Devils Backbone Brewing founder Steve Crandall dies at age 64

One of the pioneers of Virginia craft beer has died this week. Steve Crandall, co-founder of Devils Backbone Brewing and a key force in the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, passed away Sunday at the age of 64, according to a statement Wednesday by the Roseland brewery. He had received a cancer diagnosis in 2018.

“Steve was an incredible friend, leader, philanthropist, outdoorsman, and craft beer pioneer. To those who knew him well, he was a loving husband, father, Gampy (grandfather), scoutmaster, and Founder of Devils Backbone Brewing Company. We are all deeply saddened by the news,” read the statement.

Alongside wife and Devils Backbone co-founder Heidi Crandall, Crandall has been perhaps best known as a force driving craft beer in Virginia.

Since its founding in 2008, Devils Backbone quickly emerged as an early Virginia craft brewery to achieve national prominence — winning three national titles and dozens of medals at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival for its ales and German-influenced beers.

Crandall was also the owner of a building company, Tectonics Custom Homes.

He and his wife credited the idea to found a brewery to a ski trip to Italy in the early 1990s, where Crandall tried Bavarian Hefeweizen for the first time.

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Devils Backbone grew with the local industry, and the first Virginia Craft Brewers Festival was held at the brewery’s original Nelson County location.

After Anheuser-Busch acquired Devils Backbone in 2016, Crandall resigned from his post on the national Brewers Association board. But he maintained a close association with the beer brand.

Crandall’s obituary in Charlottesville newspaper The Daily Progress cited Crandall’s longstanding interest in conservation.

“He was most passionate about his family farm on Hat Creek,” read the obituary. “He nurtured the land and trees to their full potential often telling people Hat Creek Farm was his Heaven on Earth. He had black snakes for pets, he loved history, and was a Civil War artifact collector.”

The family asked that in lieu of flowers or gifts in consolation, well-wishers donate to the Nelson County Food Pantry, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, or Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

“He was always happy and always wore a smile on his face,” the family wrote. “He saw greatness in everyone and gave so many people his love and support. Steve’s generosity of spirit was boundless. Just like he dealt with all experiences in life, Steve managed his illness with strength and grace, and wanted to spend as much time with his loved ones as possible. On his final day, he was surrounded by his wife and children, who he adored more than anything else in the world.”

Matthew Korfhage, 757-446-2318, matthew.korfhage@pilotonline.com.