Show 166: Lifecycle of a Brewery

When Stone Brewing launched in the mid-90s, its aggro “you’re not worthy!” vibe captured the counter-culture zeitgeist of craft brewing. It was able to build a brand on the rising popularity of IPAs—one that took it to Virginia and ultimately Berlin. Yet all that reversed itself in recent years and Stone found itself flailing in a new world that didn’t admire aggro anymore. It got us thinking about how breweries go through a familiar life cycle, one that would make a worthy topic. Beers tasted: Fort George 3-Way, Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing Photo: Sierra Nevada's first brewery (photo: Sierra Nevada)