Stone Brewing Announces Live Current IPA, a New West Coast Release for May 2026

Stone Brewing is gearing up to release a fresh new IPA: Live Current IPA. Brewed at the brewery’s locations in Escondido, California, and Richmond, Virginia, this upcoming West Coast IPA lands at 7% ABV with 52 IBUs, promising a classic hop‑forward profile.

Live Current IPA is crafted with a standout blend of Centennial, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Nectaron hops, delivering bright citrus, pine, and tropical character. The beer will be packaged in 16‑oz cans.

According to theStone Seasonal Rotation Calendar, Live Current IPA is slated for a May 2026 release, making it a timely addition to the brewery’s warm‑weather lineup.

Key Points

Stone Brewing is preparing to release a new beer called Live Current IPA.

It will be brewed at both Stone locations: Escondido, CA, and Richmond, VA.

The beer is a West Coast IPA with 7% ABV and 52 IBU.

It features a hop blend of Centennial, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Nectaron.

Packaging will be in 16‑oz cans.

According to the Stone Seasonal Rotation Calendar, the release is expected in May 2026.

About Stone Brewing:

Founded in 1996, Stone Brewing pioneered the West Coast Style IPA, helping to fuel the modern craft beer revolution and inspire generations of hop fanatics. Today Stone operates breweries in Escondido, CA and Richmond, VA plus seven tap room and bistro locations. Stone offers a wide range of craft beers including its most popular Stone IPA, Stone Delicious IPA and Stone Buenaveza Lager. The company’s long list of environmental efforts includes a LEED Silver Certification, world-class water reclamation and creative uses of spent grain. Stone has been called the “All-time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine twice. To find Stone beers, visit find.stonebrewing.com. For more information on Stone Brewing visit stonebrewing.com, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

Stone Brewing is the ninth-largest craft brewer in the United States, founded in 1996 by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner. Known for its hop-forward, West Coast-style IPAs, the company also produces a wide range of other beers and operates restaurants and taprooms. Stone Brewing is committed to sustainability, operating with eco-friendly practices like waste reduction and water conservation. 

History and growth
Founded in San Diego County in 1996, the company has expanded significantly and now has brewing facilities on both U.S. coasts. 

They operate the largest craft-centric beer distribution business in the U.S., making their beers available in all 50 states and over 40 countries. 

Beer Advocate named Stone Brewing the top artisan brewery in the country. 

Products
Stone is famous for its wide variety of IPAs, including the popular Stone IPA and Stone Delicious IPA. 

Other offerings include imperial stouts, barrel-aged brews, and various specialty beers. 

The company is also known for its limited, small-batch, and innovative creations. 

Sustainability and operations
Stone Brewing is dedicated to sustainability through efforts such as recycling, waste reduction, and water conservation. 

Their restaurants use organic produce and are designed with sustainability in mind. 
The company has successfully defended its trademarks, including a notable win against Molson Coors in a trademark infringement case. 

Founded in 1996, we’ve come a long way since brewing our first beers in a small warehouse in North County, San Diego. We started brewing big, bold, flavorful beers, not because they were popular (and if you looked in the beer aisles of the time, they weren’t) but because we believed people would opt for quality if given the choice. We’ve grown from a small local brewery with a few diehard fans to nationwide brand with production breweries on both coasts – Escondido, CA and Richmond, VA – plus a few award-winning restaurants and Tap Rooms in Southern California. The beer aisles today look very different than when we started. and we’re proud to say our beers like Stone IPA and Arrogant Bastard Ale helped paved the way for the modern beer scene.

But our ethos from the beginning remains unchanged – we believe in quality above all else. Quality ingredients and quality people make the highest quality beers.

Beer
It’s no secret that IPAs are our favorite style of beer. We were among the first to pioneer the West Coast style IPA, helping to fuel the modern craft beer revolution and inspire a generation of hop fanatics. But that’s far from the full story! Our passion for beer over the past two-plus decades covers dozens of styles, including lagers, stouts, sours and Belgian-inspired creations.  Explore our beers here.

Our Brewing Facilities
Escondido, California
Opened in 2005, this 55,000 square foot facility served as our sole brewing operation until we expanded tot he Est Coast in 2016. It houses two 120bbl Rolec brew systems and supplies the Western U.S. as well as a number of other countries with fresh Stone beer. A 65,000 square foot packaging hall was added in 2013 to help expand capacity and introduce can packaging. Adjacent to the brewery is our first restaurant: Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido. Check out our menu and plan your next visit.

Richmond, Virginia
Opened in 2016, our Richmond brewing facility kicked off a new chapter of growth for Stone Brewing. This massive 200,000 square foot facility operates a 250bbl Krones brew system and supplies the Eastern U.S. with fresh Stone beer, with plenty of room for future expansion. Check out our RVA brewery and tap room.

Additional Brewing Operations
We are driven by a desire to experiment, and we are able to do so frequently thanks to our smaller brewing operations. Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station houses a 10bbl brew system that produces unique, exclusive beers you won’t find anywhere but at Stone locations. (Though many fan-favorites go on to become nationwide releases!)

Freshness Fanatics
We work hard to brew great-tasting beers, and freshness can make or break everything. (Especially on the hop-heavy beers we love to brew.)  Spot any expired beer? Let us know here.

Hospitality
We believe in creating amazing experiences to pair with our world-class beer. Stone Brewing operates a number of unique  venues to enjoy our beers, ranging from large scale fine dining at our Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens locations, to casual, local-friendly atmospheres at our Stone Brewing Tap Rooms.
The Stone Experience

Stone Brewing was founded on the idea of challenging the status quo. Because we believe there is a world of options when pairing beer with food, we feature eclectic, world-inspired dishes. Because we believe in making choices that benefit the planet and the community, we source quality local and organic ingredients from small high-quality suppliers. It’s all about the joy of coming together around incredible beer, remarkable food and superior service.
Our Locations

Our locations utilize repurposed materials, historical structures and outdoor space to create memorable, unique settings. We host events throughout the year, from beer festivals to food pairings and live music along with private events of all kinds – including weddings. To explore our venues, make a reservation or inquire about events, click here.

The STONE Gargoyle
Gargoyles are historically known as protectors against evil spirits. Since the beginning, our Stone Gargoyle has represented our ceaseless quest to create the most awesome beers imaginable. Think of the Gargoyle as the big friend that’s got your back. Ever vigilant, ever watchful, and ever your humble servant.

GARGOYLES ARE HISTORICALLY KNOWN AS PROTECTORS AGAINST EVIL SPIRITS. SINCE THE BEGINNING, OUR STONE GARGOYLE HAS REPRESENTED OUR CEASELESS QUEST TO CREATE THE MOST AWESOME BEERS IMAGINABLE. THINK OF THE GARGOYLE AS THE BIG FRIEND THAT’S GOT YOUR BACK. EVER VIGILANT, EVER WATCHFUL, AND EVER YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT.

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