Quote:
Originally Posted by CorvinaLoca
I think thread posted again yesterday to remind everyone is a bit outdated.
Check out more recent response from Stone CEO and co-founder this thread and on BD below:
http://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/mar...port-mlpa.html
I'm all for Ballast Point - Sculpin IPA is one my favorite beers all time. But I also enjoy Stone's Smoked Porter and love the fact that I can buy a case of Stone IPA at Costco for about $30. Great beers too.
In the end it's a free country and I'm not going to bash someone for giving away free beer to nonprofits (even ones that I don't like). If you don't like his personal views, then of course don't support his company. But hey, for all you who highly principled ex-Stone drinkers, PM me and I'll come by to pick up all your beer  . |
That link is bad, but I was ok with the response from Stone Brew regarding this.
Surfrider is still on my hitlist, but as far as I can tell, Stone simply donated beer to an event that was held by an organization. Stone seemed pretty far removed from advocating or promoting any closures. All the torches and pitchforks directed at Stone seems to be the equal of boycotting a McDonalds because the cashier had shopped at Walmart, and Walmart supports the MLPA. I'd hate to be a charitable business owner, and get tar and feathered because i donated product to an organization that someone objected to.
Unless someone can point out to me how Stone directly supported the closures, they'll be OK in my book. If not, I think there has been alot of overreacting regarding this.
With all that aside, Ballast Point Scupin IPA is possibly the best beer of all time, and is now available in cans
Here is the response from Stone unless you missed it
"Statement from Stone Brewing Co. CEO and Co-Founder, Greg Koch:
I feel compelled to respond to the mistaken claims regarding Stone and our supposed involvement with the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). Stone Brewing Co. does not currently support or plan to support the MLPA in the future.
In April 2010 we were sent what looked like a very reasonable letter from SD Coastkeeper asking permission to have Stone Brewing Co.’s name added to a long list of companies in support of the Marine Life Protection Act. I took a look at it, decided it looked okay on the surface, and said okay.
It’s arguable that that might not have been a good call. It was, however, the one and only interaction we had with the MLPA.
Between April 2010 and January 2012, I received only one email asking me to support the MLPA, to which I never responded. Additionally, we were not contacted by any anti-MLPA groups requesting that we support their point of view during this period.
Seemingly out of nowhere, in January 2012, we began receiving angry and accusatory inquiries about our “support” of the MLPA. When the accusations were brought to my attention, nearly two years after I received the initial letter asking for support, I was not aware of the issues, pro or con, behind the subject. Some people didn’t care, and saw us as a company on which to focus their online ire, beginning a litany of hostile accusations on websites and in emails. We responded to these comments with what we believed would end any speculation of our involvement. However, our response was dismissed by a small group of people who were very familiar with the MLPA. Admittedly, the MLPA issue was not something we were involved in, and not something we knew much about as it is not within our scope of business.
Stone Brewing Co. in no way has ever supported, is currently supporting, or planned to support the MLPA in the future (other than the single misguided generic letter we responded to that I mentioned in the first paragraph). Saying we support the MLPA is like saying we’re supporting a particular political party because we once said we thought one of their policies seemed reasonable. We’ve participated in no rallies. Conducted no fundraising. There has been no activity by Stone Brewing Co. regarding the MLPA. None.
We do participate in more than 500 charitable events a year, and have donated more than $2 million to local charities and nonprofits during the past 16 years. Is it possible that we donated beer to an event that was being held in support of the MLPA? It’s possible. Our policy is that if a 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 organization approaches us with the necessary and correct California Alcoholic Beverage Control paperwork, we most often say yes to their donation requests.
Due to the unfounded accusations around this MLPA issue, we reached out to the San Diego Surfrider chapter and inquired whether any funds we ever donated had been channeled to the MLPA. In their response letter to us, they assured us they had not. To guarantee our non-involvement, we have formally asked them to only use donated funds from Stone Brewing Co. exclusively for efforts such as beach cleanup, runoff treatment, Hold On To Your Butt, and their Rise Above Plastics campaign (programs which most certainly are near and dear to our hearts). We’ve made it clear to them that we do not wish to be listed as a supporter of the MLPA, as we never should have been in the first place. We’re politically neutral, and it was an error on our part to have allowed ourselves to be listed on the initial letter.
Since this letter covers how the events unfolded, this will be the last you’ll hear from us on this subject. If, after reading my account on the way everything played out, you still feel you will not buy our beer or visit our restaurant, so be it. Thank you for taking the time to read my account and taking into consideration the facts about Stone’s non-involvement in the MLPA issue.
Greg Koch
Stone Brewing Co.
CEO and Co-Founder
July 25th, 2012"
I'm going to have a beer.
Steve