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About Us

Our History

About RRBC

Russian River Brewing Company was founded by Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville, CA, in 1997. Vinnie was hired as the brewery’s brewmaster and initially sole employee. For the next 6 years, Vinnie continued to set the bar high for super hoppy and Belgian-inspired beers. Pliny the Elder, first brewed at the Korbel location in 1999, was one of the first commercially brewed Double or Imperial IPAs in America and won numerous awards over the years. It is still our most popular beer more than 20 years later.
In 2003, Korbel decided to get out of the beer business and transferred the rights to the Russian River Brewing Company name, all beer names, and the recipes to Vinnie and his wife, Natalie. We wrote a business plan, found 2 managing partners, and convinced 30 friends and family to invest in their new brewpub venture. In April 2004, we opened the doors to the next chapter of Russian River Brewing under our ownership.
Vinnie and Natalie posting with beers at a Pliny the Younger release
Our beers have won dozens of awards from the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. Vinnie and the brewery were twice named “Brewery and Brewmaster of the Year” at both the GABF and World Beer Cup. In 2007, Vinnie was awarded the “Russell Scherrer Award for Innovation in Brewing”. We received the “Brewers Association Recognition Award” in 2017. But the most important award of all are the many beer enthusiasts who visit from around the world year after year!
Over the years, we were able to buy out all of our partners and investors. The decision was made in 2014 to build our dream brewery right here in Sonoma County. The search for property took nearly 2 years which allowed us time to assemble our “dream team” of architects, consultants, designers, and contractors. We also received a lot of helpful advice from their friends in the beer industry! We found 15 undeveloped acres in Windsor, CA, and were quickly immersed in the project of a lifetime.
Vinnie and Natalie at Russian River Brewing Windsor ribbon cutting
20 year employees on Russian River's 20th anniversary
On October 11, 2018, we opened the doors to our new brewpub! The entire brewery is 85,000 square feet and encompasses beer production for both clean beers and sour barrel-aged beers, administrative offices, a brewpub, an outdoor beer garden, a gift shop, tasting room/growler fills, guided and self-guided tours, and 2 acres of free parking. This increased capacity has allowed us to distribute more draft and bottled beer to markets in which we currently sell as well as open up some new territories within the state of California. The original Downtown Santa Rosa location continues to thrive offering small batch brews and tasty pizza. Vinnie, Natalie, and all our dedicated employees are excited to share a beer or two at both breweries with you!

Connect with us

We are on Instagram

🫐🍺Funky Foeder Blueberry Beer is here!🍺🫐 A mildy tart Saison aged in our large oak foeders (think giant upright wine barrels) with blueberries. All our foeders (pronounced “FOODER”) were sourced from local Sonoma and Napa wineries and are all over 30 years old. Funky Foeder Blueberry Beer has distinct aromas of berry, with earthy, tart notes. Now available in bottles at both pub locations, and in bottles and draft for limited distribution where RRBC beers are sold!

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🫐🍺Funky Foeder Blueberry Beer is here!🍺🫐 A mildy tart Saison aged in our large oak foeders (think giant upright wine barrels) with blueberries. All our foeders (pronounced “FOODER”) were sourced from local Sonoma and Napa wineries and are all over 30 years old. Funky Foeder Blueberry Beer has distinct aromas of berry, with earthy, tart notes. Now available in bottles at both pub locations, and in bottles and draft for limited distribution where RRBC beers are sold!

Our Happy Hops Habanero BBQ sauce is a great combo of sweet and heat that has long been a favorite at our Windsor pub. Now you can take it home with you! Available at both pub locations and for shipping throughout the US in our online store! Link in bio.

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Our Happy Hops Habanero BBQ sauce is a great combo of sweet and heat that has long been a favorite at our Windsor pub. Now you can take it home with you! Available at both pub locations and for shipping throughout the US in our online store! Link in bio.

We had a great time today brewing Hop Grower`s Tribute IPA with the crew from Perrault Farms! This year`s batch features Dolcita, HBC 638, Krush, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops and will be available in September!

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We had a great time today brewing Hop Grower's Tribute IPA with the crew from Perrault Farms! This year's batch features Dolcita, HBC 638, Krush, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops and will be available in September!

Ales for ALS IPA is now available on tap at both pubs! We are once again joining over 200 participating breweries from around the world raising money with specially brewed beers for the ALS Therapy Development Institute! This year`s hop blend features Simcoe, Citra, Ekuanot, and Columbus and has notes of dank, citrus, and pine! Learn more about this great cause (link in bio)!

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Ales for ALS IPA is now available on tap at both pubs! We are once again joining over 200 participating breweries from around the world raising money with specially brewed beers for the ALS Therapy Development Institute! This year's hop blend features Simcoe, Citra, Ekuanot, and Columbus and has notes of dank, citrus, and pine! Learn more about this great cause (link in bio)!

Janet`s Brown Ale is back! Our good friend & homebrew legend, Mike “Tasty” McDole, left this world on October 4, 2020, after a long & valiant battle with cancer. In 2009, we collaborated with Tasty to brew one of his own award-winning homebrew recipes, Janet’s Brown Ale, named for his late wife. We could think of no better way to honor our friend than by brewing Janet’s in his memory. We miss you Tasty!

Available on tap today at the Windsor pub and tomorrow at the Santa Rosa pub!

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Janet's Brown Ale is back! Our good friend & homebrew legend, Mike “Tasty” McDole, left this world on October 4, 2020, after a long & valiant battle with cancer. In 2009, we collaborated with Tasty to brew one of his own award-winning homebrew recipes, Janet’s Brown Ale, named for his late wife. We could think of no better way to honor our friend than by brewing Janet’s in his memory. We miss you Tasty! Available on tap today at the Windsor pub and tomorrow at the Santa Rosa pub!

🎉Happy National IPA Day!🎉What`s your favorite RRBC IPA? #NationalIPADay

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🎉Happy National IPA Day!🎉What's your favorite RRBC IPA? #NationalIPADay

We had a great time with our hop-growing friends from Carpenter Ranches yesterday brewing this very special beer to honor their Dad, the legendary Tom Carpenter! Keep It Rollin` IPA will be available later this month on draft and in cans at both pubs!

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We had a great time with our hop-growing friends from Carpenter Ranches yesterday brewing this very special beer to honor their Dad, the legendary Tom Carpenter! Keep It Rollin' IPA will be available later this month on draft and in cans at both pubs!
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