fresh take on Stone IPA and if it will be a positive impression going forward

 

This is nothing short of history in action. I'm very happy and proud of StoneGreg, and I wish I could see the reaction of open-minded German beer lovers. The best of luck and introducing American beer to Germans is a truly amazing accomplishment.

 

Congrats @StoneGreg and crew. Many Europeans are going to be blown away by the hoppy stuff. I assume many of them will find our love of hops to be too aggressive, but "Oh well." I'm sure many will enjoy a totally new approach to what beer can offer.

 

Stone is following the business model of 'build it and they will come'. Only time will tell whether this approach will work in Berlin and the larger European beer market.

These are very exciting times!!

Cheers!

 

it will be a pleasure to buy a Stone in Barcelona, and then smuggle it in to France to enjoy on a beach when we next visit family over there.... excellent news.

 

So, people in Europe, how was it?

 

Great stuff. The IPA and Arrogant Bastard were quite good. I especially liked the IPA, with its super fresh tropical fruit profile.
Xocoveza was excellent, as I expected - the highlight of the evening for me. We did have to let it warm up a bit, since it was too cold straight from the tap. In comparison to the first edition, this one felt a bit more carbonated and therefore not quite as smooth and creamy, and also the cocoa and cinnamon weren't as noticeable as before, but other than that, it is still a world class beer for me.

 

Don't know, no party in France

 

About 6 months ago I was at The Bruery with some friends and we started talking to 4 guys from Germany. All 4 of them were here on business and they were drinking the low ABV stuff, so we started buying them higher ABV stuff and even a hoppy beer. When they had the barrel aged high ABV stuff they all exclaimed "This isn't beer!" and laughed, but in a wonderful German accent.

The one thing they did like is the hoppy character (and it was a pretty hoppy beer too) in one of the beers and ended up all buying the hoppy beer the rest of the night. They ranged in age from late 20s to 60s so it wasn't just young guys.

I know it was only 4 guys, but if we can win over 4 German guys on business in the states, I think that Stone will have NO problem filling those seats.

 

This is really, really cool. It's difficult to imagine the possibilities this creates for American craft in the next few years.

@StoneGreg nice to see you guys supporting the tech boys at Brewbot as well.

 

Just back from 3 weeks in Germany, primarily Franconia, the OberPfalz, and Niederbayern. Here are a few things I noticed that are different today than when I lived there in 98-99.

There are bottles shops that specialize in Craft now. Over 50% of the bottles were German Craft. One sees many Germen Pale ales and IPAs in those shops. The shop in Regenburg had a wooden keg with a Sanke fitting, and were pouring the IPA from Spital, a local traditional brewery. It was hoppy, but balanced with malt. They used Herkules, Mandarina Bavaria, Cascade, and a little Simcoe for dry hopping, according to the Brewer who was there. I bought a couple of bottles of German IPAs to take to my Homebrew club meeting, will see how those are Friday night.

As for Fries, those are Frites, and are often served with Schnitzel, had that combo at a brewery restaurant in Regensburg. My wife had Steak Frites when out with her friends the last night.

Curry Wurst is drunk food, at least to us. We didn't have any this trip, as we were never that inebriated. No Dönner Kebab either.

 

I was at the one in Brewbot in Belfast (Northern Ireland), a great night was had by all. Had tried stone before, but it was great to have them on tap locally. Look forward to more coming this way!