Stone Brewing Company laid off employees of its restaurants, taprooms and distributions sales force, which amounted about 306 workers. Some state lawmakers have proposed bills that would extend business interruption insurance clauses to cover losses sustained from closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Diego-headquartered Stone Brewing’s long-running trademark infringement lawsuit against Molson Coors’ Keystone brand will move to trial in October. Stone first brought the lawsuit against MillerCoors in February 2018 in the U.S. District Court Southern District of California, alleging that the April 2017 packaging and marketing refresh for the company’s Keystone Light brand that more prominently featured the word “Stone” infringed on the craft brewery’s intellectual property.

Stone Brewing has shuttered its taproom in Shanghai, China, citing pressures from tariffs and COVID-19, the coronavirus disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Rogue Ales & Spirits plans to close its nearly two-decade old brewpub in Issaquah, Washington, on Friday. Mikkeller’s Los Angeles taproom has closed its doors after three years, according to Eater LA.

In the latest edition of People Moves: Stone Distributing Company general manager Dave Watson is no longer leading the San Diego-headquartered craft brewery’s wholesaler division, and the company has tapped Anthony Trento as interim GM. Also, job changes at Firestone Walker, Boochcraft and Two Robbers.

San Diego Loyal Soccer Club (SD Loyal) unveiled the club’s home, away and goalkeeper uniforms Thursday night at its 2020 Inaugural Kit Reveal Party celebration at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station. The white and orange kits revealed the logo of Southern California’s largest independent craft brewery, Stone Brewing.

In the spirit of all the exploratory missions deployed across the galaxy — be they spacecraft, Viking or other — Stone Brewing launches Stone Viking Space Probe Double IPA. The 8.5% ABV beer boldly goes where no hazy brew has gone before with an unchartered combination of hops and Belgian Candi Sugar that earns it a spot among the ranks of Stone’s genre-defying creations.

Stone Brewing announces the release of Stone Neverending Haze IPA, a low-ABV IPA delivering a triumphantly bold hit of flavor.

Brewbound readers in 2019 gravitated to stories about major craft brewery mergers and acquisitions, hard seltzer launches and reformulations, lawsuits and distribution disputes and brewery closures. The announcement of the $300 million merger between Boston Beer Company and Dogfish Head set the stage for a busy year of M&A activity, as many craft brewers began to form partnerships to weather a more tumultuous competitive marketplace.

Stone Brewing CEO Dominic Engels and Karl Strauss Brewing CEO and co-founder Chris Cramer discussed their respective companies’ operations and strategies last week at the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica. Both San Diego companies are listed on not-for-profit trade group the Brewers Association’s (BA) list of the 50 largest craft breweries. However, Engels and Cramer offered varying perspectives for attendees and viewers.

A federal magistrate judge last Thursday filed a report and recommendation order largely siding with Stone Brewing’s claims that MillerCoors did not provide all available marketing materials for its Keystone brand during the lawsuit’s discovery phase.

Stone Brewing’s Arrogant Consortia has announced the launch of Jägermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale, an American strong ale brewed in collaboration with the makers of Jägermeister. Meanwhile, New Belgium Brewing Company and High Brew Coffee are collaborating on new coffee beer. And Superfluid Supply Company, a new subsidiary of Short’s Brewing, today announced the release of Beaches Hard Seltzer.

This week, Stone Brewing wraps up 2019 with not one but two seasonal beers to welcome the long dark nights ahead. Fan favorites, Stone Ghost Hammer IPA and Stone Xocoveza are now rolling out nationwide.

For a limited time, Stone Brewing announces a sneak peek of Stone Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager.

In this week’s Last Call: Breakside Brewing Implements Employee Stock Ownership Plan; The Brewers Association Shares Brewery Employee Diversity Data; Guns N’ Roses and CANarchy Settle Lawsuit; Anheuser-Busch Rolls Out Bud Light College Branded Packaging.