Honored to Serve - Colorado Springs Military Vets and Craft Brewery and Distillery

Colorado Springs’ love affair with the U.S. Military dates back to our founder, William Jackson Palmer. A decorated Civil War general, Palmer set a standard for honor and service that lives on to this day in the legions of veterans who’ve chosen to make Colorado Springs their home.

Here, we celebrate three such veterans who, in their post-military lives, have chosen to embrace the craft spirits movement and opened a distillery or brewery and continue to embody Palmer’s passion to serve.

The craft brewing and distilling movements have a number of practitioners among military vets; here are three local tastes.

Cockpit Craft Distillery

For more than 10 years, Calder Curtis was an aircraft metals technologist for the Air Force. Making moonshine in his garage was a hobby that he was passionate about—not a career. After returning from Afghanistan, his goal was to finish his mechanical engineering degree. But, after working closely with engineers in Afghanistan, he realized that a desk job wasn’t for him.

3 Hundred Days of Shine

Looking for the best ’shine this side of the Continental Divide? Come on down to 3 Hundred Days of Shine. Sit in the cozy tasting room, a throwback to a roadhouse speakeasy, and meet founder Mike Girard.

Red Leg Brewing Company​

Todd Baldwin is passionate about serving those who serve. On July 4, 2013, Baldwin, a retired Army field artillery officer, founded Red Leg Brewing Company to provide the highest quality beer to honor the men and women who currently and formerly served in the U.S. Military.