Anheuser-Busch InBev has announced an agreement to acquire Devils Backbone Brewing Company, a craft brewery in Virginia.
Devils Backbone will be the latest partner to join the Anheuser-Busch’s portfolio of craft breweries within The High End, the company’s business unit comprising unique craft and import brands. Devils Backbone has been brewing since 2008, after founders Steve and Heidi Crandall were inspired by Germanic-style beers they discovered while on a skiing trip to northern Italy. After success with its first brewpub, the beer maker opened a production facility in Lexington, making almost 45,000 barrels of beer in the first three years – 13.5 times more than had originally been expected.
The company is best known for its flagship Vienna Lager, which accounted for nearly 60% of Devils Backbone volume in 2015. Other brands include Eight Point IPA and Schwartz Bier.
Devils Backbone Brewing Company co-founder and CEO Steve Crandall said: “I am extremely pleased to announce the partnership of Devils Backbone Brewing Company with Anheuser-Busch. While we are joining a creative group of craft breweries in the division, Devils Backbone will retain a high level of autonomy and continue its own authentic DNA within The High End framework. The existing management team plans to stay on board for many years, while continuing to innovate and bring locally crafted Virginia beer to the nation.”
Felipe Szpigel, president of Anheuser-Busch’s The High End division, added: “From the beginning, they have shown creativity and talent with the great beers they brew, and they’ve been able to use the authentic offerings at Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows to cultivate a fun, outdoor lifestyle that resonates with everyone. Pair these qualities with dynamic leadership and a dream to do something bigger, and you have the recipe for an even more promising future.”
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024