Beer Pays Tribute To Harness Racing

With harness racing set to return to 'Woodbine, Mohawk Park' in early April, a local craft beer that pays tribute to the harness racing community is also making its return to the Milton area.

Last August, Milton's Orange Snail Brewers released a limited run of its Backstretch Cream Ale. According to Damion Orsi, co-owner of Orange Snail, the beer was named to honour the tradition of harness racing in the area.

"I'm a little biased because I'm the owner here but I also grew up racing Standardbred horses," Orsi told Trot Insider. "When I was young, my parents raced Standardbreds in the London-Windsor-Sarnia area so I grew up with horses and I've always enjoyed everything to do with harness racing."

Now residing with his family just north of Mohawk Racetrack, Orsi operates Milton's only craft brewery while still following and enjoying harness racing. At the time of the launch last year, Orange Snail offered three seasonal beers -- Iron Pig Pale Ale, Rattle N Nemo Irish Red and 16 Jasper IPA. The Backstretch Cream Ale was such a hit that Orange Snail made the decision to make it available year-round, much like how harness racing will now be featured year-round at Mohawk.

The name 'backstretch' seemed like the right fit for the cream ale, described by Orsi as a "sessionable, easy-drinking beer that's popular with the majority of the public."

"We looked at different harness names and terms, it just sounded right and I've always liked the backstretch of course. When you're at the track, a lot of things are happening in the backstretch."

The name isn't just popular with the owner, as Orsi admitted that his customers commended him on both the name and the contents of the pint glass.

"I had some conversations [on the harness racing theme] when we first launched it but now I think people are so used it. People of course, especially when we first launched it, commended us on supporting the local harness community. It's been good."

With the province's craft beer industry receiving more support from the general public and the retail sector, Orange Snail currently has one of its core brews (Iron Pig) listed in the LCBO with plans for the Rattle N Nemo to possibly follow suit later this year. At the Milton location, Backstretch Cream Ale will be available in growler (2L bottle) and howler (1L bottle) fills but Orsi noted that Orange Snail would be bottling and canning more product going forward.

"We're brewing it in our big tanks now and we hope to always have it on tap for our customers just because it's been so popular."