Picture this: You spend the day hiking at Shenandoah National Park, and drive 30 minutes to set up your tent before heading to a full-service dining experience that pairs top-notch brews with bites—located on the campsite grounds, which are surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. Devils Backbone Basecamp Brewpub in Roseland, Virginia, makes this fantasy a reality, with the simple mission to bring people together in nature to eat great food and “Drink Outdoors Together.”
The concept was originally created by Steve and Heidi Crandall after trying their first craft beer—a German Weisse—at a brewpub in the Alps during a ski trip. To satisfy their craving for a local haunt that served craft European-style beers, they started their own brewery in 2008 at the base of the entrance to Wintergreen Ski Resort and named it Devils Backbone, the same name a group of surveyors called the mountain region nearly 300 years ago. In 2012, they opened a larger production brewery (the Outpost) in Lexington, Virginia. Though Anheuser-Busch ended up acquiring Devils Backbone Brewing Company in 2016, the spirit and focus on experience and hospitality has remained the same as it’s grown to become the largest craft brewery in Virginia.
At the helm of the kitchen is executive chef Dale Ford, who oversees culinary operations for all Devils Backbone (DB) concepts, including the full-service indoor brewpub restaurant with a dog-friendly patio, Meadows Outdoor Bar, and an outdoor Bar & Grill (which Ford considers to be his food truck). There’s also a fine spirits and cigars lounge, a store, and a stage where artists and bands perform live every weekend. Devils Backbone hosts events spanning from vendor markets and beer pairing dinners to a “Lumberjacks and Lumberjills” competition. Appalachian Trail hikers can even camp for free here. These elements hit on the experiential dining aspect that modern consumers are looking for, with hospitality always at the forefront.
“We truly love to host. We want to be a part of the exciting times in your life, and sometimes, we want to create those exciting times. That’s what’s kind of special about this place and this brand,” says Ford, adding “This is a 200-seat restaurant, and I really had to understand the customer who came here and spend some time understanding [that].”
DB has an award-winning distillery, which produces spirits such as Fox Field American Gin and Date Infused Wood Duck Bourbon, both of which are used in craft cocktails at the brewpub. The former is the base for a Grapefruit-Thyme Spritz, while the latter contributes to the Taylor Swift-inspired “Champagne Problems” concoction that uses housemade grenadine, lemon juice, bitters, and is topped with sparkling wine. The distillery has also helped put Devils Backbone on the map with its popular ready-to-drink Smash canned cocktails—a big money maker for the brand—which combines premium vodka, citrus juice, and bubbles with flavors like orange, grapefruit, lemonade, key lime, and fruit punch.
Having a brewery (led by brewmaster Jason Oliver) and a distillery (led by head distiller Matt Casto) on site allows Ford to craft some creative food and beverage pairings. “If you’re just doing the Wood Duck Bourbon neat, that’s kind of a lip-tingling drinking experience … that changes the palate for food quickly, in a really good way,” he notes. “That flavor profile leans into our Basecamp menu with the richness or umami flavors that we produce through some slow cooking.”
The Brewpub’s food menu showcases Ford’s dedication to prioritizing technique, using quality ingredients, and working with local purveyors. Shareables include Crispy Kung Pao Brussel Sprouts with sesame, peanuts, and roasted red peppers; as well as more traditional bar offerings like chicken wings, nachos, and baked soft pretzels. House specialties range from the 10-hour smoked pork shoulder that’s shredded and dusted with dry rub, served with hop-brined pickles, baked ranch beans, slaw, and garlic toast; to the lighter yet still hearty Trail Hiker Pasta with local scratch pasta, roasted spring veggies, parmesan, spinach, tomatoes, and roasted garlic. Rotating specials offer smoked baby back ribs, brisket platters, burgers, and more.
During a Zoom interview call with the founders five years ago, Ford recalls Heidi Crandall asking what one dish he would put on the menu. “I immediately thought, this is a place where meat is going to be very well accepted, and from that there’s a lot of different ways to cook it. I mean, right now, I probably have 190 pounds of brisket on the smoker for today,” he says. “What I told Heidi I would do is we would braise an oxtail … That dish is kind of on our menu now, we do a braised oxtail open face, kind of a take on Italian beef, but it’s fork-and-knife friendly and pairs great with our lager lineup. There’s just enough solidity or vinegar in that dish to help cut through it, and the beer just cleanses the palate more than changes it.”
For Ford, developing and nurturing relationships with farmers in Virginia to source seasonal ingredients is an important part of what makes DB special. “I like to think about having items on our menu that I call ‘75 mile,’ either it’s the 75-mile chicken or the 75-mile salad—everything on that plate is within 75 miles of Basecamp,” he explains.
In addition to sourcing ingredients from local producers, Devils Backbone has its own hoop house gardens on the property, operated by AgriTourism Manager Jessie Carter, that provides the kitchen with produce like cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, onions, ginger, turmeric, lemon grass, Fresno peppers, zucchini, and edible flowers, just to name a few.
“This property really leans into every single season; it allows us to do that. I think our portfolio of beverages allow us to do that. When you have that, the food should follow, and it’s going to help deliver on that seasonality experience,” Ford says.
“Something as simple as a great tomato soup and grilled cheese in the wintertime is welcoming and warming,” he continues. “Food will remind you of something that you had at a family gathering or a childhood family experience. That’s the part of this that drives us, that drives me.”
Ford grew up in central Florida, where his family bought their first restaurant when he was 15 years old. Ford’s father would pick him up at the school bus stop every day and take him to the restaurant, where he’d complete his homework and help wash dishes. His mother was a talented professional cook, while his father focused on bookkeeping and fixing things around the store. Throughout their career, they owned four restaurants, which inspired Ford to pursue his own culinary career.
Prior to joining Devils Backbone, Ford served as banquet chef and executive chef at various resorts, including the Boar’s Head Resort and the Kingsmill Resort in Virginia; The Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, Michigan; and a few spots in Florida such as the Innisbrook Resort & Golf in Palm Harbor, Omni Amelia Island Resort in Amelia Island, and TradeWinds Island Grand in St. Pete Beach.
While working with Omni Hotels as the company was acquiring large properties, Ford was asked to help revamp the kitchen operations for the newest Omni in downtown Richmond, Virginia. There were “quite a few things that kept me here in Virginia,” he explains. “I liked the farming [and] the food scene in Virginia. There’s something pretty special about this state. The biggest export is wine. How can you go wrong working for a state that their biggest export is wine?”
Ford was attracted to join Devils Backbone not just for the culinary freedom he has, but partially because of the culture, where staff members hangout after service each night to simply connect with one another. The supportive atmosphere cultivated by the leadership team trickles down to the team members, which translates to a better guest experience on all fronts.
“I think that’s what strengthens the culture here, because there’s something pretty special at the end of the evening when the staff will grab a shift drink and sit out by the fire pit and just kind of decompress on their day before they take the drive home. That creates that family atmosphere, and that’s where it started for me,” he adds.
