How I Built— And Maintain— A Cult Brand (Even After Selling To Private Equity)
Inc.|July - August 2019

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.

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

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.

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