The term “420” has become a cultural cornerstone, synonymous with cannabis enthusiasm and a laid-back lifestyle. Originating in the early 1970s with a group of California high school students known as the Waldos, the term has since woven itself into various facets of pop culture, including the craft beer industry. Breweries like SweetWater Brewing Company, Stone Brewing, and Lagunitas Brewing Company have embraced the 420 moniker, creating beers that nod to the cannabis counterculture while showcasing their brewing prowess. This article explores the origins of 420 and how these three breweries have integrated the term into their brands, beers, and identities.
The Origins of 420
The story of 420 begins in 1971 at San Rafael High School in Marin County, California. A group of friends, dubbed the Waldos, were given a map to a hidden cannabis patch by a friend’s brother. They agreed to meet after school at 4:20 p.m. at the school’s statue of Louis Pasteur to search for the crop, using “420 Louie” as their code phrase. Though they never found the patch, the term “420” stuck, evolving into a shorthand for cannabis use. The Waldos’ connection to the Grateful Dead’s circle helped spread the term, and by the 1990s, it had become a global phenomenon, cemented by a 1991 High Times flier calling for a 4/20 gathering. The Oxford English Dictionary recognized the term in 2017, citing the Waldos’ artifacts as the earliest recorded uses.
Today, April 20 (4/20) is celebrated as an unofficial holiday for cannabis enthusiasts, marked by festivals, gatherings, and, notably, craft beers that pay homage to the culture. Breweries have capitalized on the term’s rebellious, free-spirited vibe, creating beers that resonate with fans of both hops and hemp.
SweetWater Brewing Company: The 420 Flagship
Founded in 1997 by Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerney in Atlanta, Georgia, SweetWater Brewing Company is a pioneer in the Southeast’s craft beer scene. The brewery’s flagship beer, 420 Extra Pale Ale, is a direct nod to the cannabis culture, first brewed on April 20, 1997. The name, while officially tied to the brewing date, carries an undeniable wink to the 420 lifestyle, especially given the founders’ time at the University of Colorado at Boulder, a hotbed for 420 celebrations.
The 420 Extra Pale Ale is a West Coast-style pale ale with a 5.7% ABV, brewed with Centennial and Cascade hops and dry-hopped with Cascade for a floral, citrusy punch. Its herbal and piney notes, paired with a crisp finish, evoke the aromas of cannabis without containing any actual THC. The beer’s popularity soared, earning a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2002 and becoming Georgia’s best-selling pale ale. Reviews praise its drinkability, with notes of grapefruit, orange peel, and bready malt, though some find it less bold compared to modern pale ales.
SweetWater leans heavily into the 420 brand. The brewery hosts the annual SweetWater 420 Fest, a music, arts, and beer festival in Atlanta that draws thousands, featuring acts like Snoop Dogg, a known cannabis advocate. In 2024, SweetWater expanded the 420 line with a variety pack including 420 Citrus Haze Hazy Pale Ale (5.4% ABV), 420 Mango Crush Pale Ale (4.8% ABV), and 420 Extra Chill Cold Pale Ale (4.5% ABV), each riffing on the original with tropical and hazy twists. The brewery also launched the 420 Strain series in 2018, starting with G13 IPA, which uses hemp-derived terpenes to mimic cannabis strain flavors, followed by beers like Mango Kush Wheat Ale and Trainwreck Hazy Double IPA.
SweetWater’s 420 branding faced a trademark dispute in 2013 when it claimed federal ownership of the term for its pale ale, forcing Lagunitas to drop 420 references from its labels. The dispute highlighted the term’s commercial value in the beer world.
Stone Brewing: A Dank Celebration
Stone Brewing, based in Escondido, California, is known for its bold, hop-forward beers and irreverent attitude. While Stone doesn’t have a permanent 420-named beer, it has periodically released 4/20 “Drink By” beers as part of its limited-edition series, celebrating the date with cannabis-inspired flavors. These beers, described as “devastatingly dank,” use hops like Simcoe and Mosaic to deliver resinous, piney, and tropical notes that mirror the aroma of cannabis buds.
