I was down in San Diego Sunday through Tuesday for a CSBA meeting and had a chance to see the new Stone Brewery in Escondido on Monday for the very first time.

The public entrance to Stone’s World Bistro & Gardens had, naturally, a large boulder that was chosen out of hundreds to be the signature “stone” for the brewery.

Stone’s new head brewer, Mitch Steele (who used to be with A-B, and before that with San Andreas Brewing in Hollister, California), gave us a tour of the facility.

I imagine a brewery tour for brewers and brewery owners is a little bit different than one for the general public, what I generally refer to as civilians.

Stone has a few oak barrels aging a few of their beers prominently displayed in the brewery.

Stone’s beautiful new silver brewery, as seen from the upper walkway.

Looking down from the top.

Rows of fermenters in the brewery.

One of the coolest sights in the cold box, all the pallets of kegs marked with the pink signs are archived beers, meaning they’re old kegs of beers aging and waiting for some special event.

The brewery gardens seen from the restaurant balcony.

Sydney and Tomme Arthur, Greg Peters, Jeff Bagby and Noah Regney, a quartet of Brewers from Pizza Port, along with Pat McIlhenney from Alpine Brewing.

Looking back onto the bistro and the brewery from the other side of the gardens.

A waterfall in the brewery gardens. If you look closely you can see a white gnome under the waterfall. I’m told that’s not it’s usual hiding place.

Co-owner Greg Koch toasting the end of a great day, in front of his Stone World Bistro & Gardens.