PETALUMA, California — The joint, according to those present, was colossal: eight inches long, unwieldy, about the circumference of a dime. Legend goes it had to be constructed using special papers and a bamboo sushi roller.

The massive doobie sat waiting for Ron Lindenbusch at Lagunitas Brewing Company, on the afternoon of Thursday, March 17, 2005 — the brewery's St. Patrick's Day party.

Ron's business card identifies him as Lagunitas' "Beer Weasel," but his official title is chief marketing officer. The unofficial version seems more apt. At 53 years old, Ron is short and stout with sandy-gray hair. His friendliness seems perma-glazed with a thick coat of mellow. He punctuates comments with a slight chuckle, as if you're two people sharing a conspiratorial secret.

Ron started at Lagunitas in 1995, making him the third employee of the Northern California brewery. Today, Lagunitas is a fast-growing 600-employee powerhouse in the rapidly ascending craft beer industry, a tourist destination replete with gift shop, pub, beer garden and miniature amphitheater — a veritable playground for adults.