Philip Withers, CEO, Thunder Road Brewing Company andSteve Crandall, President, Devils Backbone Brewing Company announcedtoday that Jason Oliver, Brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Company,has been selected to join the company from a highly competitive field ofbrewers in Thunder Road’s World Brewer’s Invitational. Oliver and Cox willjointly lead the collaboration program and develop a series of beers under thename Devils Thunder Inaugural FIFO Collaboration Series 2015. (FIFO: “FlyIn – Fly Out” – is a largely Australian mining industry term for flying teammembers in and out of a mine site for short stays).

Devils Backbone Brewing Company, based in Nelson County & Lexington,Virginia has become one of the most award winning breweries in the world.The phenomenal rise of the brewery, in just a few short years, is unique in thecraft brewing industry. The success of Devils Backbone Brewing Company isdirectly related to its industry leading accomplishments in creatinginternationally acclaimed beers. Since opening its Basecamp Brewpub &Meadows in 2008 in rural Nelson County, and their production facility,the Outpost Brewery & Tap Room in 2012 in Lexington, Virginia with anupgraded new 120 barrel ROLEC brewhouse expansion in 2015, the companyhas cemented its place as one of America’s finest craft breweries.

In the last four years, Devils Backbone Brewing Company has beenrecognised internationally at the 2010 World Beer Cup as Champion Brewery,the Brew Pub Brewer of the year at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival, the2013 Great American Beer Festival Small Brewing Company & SmallBrewing Company Brewer of The Year and last year the 2014 American BeerFestival Mid-Size Brewing Company & Mid-Size Brew Team of The Year.

Thunder Road Brewing Company and Jason Oliver share similar brewingphilosophies. According to Oliver, “My brewing philosophy is one oftraditional expansiveness. I take inspiration from traditional andcontemporary methods and techniques and then expand upon them. I like tosay I’m ‘inspired by tradition… but not handcuffed to it. And for thiscollaboration, we’ve agreed to adopt the credo: make it fast, and make ittasty!’”

During Oliver’s stay, in addition to clocking up significant frequent flyermiles, he will collaborate on a number of innovative brewing projectsincluding beers utilising new experimental Australian hop varieties, nativeAustralian fruits as well as new fermentation techniques developed byThunder Road. To celebrate the collaboration, a special beer will be brewedto raise funds to aid research for The Chesapeake Bay Foundation in theU.S.A. and the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF).

Thunder Road Brewing Company is the current 2014 AIBA ChampionMedium Australian Brewery, having won a total of 14 medals including Gold,Silver and Bronzes at their first beer competition. Thunder Road has a beerdevelopment brewery and commercial brewery in the inner Melbournesuburb of Brunswick in Victoria, Australia. Since opening its doors forbusiness in 2011, the brewery’s beers have taken Melbourne by storm and arenow expanding nationally throughout Australia and internationally acrossEurope and Japan. Thunder Road brews year-round flagship beers includingFull Steam Pale Lager, Brunswick Bitter, Hop Star, and Collingwood Draught,and limited release seasonal beers, for on-tap sales as well as its recentlylaunched Double Fermentation Series bottled range. The company is wellknown for its fanatical focus on freshness, innovation, and quality acrossmany different beer styles.