Stone’s 4/20 releases align with its ethos of pushing boundaries and embracing counterculture. The brewery’s focus on “dank” hops—those with sticky, herbal qualities—parallels the sensory profile of cannabis, making these beers a natural fit for 420 celebrations. For example, a 4/20 release might feature intense stone fruit and pine flavors, designed to appeal to hop heads and stoners alike. Stone’s marketing often plays up the “green buds” connection, though, like SweetWater, its beers contain no cannabis-derived ingredients.
Stone’s engagement with 420 is less overt than SweetWater’s but fits its reputation for bold experimentation. The brewery’s fans appreciate the nod to cannabis culture, especially in California, where legalization has normalized such references.
Lagunitas Brewing Company: The Waldo Connection
itas Brewing Company, founded in Petaluma, California, by Tony Magee in 1993, has a deep connection to 420 culture, rooted in its founder’s outspoken support for cannabis and its legalization. Lagunitas’ Waldos’ Special Ale, released annually around April 20, is a direct tribute to the Waldos, the originators of the 420 term. The brewery collaborates with the Waldos, who select hops that “smell and taste like the dankest marijuana,” resulting in a 12% ABV triple IPA bursting with stone fruit, pine, and resin.
The Waldos’ Special Ale is a fan favorite, praised for its deceptive smoothness despite its high alcohol content. Its hop bill, often featuring varieties like Citra and Mosaic, delivers a “dank” profile that aligns with cannabis aromas, making it a staple at 420 events. Lagunitas’ history with 420 goes beyond this beer, however. The brewery has used the term on various labels, including seasonal releases, and its entire brand once revolved around cannabis in-jokes, from Hop Stoopid to the rejected Kronik (renamed Censored after federal pushback).
Lagunitas’ cannabis-friendly reputation led to trouble in 2006 when state authorities briefly shut down its taproom after observing marijuana use at open houses, an incident commemorated with Undercover Investigation Shut Down Ale. The 2013 trademark dispute with SweetWater forced Lagunitas to remove 420 references from its labels, a move Magee announced with characteristic irreverence on Twitter, calling SweetWater’s founder a “dweeb” for not discussing it directly. Despite this, Lagunitas continues to embrace the 420 spirit through the Waldos’ Special Ale and its laid-back, countercultural vibe.
The Broader Connection: Beer and Cannabis Culture
The link between 420 and craft beer reflects a shared ethos of rebellion, creativity, and sensory exploration. Hops and cannabis, both members of the Cannabaceae family, share terpenes that produce similar aromas—pine, citrus, and resin—making hop-forward beers a natural canvas for 420-themed brews. Breweries like SweetWater, Stone, and Lagunitas use this synergy to craft beers that evoke cannabis without crossing legal lines, especially in states where marijuana remains restricted.
The 420 culture also resonates with craft beer’s DIY spirit. Just as homebrewers experiment with recipes, cannabis enthusiasts cultivate strains, and both communities value authenticity over mainstream conformity. SweetWater’s “Don’t Float the Mainstream” motto, Stone’s in-your-face branding, and Lagunitas’ tongue-in-cheek humor all echo this ethos.
However, the commercialization of 420 has sparked debates. As cannabis legalization spreads—24 states allow recreational use as of 2024—the term has shifted from a subversive code to a marketing tool. Some purists argue that breweries exploit the term for profit, while others see it as a celebration of a once-taboo culture now gaining acceptance.
Conclusion
SweetWater, Stone, and Lagunitas have each carved out a unique space in the 420-beer nexus, blending hoppy craftsmanship with cannabis-inspired flair. SweetWater’s 420 Extra Pale Ale and its festival embody the lifestyle, Stone’s limited releases bring bold dankness, and Lagunitas’ Waldos’ Special Ale honors the term’s origins with irreverent gusto. Together, these breweries highlight how 420 has transcended its roots to become a cultural touchstone, uniting beer lovers and cannabis enthusiasts in a shared pursuit of good vibes and great flavors.