Devils Backbone Brewing Company

Lore & Background

Devils Backbone Brewing Company was founded in 2008 by Steven and Heidi Crandall on a 100-acre property surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. The brewery takes its name from a ridge surveyed by Thomas Jefferson's father. In 2012, a 15,000-square-foot production facility and tap room called The Outpost was established near Lexington, Virginia. The company was purchased by Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2016, which meant it no longer met the Brewers Association definition of a craft brewery due to exceeding the 25% ownership threshold. The beer is produced using a traditional German-style brewing system. Since 2016, the company began releasing both the Vienna Lager and the Eight Point IPA in 12-ounce cans.

Reader's Guide

Devils Backbone Brewing Company has earned significant recognition since its founding, winning 28 medals at the Great American Beer Festival. The brewery was named Mid-Size Brewery & Brewery Team at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival, Small Brewing Company & Small Brewing Company Team in 2013, and Small Brewpub & Small Brewpub Brewer in 2012. It also won the World Beer Cup Champion Brewery title in 2010. The Vienna Lager, which accounted for nearly 60% of the company's volume in 2015, was included in Men's Journal 'Best 100 Beers in the World' and Food & Wine '50 Best American Lagers.' The Eight Point IPA was the first beer brewed at Devils Backbone and is part of the Backbone Basecamp Favorites lineup. The Baltic-style porter Danzig, brewed since 2009, has earned multiple awards including a World Beer Cup Gold in 2010. The brewery has expanded its distribution to multiple states following the Anheuser-Busch acquisition, including South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee.

Did You Know?

• The brewery's Vienna Lager accounted for nearly 60% of its volume in 2015.
• The company has won 28 medals at the Great American Beer Festival since opening in 2008.
• The brewery's name comes from a ridge surveyed by Thomas Jefferson's father.