Greetings, Earth beer humans.
This is BeerAlien reporting from the hops-infused corner of your planet known as San Diego, where one of your most influential liquid culture institutions—Stone Brewing—has reached the advanced age of 30 Earth years.
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Yes, thirty. On your planet, that’s roughly the moment when legends are no longer “up-and-coming” and instead become foundational mythology.
Stone Brewing sold its first keg three decades ago, unknowingly triggering a chain reaction that helped fuel what you call the craft beer revolution. We have studied the data. It checks out.
To celebrate this milestone, Stone is dedicating all of 2026 to honor beer, rebellion, collaboration, and hop-forward excellence—with sweepstakes, throwback brews, archive releases, collaborations, and shiny commemorative packaging that appeals strongly to human dopamine receptors.
🛸 Gold Packaging Detected: Stone IPA Celebrated
The celebration begins with Stone’s flagship offering, Stone IPA, temporarily outfitted in gold 30th-anniversary packaging. This is your human signal that something important is happening.
Alongside the gold cans comes the Stone Brewing 30th Anniversary Sweepstakes. Grand Prize winners—chosen in May and September—will be transported to San Diego for behind-the-scenes brewery access, direct interaction with Stone’s brewing minds, and nourishment at both Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens locations.
Additional winners will receive $500 merchandise bundles, which we assume are designed to assert dominance at backyard gatherings.
BeerAlien analysis:
✔ Free beer-adjacent travel
✔ Brewer access
✔ San Diego sunshine
✔ Acceptable human prize structure
🧠 Origin Story Logged: Collaboration Was Always the Mission
BeerAlien historians uncovered an early Stone Brewing anomaly.
According to CEO Zach Keeling, when distributors refused to carry craft beer in Stone’s early days, founders Greg Koch and Steve Wagner simply… created their own distribution system.
One van. Multiple breweries. No permission.
“Aerostar van” is now archived in BeerAlien lore as Primitive Craft Beer Transport Unit #001.
This spirit of collaboration—born out of necessity and stubbornness—remains at Stone’s core. In 2026, the brewery will launch a series of collaboration beers with allies past and present, most available on draft at Stone locations, with one major San Diego collaboration set for 16oz six-pack release this summer.
Alien conclusion: Stone never waited for approval. That explains everything.
🍻 Archive Vaults Opening: Classics Returning to Orbit
Stone fans, prepare your taste receptors.
Throughout the year, Stone will rebrew fan-favorite classics and release archive beers, available in limited quantities and only at Stone Brewing locations. Confirmed sightings include:
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Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous IPA (rebrew)
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Stone Ruination IPA (rebrew)
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Stone Imperial Stout (archive)
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Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine (archive)
Draft-only releases will go even deeper into the Stone timeline, including Stone Mocha IPA and the brewery’s very first creation: Stone Pale Ale.
And then there’s the hop anomaly.
A Fresh Hop Ruination IPA will be brewed with hops harvested in Washington and flown to San Diego the same day, maximizing freshness and potentially causing temporary euphoria among hop-sensitive humans.
BeerAlien advisory: hydrate accordingly.
🎉 Late-Summer Signal Incoming: Anniversary Festival Confirmed
Stone’s 30th Anniversary Festival is scheduled for late summer 2026, promising:
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Invitational guest breweries
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New experimental beers
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Stone classics
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Entertainment
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Ticket pricing reminiscent of 1996 Earth economics
Details remain classified—for now.
👽 Final Transmission: Stone Is Still Stone
“2026 is a tribute to our fans, our team members and our partners,” expressed Keeling. “This milestone year will be packed with experiences we hope elicit pride and camaraderie, reminding fans that greatness is built on a foundation of Stone.”
BeerAlien translation:
Stone Brewing isn’t coasting on nostalgia. It’s reinforcing the foundation it helped build—one loud, unapologetic beer at a time.
Follow @StoneBrewing on Instagram for weekly throwbacks, release alerts, and unexpected surprises throughout the year.
This has been BeerAlien.
We observe.
We analyze.
We drink your beer.
🛸🍺
Raymond
Terry Bunch
