Smugglers’ Trail Caskworks and their brewing partners at Vancouver’s Craft Collective Beerworks announced they will be teaming up to produce a commemorative beer honouring Canadian veterans. Called Orion 1-1, $1 from every bottle will be donated to Honour House, a “home away from home” for military, veterans and emergency services personnel and their families while they receiving medical care and treatment in the Metro Vancouver area.
The beer itself is a poppyseed IPA, clocking in at 6.8% ABV and 54 IBUs, and promises to be balanced, nutty and citrusy.
The inspiration for Orion 1-1 came from the healing journey of wounded Afghanistan veteran Captain Trevor Greene, a former rugby teammate of Smugglers’ Trail directors Jamie Overgaard and Stephen Gregorig. Greene (known as ‘Gordo’ in the rugby club) was the victim of a merciless axe attack to the head while serving in Afghanistan in 2006 as part of Task Force Orion. His improbable healing journey has been widely publicized with documentaries, television coverage and print articles including the CTV documentaries Peace Warrior and The Power of Love along with his own book, March Forth.
Throughout his healing journey, Greene and his family made Honour House their home while receiving medical treatment in the Vancouver area.
“When I met Captain Trevor Greene and heard his heroic story of sacrifice and survival, I knew right away that much more needed to be done to help our injured men and women in uniform,” said Honour House president Allan De Genova in a press release this week. “Trevor’s indefatigable spirit was the constant driving force and inspiration for all of us who worked so hard on the development of Honour House. Now, with the recent addition of Honour Ranch, we are determined to support many more of some of our bravest Canadians whose lives have been affected, whilst deployed overseas or right here in our communities.”
While it was Overgaard’s idea to support veterans through the sale of craft beer, it was Greene, himself, who chose the style of the first Honour House beer.
“IPA, it has to be IPA. It has to be big, bold and citrusy,” Greene said.
Orion 1-1 will be released on March 2 with a preview launch party at 7pm at the Bessborough Armoury in Vancouver (2025 W 11th Ave.). Entrance by donation. The beer will hit shelves across the province in 650 mL bottles by March 4.
