For two decades, Stone Brewing was one of Escondido’s defining landmarks. Its sprawling brewery and restaurant on Citracado Parkway became a destination for craft-beer fans, with multiple bars and an expansive garden featuring trails, waterfalls, a lake and a koi pond. At one point, it ranked among North County’s most popular attractions.

Stone’s founders, Greg Koch and Steve Wagner, sold the company to Sapporo in 2022. Earlier this year, Sapporo sold Stone’s brands and several public venues to Firestone Walker Brewing and Duvel USA, while continuing to operate the Escondido location. The company has since announced that the restaurant’s last day under the Stone name will be Nov. 13.

Koch and Wagner plan to take over the site and reopen it as Quarry Escondido, a new concept without the Stone identity. Though the location will remain, Stone’s presence in Escondido is coming to an end.

Stone helped put the city on the craft-beer map, but it is far from the only place to find local brews. Escondido’s other breweries and taprooms are poised to draw more attention as the city’s beer scene moves into a new chapter.

Backyard Brewery

Backyard Brewery is located at 2229 Micro Place, in an industrial area not far from Stone’s former headquarters. Owner Bill Carter opened the business in 2022, aiming to invest in the community where he grew up.

The relaxed taproom is designed as a welcoming neighborhood gathering place. Its beer selection includes hop-forward brews, traditional Belgian ales and experimental releases, including an English-style IPA made with Carolina Reaper peppers. The site also houses Wild West Homebrew Supply Co., a store for homebrewing equipment and ingredients.

Carter credits Stone with helping establish Escondido as a craft-beer destination and creating an environment where smaller breweries could thrive.

Barley & Sword Brewing

At 800 West Grand Ave., Barley & Sword Brewing brings an English-pub-meets-medieval-stronghold atmosphere to its taproom, known as “The Tavern.” The space features faux-stone walls, lanterns, flags and swords, along with patios and a stage for local bands.

Owner Mike Howell expanded his North Park business to Escondido to brew more beer and reach a new community. The brewery focuses primarily on Old World styles, including U.K., Irish, Czech, Belgian and German ales and lagers—a distinctive lineup in San Diego County.

Burgeon Beer Co.

Burgeon at the Oasis operates at Escondido Feed & Pet Supply, 649 Rock Springs Road. The outdoor taproom took over the site of the former Escondido Brewery after it closed during the pandemic.

The Carlsbad-based brewery’s Oasis location gained a following with its outdoor setting and award-winning beers. Its lineup features clean lagers, dry San Diego-style IPAs and hazy, fruit-forward IPAs, with new releases arriving every other week. Burgeon co-founder and head brewer Anthony Tallman, who previously worked at Stone, said the community’s response turned the location from a trial run into a lasting success.

Escondido Social Taproom

Opened this month at 132 North Kalmia St., Escondido Social Taproom offers a carefully chosen range of San Diego-made drinks. The selection includes beer, wine, hard seltzer and nonalcoholic beverages.

Co-owners Aldo Barbosa and Matthew Holden previously worked at Little Miss Brewing, which occupied the downtown space before closing. They saw an opportunity to refresh the venue and join what they describe as a growing wave of restaurants, maker spaces and small businesses in downtown Escondido.

Made Wright Beer Co.

A new brewery could join the city’s lineup early next year. Escondido residents Jake and Nicole Wright are converting a former collectibles shop at 136 South Juniper St. into Made Wright Beer Co..

The planned nanobrewery will serve styles such as pilsner, amber ale, pale ale and IPAs in a 60-seat tasting room. The couple says they hope to create a comfortable neighborhood gathering place and invest in the community they have called home for nearly a decade.