There's a buzz going on in Columbus, and it has nothing and everything to do with Stone Brewing Co. It's not the alcohol in Stone's craft suds that has the city swooning, but the possibility that its $31 million East Coast brewery might land in the heart of Ohio. Stone confirmed that it has narrowed its list of candidates to "about a half-dozen locations that seem very well-suited for our operations."

There�s a buzz going on in Columbus, and it has nothing and everything to do with Stone Brewing Co.

It�s not the alcohol in Stone�s craft suds that has the city swooning, but the possibility that its $31 million East Coast brewery might land in the heart of Ohio. Stone confirmed that it has narrowed its list of candidates to �about a half-dozen locations that seem very well-suited for our operations.�

The California craft beer maker declined to comment on which markets those are, but people in Columbus believe the state capital is in the mix.

�I know we are in the hunt,� said John Lowe, CEO of Jeni�s Splendid Ice Creams. �(Stone�s executives) have spent time in Columbus and understand we have something really special going on here.�

Lowe was part of a team of Columbus representatives led by Mayor Michael B. Coleman who visited Stone�s headquarters in California this month.

Lowe tweeted a photo of himself and Coleman arm-in-arm with Stone�s founders, Steve Wagner and Greg Koch.

Lowe said he talked up the city, its leaders and the strength of the Columbus community.

He also offered to share Jeni�s production kitchen with Stone�s brewery if it comes to Columbus. Lowe believes the arrangement would reduce costs for Stone and spark creative collaborations. Jeni�s has produced flavors with Brooklyn Beer Co. brews and other beverages.

Jeni�s is searching for a new production plant to accommodate growth, Lowe said, much like Stone.

Plans for Stone�s East Coast brewery call for 130,000 to 220,000 square feet of space for the brewery and access to 225,000 gallons of water per day. The site must be within

1 mile of a major freeway and have, or be able to accommodate, eight to 12 loading docks.

The brewery�s scale is big for a craft brand. Stone said the new brewery will make 120,000 barrels a year and grow up to 500,000 barrels. Stone�s California brewery pumped out 213,000 barrels last year, making it the 10th- largest craft brewer in America.

If Stone chooses Ohio and sticks to its plan, Stone would be the third largest craft brewer in the state, within striking distance of No. 2, said Mary Martineau, executive director of the Ohio Craft Beer Association.

The Boston Beer Co.�s Cincinnati brewery is by far the largest, with Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland in second place. Great Lakes brewed 125,000 barrels last year and invested this year to expand capacity by 25 percent.

Ohio ranks fourth in the nation in craft-beer production, and the industry was worth more than $1.2 billion to the state in 2012, according to the Brewers Association.

Making Columbus� bid all the more relevant is Stone�s announcement on July 19 that it will build a $25 million brewery in Germany. Stone confirmed this week that the decision for the East Coast brewery would come in 30 to 90 days.

Columbus isn�t alone in its bid for Stone.

According to media reports in dozens of outlets, Stone could be setting up shop in Norfolk, Va.; Greenville, S.C.; Cincinnati; various cities in North Carolina; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; and more.

Triad Business Journal in North Carolina reported yesterday that Greensboro, N.C., Mayor Nancy Vaughan said that Stone was focusing on Virginia and Ohio. Greensboro, along with the Carolinas in general, were out, Vaughn told the publication.

Assuming they were still in the running, Norfolk officials tweaked their zoning laws this week to ensure a brewery would be an allowed use in several areas of the city.

Earlier this year, South Carolina adopted legislation, called the �Stone Bill,� to make it possible for Stone or other craft brands to locate in the state.

Columbus didn�t face zoning or legislative hurdles, but Lowe said the city and state�s incentives package might not be as hefty as that of some competitors.

�Some other cities have tax-credit allotments that enable them to make very compelling financial offers,� Lowe said. �Our city is not armed with those tax credits, but we are doing everything we can to make a compelling proposal, and I think what we have on the table has kept us in the hunt.�& amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; lt; /p>

Columbus economic-development director Steve Schoeny was unavailable to comment on what incentives the city could offer Stone, but a deal cut for an expansion at Alliance Data System�s Easton operation might give a hint.

The City Council agreed to a 10-year, 65 percent income-tax break for Alliance Data, worth an estimated $8.5 million.

JobsOhio, a private, statewide economic-development group, said Ohio has the lowest corporate tax burden in the Midwest and third lowest in the nation. Ohio does not tax corporate profits, product shipped out of state, inventory or new machinery and equipment.

Stone made it clear in a request for proposal on its website that incentives and tax breaks are important to the project.

Stone is taking on building both its German and East Coast breweries at the same time. In an announcement for the German location, Stone said its resources are stretched. The company�s renowned restaurant, Stone World Bistro and Gardens, would be added to the new locations later as money became available.

�We have enough money to open breweries east of the Mississippi (River) and in Berlin, but not enough to immediately install our dining, garden and retail elements,� Stone said in a news release.

To quicken the pace of those additional developments, the company is soliciting its fans for money. Stone hopes to raise more than

$1 million for the new breweries and restaurants, and is giving �investors� rare beer and other experiences in return via a campaign on crowd-funding site Indiegogo.com.

Just six days into the month-long campaign, Stone has raised more than $155,000.

Columbus� thriving craft beer scene might add to the city�s desirability. Stone representatives met with several local brewers in their most recent visit in late June to survey possible sites.

The Pour Fool, a widely followed Seattle-based beer, wine and liquor blog, rated Columbus the 10th best emerging beer city. None of the talked-about rivals for Stone�s attention are on the list.

�I think they are very jazzed about joining our community,� Lowe said.

The ace up Columbus� sleeve might not involve tax breaks, great access to highways, or a shelf stocked with good craft breweries. It might be as simple as nostalgia.

Koch, Stone�s co-founder and CEO, grew up in Pataskala and attended Watkins Memorial High School, class of 1982. Koch was in the drama and language clubs, concert band and wind ensemble, according to his senior yearbook.

Grassroots efforts to woo Stone, including Stone2Cbus, which has Twitter and Facebook followings, have picked up on this.

Stone2Cbus founder Tony Tanner also went to Watkins Memorial, and he happens to love Stone�s beer. He created his social media presence after hearing about Stone�s interest in Columbus. He figures sleepy little Pataskala is the region�s secret weapon.

�If he�s from here, we got to have a leg up getting this thing,� Tanner said.

Even Coleman employed that information in a recent tweet.

�LeBron is bringing his talents back to Ohio.� Coleman tweeted at Koch on July 11. �Will Greg Koch be next?�

jmalone@dispatch.com

Stone Brewing Co.

� Founded: 1996 in southern California by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner. Koch grew up in Pataskala and attended Watkins Memorial High School, class of 1982.

� Headquarters: Escondido, Calif.

� 2013 production: 213,277 barrels, making it the 10th-largest craft brewer in the United States

� 2013 sales: $135 million

� Signature beers: Stone India Pale Ale, Arrogant Bastard Ale, Stone Imperial Russian Stout, Stone Go To IPA, Stone Pale Ale

Source: Dispatch research