Where did the name Riff Raff Brewing Company come from?

Ideas were tossed around for several names, but the name came from a mutual friend who said he ‘felt like the riff raff’ when entering some establishments after working construction all day. All the founders laughed at the story, but it stuck with them. They wanted to create a place where everyone felt welcomed no matter who or where they came from, so Riff Raff Brewing was created. 

This Riff Raff Brewing Company location, formerly named Riff Raff on the Rio, sits on the majestic San Juan River featuring beautiful river and mountain views framed below Wolf Creek Pass. Sip a craft beer or cocktail and enjoy a creative appetizer while contemplating a unique and creative food menu highlighting a plethora of gastropub-esque salads, burgers and fun-fried items.

How Did Our Riverside Location Come to Be?

After many successful years of having RRBC Downtown, “we were bursting at the seams” as owner, Jason Cox puts it. The Downtown location, now Black Bart’s Brunch, was (and still is) quant, and cozy which makes for a great experience but long wait times when you’re one of the favorite restaurants in town. Along with the need for more dining and bar space, the demand for more beer was also very apparent.

Owners, Jason and Shelly, owned a building several blocks down the road with riverside views and the capacity to hold a bigger brewing system. The decision was made, and with a tremendous amount of hard work, ingenuity, and determination, the start of Riff Raff on the Rio occurred in January of 2018.

“[Rio] Allowed us to go from a small start up to something that's going to last for quite some time.”, Jason Cox, Co-Founder, Co-Owner, Riff Raff Brewing Company. 

What Makes Riff Raff Different than other breweries?

Riff Raff was renovated to give our guests the most unique experience possible, with a large bar and tables moved toward the back of the building overlooking the river, in an intimate setting.

Riff Raff was also designed to give guests more of a sports bar feel, with large TVs to be seen from every angle. Bar patrons get lots of options with the (5 or 6) big screen TVs above the taps. Of course, to experience drinking some of the best beer your’ll put in your mouth, you gotta grab a table down on the patio and sip some beers or custom cocktails while watching white water rafters, tubers, fishers, and wildlife with the beautiful San Juan Mountains in the background.

On the brewery side of things, Riff Raff has a 15 barrel system, and a grain silo that adorns the exterior of the building; saving the backs of our brewers and brewing assistants.