New Devils Backbone Brews Provide Sturdy Support to End of Summer

When you hear the name “Devils Backbone,” you might imagine that the words are attached to a fierce product, perhaps containing even an ounce of danger. If the devil is rummaging around in the torrid underworld, his/her backbone is likely sturdy, and must support the physicality belonging to the supposed ruler of Dante’s inferno.

Or perhaps Devils Backbone Brewing Company, based in Lexington, Va., hit the name on the nose. The title adorns each of the company’s flavorful brews, all meticulously crafted and manufactured out of their building. The beer is undoubtedly there for support on a hot summer day, or even a rather chilly evening, depending on your selection. In a way, it’s the backbone for craft beer aficionados.

I’m no beer expert. Instead, I’m a 23-year-old guy who enjoys beer on occasion, predominantly in social settings. Because of my lack of a PhD concerning the alcoholic beverages, it was hard to know what to expect and, more importantly, what to critique.

Instead of rattling off expressions and phrases, all echoing verbiage rehearsed by newbie bartenders in the bathroom mirror on the morning of their first shift, I’m simply going to try to explain how each of the beers tasted. In the most laymen terms possible, here is how I felt about Devils Backbone’s latest and most popular brews.

Space Fruit Pale Ale (ale brewed with new world hops)
4.6 percent ABV
While the title conjures thoughts of a radical tasting beer, this is a standard pale ale that’s easy to savor. The sweet nectar of the various fruits take over the initial gulp, but are quickly followed by the hoppiness of the ale. If you’re looking to kick start a night of drinking with an overall sweet beverage packing a bang toward the end, head to the bar and ask for this Earth-bound space beer.

Ale of Two Cities (amero kölsch-style ale)
4.7 percent ABV
This beverage is the MVP of the six, because of easy drinkability. Kölsch beers are traditionally brewed out of Cologne, Germany, but this particular brew uses American hops and proves the marriage between Lexington and Cologne can bear beautiful beer children. The taste is crisp and light, making it hard not to want another, and another, and another.

Apple-achian Pie Stout (ale brewed with apple, spice and molasses)
8.0 percent ABV
Drinking this beer this month will likely be tough for those who aren’t inclined to drink dark beers regardless of the weather. Stouts always seem to be more enjoyable when buttoned up underneath four jackets, but it’s hard to deny the effort in attempting to create an apple-based variety. Apple pie is an American pastime, like baseball and casting white actors in adapted works of fiction from Asia. Though you won’t down four in a sitting, a bottle would be terrific paired with dessert, or as a simple Friday night change-up.

Vienna Lager
5.2 percent ABV
According to the Devils Backbone website, this beer was the first bottled and is considered “family.” Usually, the older kids in a family have moments of jealousy regarding their younger kin, but the Vienna Lager has nothing to be jealous of. Upon tasting, drinkers will be greeted by an explosive flavor, and a true blitz of late summertime feels. The beverage has tallied up tons of accolades such as gold at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival and a silver at the Virginia Craft Brewers Fest. It even received a recent thumbs up from Chuck Norris. Okay, I made that last one up.

Hot Shot IPA (India pale ale brewed with jalapeno peppers)
6.2 percent ABV
I love IPAs, but this one leaves me a little confused. When you see the jalapeno ingredient, you expect spice and danger, but this beer doesn’t quite deliver on this expectation. On its face, the taste is good, but it lacks the danger some might expect. Plus, the smell can be a tad overwhelming if you’re not used to dousing your Tex-Mex in jalapenos.

Tropical Thunder (crystal-weizen ale brewed with pineapple juice)
5.3 percent ABV
Pineapple is a scary thing. It ruins pizza, it generally overpowers and the taste typically doesn’t jive with my taste buds. However, Tropical Thunder provides only a hint of the potent fruit, enabling people to drink a beer rather than a full-blown cider. With dehydrated pineapple juice, Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon hops, this a nice way to cap a late August drinking session.

Learn more about Devils Backbone here: http://dbbrewingcompany.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Devils Backbone