Colorado Springs USA— America!

When:  Wednesday May 26, to Wednesday June 2, 2021
Where:  Cheyenne Mountain State Park (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Cost:  $41/night for full hook-ups plus $9/day vehicle pass (covers both RV and tow vehicle)
Bucket Lists: Red Rock Open Canyon
Beer:  Brass Brewing (downtown Colorado)

Colorado Springs holds some significance for my small family because it was the place my parents first called home.  My father was stationed at Fort Carson, and as newlyweds, my parents stayed at the now-demolished Chief Motel on S. Nevada for a few weeks (there’s a Chick-fil-A there now). Their first real “home” together was the Apollo Park Apartments on S. Circle Drive.  Kasie also spent a couple of months in Colorado Springs during her early twenties as part of her Air Force service.  When I was trying to figure out where to spend my milestone birthday, those past familial ties were one of the reasons I chose Colorado Springs. It’s a place that shaped the people I love the most.

As luck would have it, my uncle was going to be in the Colorado Springs area during our visit. Although my uncle is from western Kansas, he drives his “Flora de Lune” white van to Monument Colorado (just north of Colorado Springs) several times a year to sell flowers at the farmers’ market.  He is a long-haired, bearded hippie hoot.  His given name is Galen, but we’ve always called him Clyde.  He carries a flip phone, but calls me using his computer every now and then. He starts out every conversation with a laid back “Greetings” followed by an excited giggle.  That was how he greeted us when we surprised him at the farmers’ market.

After catching up with Clyde, we ventured a little south to the Air Force Academy.  I wanted to go to the visitor center, but it was still closed because of covid-19. We took a nearby path to find that the architecturally wonderous chapel was undergoing renovations.  A little bummed, we ventured first to the Commissary and then to the Exchange to see if we could score any good deals.   We walked out of the former with some pickle popsicles and a jumbo bag of sunflower seeds exclaiming: “Treat yo’ self!”

Brass Brewing - Colorado Springs

“Military” Breweries in Colorado Springs

With our patriotic and capitalistic spirits renewed, why not spend some more time celebrating America?  Luckily, Colorado Springs is home to two breweries that seem to cater to the military.  

• A veteran owned and operated brewery located on the edge of downtown Colorado Springs, Brass Brewing features a narrow sitting area with framed photos of military men and women.  I have to salute the two extremely good and interesting beers we tried:  the 2/10 Beserker Blond Stout and the Born to Run Watermelon Gose.   That stout was probably the best beer I had during our stay in Colorado Spring.  That is saying something.

• Red Leg Brewing is located in an industrial area just off Garden of the Gods Road.  The brewery’s name is a nod to the Civil War battlefields, where soldiers wore a red stripe on their pant leg to denote their location on the battlefield.  The place is tastefully decorated with patriotic items.  We enjoyed the Hoppin’ on Sunshine Grapefruit IPA and the Disturbing Tan Lines Mango Pineapple Wheat.   That’s some great beer names! The beertender was very friendly, and offered up her thoughts on other breweries we might like to treat ourselves to in the area.

North Cheyenne Canyon Park - Columbine Trail

Cheyenne Canyon Park

Our tour de America continued with a nice hike through North Cheyenne Canyon Park.   The 7.6-mile in-and-out Columbine trail generally follows the path of the North Cheyenne Creek and the North Cheyenne Canyon road. It was a beautiful trail. The only negative is that we could still hear road traffic at times. After walking the 2.2 miles “lower” portion, we entered the “middle” portion, convinced that a large waterfall was just around the corner (it was not). We kept going farther than we should have with our limited water supply and no cell coverage.  Yet, we saw very few people on the middle trail so this is a great alternative for those wanting to avoid the crowds of places like Garden of the Gods.

Magic Town (Michael Garman)

Perhaps the most “American” thing we did during our stay in Colorado Springs was to visit the miniature city known as Magic Town created by Michael Garman.   The free part of the building is basically a retail store for his sculptures. Yet, that area enticed us to fork over $7.50/person to enter Magic Town. There, we were transported to several rooms of both other times and dimensions.   Constructed at 1:6 scale, the “town” is a series of intricate urban neighborhood scenes from the 1930s-1950s.   Working men and women can be found on the street, at the bar, hotels, the theatre, and their apartment homes.  The buildings are constructed with inviting windows for voyeuristic viewers.  Some scenes are incredibly sad (e.g., a dog looking for food); others are quite titillating.  Parts of the town are animated with mirrors and hologram-like images so that the scenes change to make the town even more realistic.   One window flipped from a sculptor to a boy playing the piano – which we surmised was Mr. Garman himself.    

