Riip Beer Company, the local brewery founded by brothers-in-law Ryan Hopkins and Ryan Rasmussen, is set to expand its PCH taproom into the former home of Tsunami Sushi at 17236 E Pacific Coast Hwy, with another iteration of the pizzeria they opened along Magnolia Street last year, according to commercial building permits filed with the city.
A representative of Riip Beer Company did not immediately return a request for further comment, though Hopkins did confirm the plans during a brief phone call with What Now Orange County.
Since its founding as a humble home brewing operation in 2014, Riip Beer Company has enjoyed steady growth while garnering numerous accolades along the way, including a 2016 silver medal in the American IPA competition at the Great American Beer Festival, followed by another Silver Medal in the Black IPA category in 2018, and another 10 awards across a swath of competitions and festivals in 2020. By 2022, the brand had more than enough clout and name recognition to expand its operations into the food sector, with the opening of Riip Beer & Pizzeria.
Riip’s pizza menu consists of a number of signature thin-crust and Detroit-style pies, including the Mo Honey Mo Problems, a white pie made with whole mozzarella, pepperoni, parmigiana, parsley, and hot honey, the Stay Loose Haole made with mozzarella, pepperoni, bacon, caramelized onion, pineapple, jalapeño, garlic oil, and everything bagel seasoning, a veGone or beGone vegan option featuring vegan cheese, soyrizo, sweet mini peppers, banana peppers, caramelized onion, garlic oil, fire-roasted pizza sauce, and parsley, and a classic cheese dubbed the Home Alone.
According to the brand’s official website, Riip “isn’t based on a specific term, or local slang, or industry jargon.” Rather, it’s a “state of mind [encompassing] all the feeling and emotions of ‘stoke,’ ‘yeah,’ ‘yeehaw,’ ‘killer,’ ‘bitchin’,’ ‘rad,’ ‘awesome,’ and ‘badass’ in a simple four letter noun.”
Put another way, “the word itself does not have any inherent meaning but the experience is what matters most.”
