Thirsty crowds swarm Stone Brewing’s Greg Koch, Wil Wheaton

Stone Brewing Co. helped put San Diego on the craft beer map, and their year-old Pasadena retail location is helping to feed Los Angeles’ growing craft culture.

The dedication of L.A.’s Stone fans was plain on a recent rainy Monday evening as dozens lined up for a special event benefiting the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA that featured a lengthy list of rare Stone brews on tap and geek celebrity Wil Wheaton behind the bar. Stone’s CEO and co-founder, Greg Koch, was on hand for the festivities, and I cornered him (literally) in the packed house to ask how Stone’s foray in Los Angeles was going.

Koch revealed that he had long looked at the Southern California market as “too daunting” to break into, but after opening the 2,000-square-foot “Company Store” beside the tracks of the Metro Gold Line last year, he says countless people have thanked him for bringing the Stone brand here.

The location sells branded merchandise alongside bottle of Stone’s beer to-go, but the main draw for Stone fans is the wall of taps dedicated to Stone’s year-round beers and special releases available to sip on the attached patio or to take home in a growler.

Koch said he was pleased by the excited response to the location’s opening, but he wasn’t surprised -- he knew there were many “rabid” Stone fans in Los Angeles that would make the location a success.

While there are no official plans to open a second Stone location here, there is a possibility. Koch said that he has looked at several properties but hasn’t found the perfect spot yet, though he wouldn’t reveal if they were looking to open a second retail location or if they would be bringing the Stone Bistro dining concept to Los Angeles.

Judging by the near hourlong line for growler fills, and the elbow-to-elbow crowd inside the taproom, Los Angeles has embraced the San Diego brewery and is thirsty for more. Stone Brewing has developed a strong brand with a loyal following, and Koch’s advice for L.A’s up-and-coming breweries is to be true to yourself and approach every aspect of the business with “joy and energy.”

Stone Company Store, 220 S. Raymond Ave. #103 Pasadena, (626) 440-7243.

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