GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO–As they prepare to expand from a 30-barrel brewhouse to a state-of-the-art 120 barrel brewhouse, Devils Backbone Brewing has elected to switch to MicroStar Logistics to meet their keg and related logistics needs. Devils Backbone chose to move to MicroStar from their owned float because the flexibility and efficiency of MicroStar’s industry leading pooled-keg model will accommodate their rapid growth.
“We’ve been growing so quickly that we were constantly short on cooperage and always needing to spend more on kegs,” says Steve Crandall, Devils Backbone’s Founder and President. “It’s not just the kegs that we’re getting, but the entire support network. The people at MicroStar demonstrated an understanding of our business from the very beginning of our discussions.”
“There’s a reason Devils Backbone is one of the most award-winning brewers in the country,” says MicroStar’s President and CEO Michael Hranicka. “More and more discerning beer drinkers recognize their consistent ability to create beers that stand alone with purpose and quality of flavor. We share their deep commitment to quality and our model is well positioned to support the dramatic growth they have planned for the coming years.”
For every stage of growth, MicroStar’s ability to deliver the kegs needed without the worries that come with keg ownership will be a valuable tool as Devils Backbone manages their growth. MicroStar takes responsibility for repair and maintenance and eliminates the risk of loss or slow turns. Additionally, by choosing MicroStar instead of owning their own kegs, Devils Backbone will shrink its carbon footprint as their empty kegs will travel a shorter distance. Last year alone, MicroStar customers reduced their collective freight-related greenhouse gas emissions by over 3 million kg CO2e, based on an analysis by Dr. John Heckman of Think Step. That is equivalent to saving the amount of CO2e emitted by burning over 3 million pounds of coal.
About Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Devils Backbone Brewing Company, the 2014 Great American Beer Festival Mid-size Brewery of the Year, operates two breweries in central Virginia. The Basecamp Brewpub opened in 2008 and is the company’s original brewpub. The Outpost is a state-of-the-art packaging brewery outside of Lexington, Virginia. The company produces approximately twenty beer styles commercially, including their flagship Vienna Lager, one of the fastest growing craft brands in the United States. The company employs approximately 100 people, primarily at their breweries in Virginia. Devils Backbone products are currently available in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC, with expansions to North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee and West Virginia on tap for 2015.
About MicroStar
Founded in 1996 and based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, MicroStar is a leading supplier to the beer industry. MicroStar’s Keg Management division leverages its pooled-network of 2 million+ kegs to deliver a cost-effective outsourced keg solution enabling brewers to grow while shrinking their carbon footprints. MicroStar’s Quality Services division, formerly a division of Tosca, is the leading keg repair and maintenance operation helping to maintain the quality and lengthen the lifespan of some of the largest keg fleets in the world. For additional information, visit www.microstarlogistics.com.