Here’s a story about weed, St. Patrick’s Day and Lagunitas Brewing

We’re thinking smoking reerfer can only improve the taste of quality craft beer.

We don’t know Ron Lindenbusch, but we kind of wish we did. The chief marketing officer of Lagunitas Brewing Co. (who usually goes by the title of “head beer weasel)” was recently part of a Lagunitas /craft beer profile on Mashable.com that weighed in heavily on the cannabis culture of the Petaluma, Calif.-based brewery. The story leads with Lindenbusch being arrested for smoking pot at a St. Patrick’s Day Lagunitas party in the early days.

Ron lit the baton-like joint and inhaled a thick cloud of marijuana smoke. Not bad. Then someone pulled his left arm behind his back. He felt a pressure on his wrist and heard the click of handcuffs.

“Who the fuck are you?” Ron recalls asking the man behind him.

“Police,” the man said.

…

“I’m ABC,” the man said. The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

“Oh, fuckity-fuck,” Ron thought to himself. “‘This is not going well.'”

The arrest resulted in a 20-day suspension of Lagunitas’ selling license and a one-year, zero-tolerance probationary period, which apparently put a stop to the brewery’s infamous “4:20 parties.” Today, there’s still a sign, reading Please, No Pot Smoking Anymore, hanging above Lagunitas’ small bar. Both Lindenbusch and Lagunitas Co-Founder Tony Magee are cited in the article for their apparent fondness for weed, but it’s clearly not slowing these guys down. How do we know? Just watch Lindenbusch talk about supplying, planning and controlling in the brewing process in the UniversityNow: Operations Management video below. The guy’s a craft beer and production management wiz.

The Mashable.com article also cites CBB contributor and craft beer attorney Candace Moon. Feel free to blaze some broccoli and read her excellent articles on 10 legal mistakes made by craft brewers and how to defend craft beer trademarks. That’s definitely our plan.