Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I get your beer?

The best place to get our beer, on tap, in growlers, and bottles to go, is our brewpub in Downtown Santa Rosa and our future brewery in Windsor! We have limited distribution in Northern and Southern California, Oregon, Colorado, and the Philadelphia area. Follow this link to see a list of our wholesale accounts, keeping in mind that may run out before their next delivery.

What can I expect when visiting your pub?

Weekends can be very busy, especially on holidays and during the summer months.  There is often a line to get in when we open Friday, Saturday and Sunday regardless of the time of year.  We tend to stay at capacity on weekends and continue running the line out front as needed.  Average wait times in line are 15 to 45 minutes to get inside where you will then be placed on our waiting list, or you may be able to grab a seat at the bar.  On the busiest of days, it may take up to 2 hours to get a table, depending on the size of your party.  We do our best to seat everyone as quickly as possible, provide friendly and efficient service, and answer any questions you might have while you wait. The best times to visit are Monday through Thursday, non-holidays.  Happy Hour is 4PM to 6:30PM Monday through Friday, and all day Sunday when parking is FREE!  You can check out our website for the latest beers available on draft and in bottles, as well as our menu and lodging recommendations.

Do you take reservations?  

We offer seating on a first come, first served basis for all customers.  The largest party we are able to seat is about 12.  The best time for large parties to arrive is when we first open right at 11AM.  

Are you pet friendly?

Our brewery family loves animals of all kinds!  But the Health Department only allows service dogs recognized by the ADA guidelines inside our pub due to our open kitchen design.  Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.  There is room just outside our patio for pet dogs for whom we are happy to provide water and love, just ask one of our friendly staff!  Our new brewery will have a large pet-friendly outdoor area.

Do you offer tours of your brewery?

Not yet, and we are looking forward to offering both guided and self-guided tours at our new Windsor location in 2018!  Our knowledgeable staff at our Downtown Santa Rosa pub can answer just about any question you might have about our beers, our history, places to stay, things to do, and other breweries and wineries to visit.

Do you fill non-Russian River growlers?

We fill BLANK 32 oz., 64 oz. and 2 liter growlers that are clean and of high quality.  Clear glass, green glass, plastic containers, and metal or plastic screwcaps are not to our quality standards.  Brown glass, ceramic, and stainless steel with high pressure ratings and good closures are the best for beer.  Our RRBC branded growler, the brown glass 2 liter Palla bottle with a flip-top closure, will hold beer for up to 2 weeks if left unopened and refrigerated.  Once opened, any growler needs to be consumed quickly or it will lose carbonation and become oxidized.  Further, beer expands when it gets warm.  While this is not a problem in bottles, it can lead to quality and safety issues in growlers which, by nature, do not have a tight seal. Please store all growlers, not just RRBC’s, cold at all times.  

Do you ship bottles directly to consumers?

Quality is our number one priority at RRBC.  The main reason we choose not to ship beer is quality.  Shipping beer direct to consumer is complicated and illegal in most states. There are very few states with reciprocal shipping agreements with California.  Bottom line, we just don’t have the beer!  We are happy to sell you a shipping box at the pub if you would like to ship it to yourself or check it on the plane.

Will anything change at your Downtown Santa Rosa pub when Windsor opens?

Nothing will change Downtown!  If anything, we hope that Windsor will draw more visitors north, thus relieving some pressure from our original brewpub.  We have 75 awesome employees who rely on those jobs, so Santa Rosa shall remain unchanged for the foreseeable future!

I would like to carry your beer in my store, bar, or restaurant.  Do I have to go through a wholesaler, or can I buy it directly from the brewery?

We are currently brewing at 100% capacity at both breweries and unable to take on new accounts.  There are so many great new craft-centric bars and stores with whom we would love to do business, but we simply don’t have the beer.  Once we complete construction of our new brewery in late 2018, and our current wholesale customers needs are met, we will finally be able to take on some new accounts in markets where we already distribute.  There are no plans to start distributing in any new territories other than to a handful of cities here in California.  

Important to note: It is ILLEGAL for retailers (i.e. bars, stores, restaurants) to buy beer directly from brewery pubs, taprooms and tasting rooms in California.  Retailers are required to buy beer from licensed wholesalers at the posted wholesale price in their County.  Buying beer from anyone other than a licensed wholesaler (including other retailers like Costco or Whole Foods) is a violation of Business and Professions code number 23402.5 and enforced by the California Dept. of Alcohol Beverage Control. Retailers caught bootlegging our beer are turned in to the ABC. We look forward to taking on some new wholesale customers via the proper legal channels in the future! .

When is Pliny the Younger available?

Pliny the Younger, our Triple IPA, is released once a year at our brewpub on the first Friday in February, rain or shine!  It is available for 2 weeks on draft only, no bottles or growlers to go.  We started brewing Pliny the Younger “Younger” as a seasonal winter release in 2005.  Our brewmaster, Vinnie, wanted to make a higher alcohol and hoppier version of our flagship Double IPA, Pliny the Elder.  The beer was quietly released each February with no hoopla or fanfare.  In 2010, Younger had gained notoriety and popularity among beer enthusiasts and changed the way we release this beer forever!  More information about the beer is available on our beers page. In January, we provide more details about the next release.  It has become a pilgrimage for beer fans from all over the world.  In 2017, we had visitors from over 40 different countries and nearly every state!  Of course, many local patrons also enjoyed several glasses of Younger.  We distribute kegs to select RRBC accounts, some of whom may change from year to year.  Younger will also be brewed and released at our new Windsor brewery starting in 2019!