Rios Brewing Co. taps first house beers in Grand Prairie

Patio elevation, Club Sandwich w/ House Salad, Norwegian Citrus IPA,
Wild Berries Sour, American Light Lager (Photos: © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Rios Brewing Co. has fully made the transition to a local independent brewpub, now that the spot's first house beers have been tapped at 1015 Ikea Pl. in Grand Prairie.

Originally set up as a franchise taproom for Voodoo Brewing Co., the location was the first North Texas landing spot for the Pennsylvania-based beer maker. It opened in May 2023 and was managed as such for two years before owner Roland Rios decided to end the partnership and re-brand in order to establish the first-ever brewing operation in Grand Prairie.

Changes made included the creation of new signage and a new logo, along with the installation of brewing equipment which tucks into a corner off to one side of the bar. From there, small-batch beers flow from three five-barrel fermentation tanks, rotating into the brewpub's daily lineup every few weeks.

Among those first to emerge are Rios' Light American Lager, a Wild Berries Sour, and a Norwegian Citrus IPA. These and future "Rios" recipes (Mexican Lager, Honey Wheat and more) will supplement a large selection of guest brews from local, regional and national producers (including a handful of macros) on a 44-handle tapwall. And just in case you're wondering, at least for now, a few Voodoo beers are indeed still part of the mix.

As for other changes, the food menu has been revamped as well. Elevated pub fare is still the order of the day, with a range of appetizers, salads, sammies, burgers and pizzas on the offer. There are also food flights, with various options on the table for how customers choose to enjoy hot dogs or tacos.

Rios Brewing Co. serves patrons seven days a week, with daily hours beginning at 11 a.m.

Grand Prairie brewpub to rebrand, add house beers

Image credit: Rios Brewing Co.

Change is coming to what was once the Grand Prairie franchise location of Voodoo Brewing Co., as the business has gone fully independent and is rebranding as Rios Brewing Co.

Owned by Roland Rios, the Grand Prairie brewpub originally opened in May 2023 using the footprint laid out to franchisees by the Pennsylvania-based parent company. According to Rios, that partnership is no longer active, and there are now plans to expand operations.

"We are doing a complete rebrand and will start brewing our own beer onsite," says Rios. "We will be applying for a federal producer permit in the next couple of weeks. We should be done with our complete rebrand in the next six weeks and tentatively have our first batch of beer around June 1st. We will have three small five-barrel fermenting tanks that will be able to produce two batches per tank each month. We have a 44 beer tap system, so we’ll continue to carry other local craft brewer’s beer at our site."

So far, three brewpubs bearing the Voodoo name have opened in North Texas. Counting the Grand Prairie news and the closure of a Fort Worth locale in November, that leaves Voodoo Brewing Co. - Plano as the only active franchise in the area. As for others, a proposed venture in Denton was apparently abandoned sometime last year, but there are still projects under construction in both Lewisville and Prosper.

Voodoo Brewing brings Pennsylvania pours to Grand Prairie

Tranquil Breezes, a West Coast-style pale ale, is one of over 20 beers on tap at Voodoo Grand Prairie (all photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Voodoo Brewing Co. of Pennsylvania announced its intent to enter the North Texas market a mere two months ago, which makes you wonder if they've got some kind of mystical magic at work, considering the brewery's first satellite taproom is already open at 1015 Ikea Pl. in Grand Prairie.

Plans for Voodoo Grand Prairie were first revealed here in late March. Since then, it's been reported that additional Voodoo locations may follow, with the cities of Fort Worth, Plano, Prosper and beyond on the company's radar.

As for Voodoo's debut in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the Grand Prairie locale is independently owned and operated by local franchisee, Roland Rios. He's overseeing a spot occupying just under 4,000 square feet in a retail development across the street from the city's Ikea furniture store.

Inside, patrons looking to take a shopping break, or perhaps seeking to soothe the stress of an afternoon assembling modular furniture, can expect to be met with a rather comprehensive menu of consumables.

Left: Chicky Chicky Bang Bang, a tikka masala fried chicken sandwich, is one of several "handies" served on a craft beer bun.
Right: A variety of Voodoo beers are available to go in cans. Select barrel-aged bombers are on sale as well.

On the food side, options begin with appetizers, burgers, pizza, wings, salads and sandwiches (or "handies"). Then there are a number of items featuring beer infusions, whether it be the beer cheese mac, beer cheese queso, beer mussels, or one of the aforementioned sandwiches served on a craft beer bun.

And speaking of beer, Voodoo brought its full portfolio to bear when stocking the Grand Prairie taproom. Twenty-four taps pour beer shipped from the company's production facility in Pennsylvania. Among the options are German styles (Berliner weisse, kölsch), Belgian classics (tripel, witbier), pale ales, IPAs, a "robust" brown ale, stouts, standard lagers and more.

More, incidentally, covers two barrel-aged beers on tap, an imperial stout called Where Our Secrets Go and a tripel named Voodoo Love Child. Both are sold in 22-ounce bombers as well, anchoring an extensive to-go selection featuring ten or more Voodoo varieties in cans.

Beyond all that, hard seltzers, hand-crafted cocktails and wine round out the boozy beverage offerings, with sodas, juices and root beer on hand as non-alcoholic alternatives. You can even buy a complimentary round of drinks for the kitchen, if you're so inclined.

Voodoo Grand Prairie is open seven days a week, with operating hours beginning at 11 a.m.

Voodoo Brewing to open first franchise in Texas

Image credit: Voodoo Brewing Co.

Building on an expansion plan that began with opening of its first taproom in 2012, Pennsylvania-based Voodoo Brewing Co. has formed a partnership to bring its brand of craft beer to North Texas.

Now under construction at 1015 Ikea Pl. in Grand Prairie, the local outlet will be owned and operated by Roland Rios, a longtime resident who has spent nearly 30 years in the paper manufacturing business. Rios has been wanting to open a pub for a few years, but rather than start from scratch in a new industry, he researched franchising opportunities and eventually landed on Voodoo.

"I came across Voodoo early last year," says Rios. "I immediately fell in love with their concept. My wife Nancy and I traveled to Pennsylvania to sample their beer and there was no turning back after that."

On how the partnership is structured, Voodoo recipes are produced in a 30,000 square foot production facility in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Finished beers are then distributed to each brewpub's satellite location. The company also provides guidance on other food and beverage aspects, but site-specific décor is mostly left to the locals.

"In addition to their crafted brews and their custom-crafted cocktails, they have a delicious [elevated pub] menu," says Rios. "I really like that they have a non-corporate culture and that their franchisees can have a lot of input on their individual pubs."

As the brewpub's address suggests, Voodoo Grand Prairie will operate in the shadow of an Ikea furniture store. The spot also has proximity to the city's EpicCentral entertainment district, placing it firmly in the midst of what promises to be a high-traffic hub.

"Grand Prairie has seen tremendous growth over just a couple of years," says Rios. "We wanted the first Voodoo Brewing Co. in Texas to be surrounded by equally great businesses. We found that spot right across the street from Ikea. In addition, they are building a Bass Pro Shop, Andretti Indoor Karting, and Shots Golf just walking distance from our pub. We couldn’t have found a better place."

Rios is hoping to complete construction by mid-April, with a grand opening to follow shortly thereafter. 

For more on Voodoo Brewing Co. and its products, visit voodoobrewery.com. You can also stay up-to-date with goings on at Voodoo Grand Prairie by following the brewpub on Facebook and Instagram.