They were hand-picked – the best men and minds in Virginia. These hardy Virginians’ descendants are part of our core patrons to this day, according to our latest market analysis. Among the party were axmen, chainmen, compass-men, note keepers, mathematicians, astronomers, hunters, cooks, and gentleman commissioners whose job it was to make lawyerly decisions as needed and to purchase provisions (somehow) along the way, keeping the party supplied. They had already spent two-weeks charting various wild rivers to find the true “Headspring of the Rappahannock,” its point-of-beginning as decreed by King George. On September 25, 1746, eight years before the French and Indian War, a party of forty set out from Bear Fence Mountain in the Blue Ridge on one of the most legendary land surveys in American history. The name “Devils Backbone” was selected to incorporate this region’s history into modern culture. This inspired Devils Backbone to ask, “What if we started bottling the beer, bringing the experience to people in their homes? ” The decision was made to break ground on the Outpost facility, in Lexington, Virginia, Originally projected to produce 10,000 barrels of beer in its first ten years, the Outpost produced almost 45,000 barrels in its first three, bringing world-class beer to people in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. Although the economic downturn prevented the neighborhood from flourishing, the brewpub was a regional success. “The Village at Glen Mary” community was born and its flagship business would be the Devils Backbone Brewing Company, opening its doors in 2008. With some great friends, the Crandall’s began to further foster the idea of a small, environmentally sensitive, pedestrian-friendly, and community-focused business development. This added water to the original seed and further solidified the idea that there needed to be a brewpub in the Nelson County community the Three Ridges Wilderness area seemed like a perfect place to bring great food and beer to the people. Brewpubs, mountains, skiing, biking, hiking, bird watching and running go together, right? In Europe most small towns have their own pubs that are an important part of the social fabric of the community. More travels throughout the Western United States brought more exposure to craft beer, as the common denominator for most great outdoor destinations was a brewpub… and, there were lots of them. Founders, Steve and Heidi Crandall were on a ski trip and were introduced to a German beer called Weihenstephan. This first real “craft” beer experience started a trend in the Crandall household, planting the seed that slowly grew into an idea, and then bloomed to become Devils Backbone Brewing Company. Service was immediate, helpful, and otherwise unremarkable.One might say the spark for the idea behind the brewery happened in 1992 with a visit to Cortina, Italy. The architecture also has a recently made vibe - which of course it is. I felt rushed to finish my beer so I could get away from the noise. But it takes away from the "sit down, relax, and have a beer" ambiance. I was guessing that the noise (motor rumblings? fans?) was normal because no one commented on it. The main problem is that the whole bar and seating area is remarkably noisy. It's not clear what they are, exactly, though there are tours offered (I did not take one) which I don't doubt would clarify things.Įight beers are offered taster flights of four or all eight are available as well as pints, growler fills, and miscellaneous brewery souvenirs. Inside there's a bar behind which is a glass (clear plastic?) wall through which several of the brewery tanks can be seen. The Outpost is less than 1.5 miles off I-64 on the west side of US 11 north of Lexington (not actually in the city as is often said).
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