Q&A: Metallica's Lars Ulrich And Stone Brewing Company CEO Greg Koch On Music And Beer

Metallica's Lars Ulrich is feeling really good when we sit down to talk in a private room at L.A. hotspot No Name to discuss the band's new Enter Night Pilsner with Stone Brewing Company. Before he joined me for the only interview he did on this night, he, band mate Robert Trujillo and Stone Brewing Company CEO Greg Koch did a little intro of the beer that could have easily been stand-up comedy. Then, Ulrich has a lot of reason to be smiling now. The venerable band continues to sell out stadiums and their outside endeavors are growing to the point Metallica now has an umbrella company, as he proudly points out.

Metallica, Stone Brewing band together for new 'Enter Night' beer

Metallica and Stone Brewing Co. have thrashed out a beer collaboration.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted metal band and the iconoclastic Escondido, California-based brewer teamed up to make Enter Night, a hoppy pilsner, which is now hitting the national stage.

25 most important American craft beers ever

What makes an "important" beer? To me, the definition is simple: It's one that either changed consumer tastes or how breweries approach making beer. Some of the beers below have influenced both drinkers and brewers. Others hew more in one direction than the other. Others find their power in the brand or the package even more than the beer. As you'll see, I agree with much of the Food & Wine list but also take several exceptions.

The Beer Jesus From America: Greg Koch

Koch co-founded Stone Brewing Co. in 1996 with Steve Wagner, helping to resurrect the American craft brewing scene. Since then, he’s spread its gospel throughout the world. A tongue-in-cheek “Der Bier Jesus aus Amerika” (translated to “The Beer Jesus from America”) moniker was bestowed upon him in 2014 by The Berliner Kurier, a German tabloid.