How I Built— And Maintain— A Cult Brand (Even After Selling To Private Equity)

Greg Koch was a wannabe musician who ran a rehearsal studio in Los Angeles for renowned rock bands like Fear Factory, Fishbone, and the Melvins. Then he co-founded Stone Brewing, which quickly became enormously influential in the craft beer world, thanks to its strong brews and even stronger personality. Stone Brewing is a 12-time Inc. 5000 honoree. But forgive Koch for being more excited about a recent collaboration with Metallica.

My favorite bands were ones that just went for it. Early Jane’s Addiction. Metallica. Primus. Nobody ever asked for the kind of music they were playing.

I didn’t look for a niche in the market and decide there was a place for a craft beer with a strong personality. It came from my music background, and just wanting to freely express who we are. It’s a DIY mentality, often associated with punk rock—a go-your-own-roadness and a rejection of the norms.

I never expected to sell more than maybe 100 cases of Arrogant Bastard Ale. In 1997, nobody in the industry would have said people wanted a 7.2 percent alcohol, overly hoppy, overly aggressive beer. It was a reflection of my feelings at the time, which haven’t completely changed: a high disdain for a corporate mentality and those lowest common denominators generally exuded by large brands. The label that I wrote for Arrogant Bastard calls a lot of that out very directly. It lets people know that they should expect something different— and that it’s probably not for them.