Beer fans descend to swamp Stone party

By: PAUL SISSON - Staff Writer | Tuesday, August 24, 2004 10:58 PM PDT ∞

ESCONDIDO --- Greg Koch, president of Stone Brewing Co., knew the crowd for his company's eighth anniversary celebration would be large. But the estimated 4,200 people who attended Stone's birthday party Saturday took even Koch by surprise.

"When we were planning I was a little concerned that we might not have enough people show up," Koch said Tuesday. "That obviously was not a problem."

Last year about 3,600 people attended the company's 7th anniversary party held at its much smaller location in San Marcos.

This year the event was held at the future site of Stone's new brewing facility, under four large white canopies at the far end of the Escondido Research and Technology Center at the end of Vine Street.

Participants paid $15 each for 12 samples of beer from Stone and 24 other visiting brewers. Stone will donate $40,000 in net proceeds to three local charities: Surfrider Foundation, the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos and the Palomar Family YMCA.

There were so many people at Saturday's event that supply could not keep up with demand. At many beer booths thirsty beer drinkers waited 15 minutes or more for their glasses to be filled. Many visiting breweries ran out of beer before the event ended at 4 p.m. Even hot-dog buns ran out before the party ended.

"We didn't want people to have to wait that long," Koch said. "We will under sell the event next year. We feel we owe it to all of the great beer fans out there who had to wait."

Koch added that Stone was forced to turn away many who arrived after the event started.

"We were just not able to accommodate everybody," he said.

Koch also said he is working on some kind of special event to "make it up" to local Stone fans who waited too long in line Saturday.

Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 740-5416 or psisson@nctimes.com

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