Orange Snail Brewers’ flagship ale now has an award-winning stamp of approval.

Adding to a suds-sess story that began being written pretty much right out of the gate, home brewers turned business partners Kevin Greer and Damion Orsi walked away with their second Ontario Brewing Award late last month in Toronto.

Recognized this time around was Iron Pig — now on the shelves of LCBO locations across town and in neighbouring Acton and Georgetown — which earned bronze in the blonde ale class.

“I think we’re more proud of this award,” said Greer, whose amber ale Rattle N Nemo secured silver in 2015 — just three months after he and Orsi officially started Orange Snail, Milton’s only craft brewery, on Alliance Road. “We’ve put more work into this one to get it where we wanted it to be.”

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Agreed Orsi, “Yeah, especially since it’s the one in the LCBO, so it’s the one people are most likely to try.”

Iron Pig has undergone significant refinement since its maiden brewing in an effort — said Orsi — to create a more earthy flavour.

“I prefer crisp,” countered Greer.

That good-natured squabble over adjectives speaks volumes about their passion and meticulous attention to detail — which has reaped huge dividends for the Orange Snail co-owners.

Less than two-and-a-half years after turning their knack for craft beer making into a business, Orsi and Greer have their ‘Blissfully Ignorant Ales’ on the menu at numerous area bars and restaurants — with Ivy Arms and The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro recently added to the list — and enjoy a solid walk-in customer base on Alliance Road.

And there’s no greater indicator of one’s arrival on the craft beer scene than carving out a spot at the LCBO, which Orange Snail did this past December.