After posting about Stone Brewing, I realized that I talked mostly beers, so now lets talk about the facility. This place is amazing! I'll start with my only complaint....guys....you need signs. Short of recognizing that the building has a lot of "Stone-work" on the exterior, it's pretty much a guess until you open the door that you're at Stone Brewing. Step in the door and you're in the gift shop, shirts, Stone-swag, bottles and an impressive tour-tasting station and growler refill area (see photo 1).As you progress out of the gift-shop, you open into a massive warehouse sized bar and restaurant. The main wall features a floor-to-ceiling stone relief sculpture of the Stone logo, the next wall opens to a huge outdoor bistro & gardens (with an outdoor bar). Ahead is a huge upper level party room with outdoor deck, a huge indoor main bar and finally to the left, the brewery (see photo 2).
This place is like nothing I've ever seen in a micro-brewery facility. It's huge, the gardens are huge and the setup is incredible. Indoor waterfalls, 35-foot tall windows, huge indoor plants, massive chunky wooden bars & tables and you guessed it....Stone everywhere. Not just the use of Stone, but the Stone logo is subtle, but everywhere...laser cut lanterns, relief sculptures....it's all very cool.I'll end the review with the bathroom. The walls feature stainless steel strips surrounded by tiny black stones potruding out of the walls..but the best part is the stainless steel strips have barley & hops somehow embedded in them. If you get a chance, and you can find it, DO GO TO Stone Brewery. I'll follow with more pictures later...
I see Oak Barrels...I assume this is for the Oaked Bastard?
ReplyDeleteNot sure....it was actually my understanding that Oaked Bastard uses oak chips and is not barrel aged. We thought it may be the Vertical 7 since that uses red wine barrels or perhaps the barleywine (they are serving 2008 and 2007 barleywine, but the 2007 was bottles only).
ReplyDeleteWow...so did the beers taste different?
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I had a bottled Ruination right after I landed and I thought that tasted different from our local bottled Ruination....then we had it on tap and it was even better. Perhaps it was environmental, but they all tasted cleaner/fresher...especially the Vertical 7, Barleywine and Oaked Bastard. Now you're making me want to go back!
ReplyDeleteThere are actually two separate entrances into Stone. There is the store entrance that you went through and the entrance to the restaurant itself. When you came into the "lobby area" you would have seen a big woooden door. You can get to that from the right of the store entrance. There is stone hallway so to speak with vines growing over it.
ReplyDeleteWe saw the other entrance after the fact, but with the lack of any signs and based on our parking space (it was Sat) we ended up at the gift shop door. It's quite an amazing facility, even without any signs. I'm wondering if they just haven't got around to adding a sign or if they simply don't plan to do it...or perhaps they're not allowed to have a sign...
ReplyDeleteI think thats just how Greg wants the place. Signs would tend to take away from the atmosphere. Its going to be quite a Oasis once they get done building the expansion to the hospital right next door.
ReplyDeleteEither way, you'll know you are in the right place if you know anything about the facility and I'm sure you will find a way in. ;)
We found our way for sure....There are a few trucks with the Stone advertising at the far end and a little grain silo out back. I'd love to see a subtle stone sign just the same but I understand how he may have a different vision. Seems like that whole neighborhood was up and coming.
ReplyDeleteThey used to be the only building on that road for awhile. That road isn't even on most maps or gps either.
ReplyDeleteI can vouch for the not on GPS part...
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