Kasie at Michael Garman’s “Magic Town”

As luck would have it, Mr. Garman was there, and we were able to interview him for several minutes.  He’s a positive person, but the grit of work shows reveals some darker experiences he must have had.   He started Magic Town in 1975 and works on new additions to this day, and has dozens in the works at the same time.  You can see his works and read about the town online. But there is nothing like seeing it in person. His sculptured cityscapes and people are as entertaining as any 2D movie I’ve ever seen.  Simply put, add Magic Town to your “bucket list” and treat yo’ self by making a visit.   

Colorado Springs: 15 Breweries in 7 Days!

During our say in Colorado Springs, we visited fifteen breweries in seven days.  I’d like to think that’s just because Colorado is known for good beer.  Or, perhaps the excuse is that I was celebrating my 50th birthday all week along.  Whatever the reason, I thought folks might like to get our take on each of the breweries.    

For ease of reference, I’ve listed them in alphabetical order.  I’ve also added what I liked best about some of them at the end.  

Brass Brewing

Brass Brewing.  A veteran owned an operated brewery located on the edge of downtown Colorado Springs, Brass Brewing features a narrow sitting area with framed photos of military men and women.  I only recognized a few faces, but it was fun to look at them, and try to remember who they were.  We were there on a weekday mid-afternoon so it was hard to get a good feel for the place.  However, we enjoyed two extremely good and interesting beers.  Kasie thought the Born to Run Watermelon Gose struck just the right amount of fruitiness vs. sourness, and I was delighted with the 2/10 Beserker Blond Stout (usually stouts are dark, and I’ve only sampled a few blonde stouts).  This turned out to be my favorite beer of our stay in Colorado Springs.

Classiest Beer Award to Brass Brewing:  Best Beer I Drank  

Bristol Brewing Company

Bristol Brewing

Bristol Brewing Company.  Raise a glass to Bristol!  The brewery has been around since 1994, and moved to its current location in 2013.  Located in the massive multi-story former IvyWyld elementary school, several rooms have been repurposed to include bars, various sitting areas, and food options. The stairwells, halls, gym, and bathrooms all have original school elements such that nostalgia is brewed here as much as beer.  We sat outside in a second floor area with all of the cool kids eavesdropping on the future business leaders at the adjacent table and watching the jocks play a game of bag toss below.  Even though we found Bristol beer being sold at multiple stores throughout Colorado, the brewery’s home still has an incredibly local feel where neighbors walked to the bar and gathered.  I enjoyed the Beehive Honey Wheat, and Kasie raved about the Mango Pirate Golden Sour.  This was the second and final brewery we visited on the day that I had my bike wreck so the fact that I enjoyed it so much speaks volumes.

Classiest Beer Award to Bristol Brewing:  Best Beer Venue (tie)

Cerberus Brewing Co.

Cerberus Brewing Co.   We ate at Cerberus for lunch one day, while enjoying a Fuzz Off Sour (Kasie) and a Sky Goddess Peanut Butter Stout (Lana).  We shared a pork belly spring roll appetizer that was as unique as it was tasty.  The merch section had a black t-shirt with white lettering:  “Trails & Dogs & Bikes & Beer.”   That pretty much meant that we were going to love the place.   And we did.  

Classiest Beer Award to Cerebus Brewing Co:  Best T-shirt

Cerberus Brewery

Fossil Craft Beer Company.  We stopped by Fossil Craft on a rainy Sunday afternoon to find it bustling with hipsters.   The place has an earthy feel, like everyone there is a religious recycler and eats only organic foods.  I jest, but whatever the brewery is doing, they are doing it well because our Strawberry Crème Ale and Blackberry Raspberry Sour both hit the spot.  The beers were not only flavorful, but also pretty to look at.
Classiest Beer Award:  Best for Hipsters.

Goat Patch Brewing Company

Goat Patch Brewing Company.    The name alone made me want to go here!   And, this was also located in a former elementary school building.  Unlike the grandeur of Bristol’s location, this one-story L-shaped “Lincoln Center” was home not to just the brewery but also businesses ranging from a barber shop to the Nightingale Bread bakery.  The latter was giving away free slices of pizza to celebrates its anniversary so we went to the brewery on a full stomach!  The brewery preserved several aspects of the school — ranging from chalkboards and the hallway where I felt like I still needed a hall pass.  The place was good for people watching, and also had a good local vibe.  I enjoyed the Hazy IPA, while Kasie had a Hibiscus Pale Ale.

Classiest Beer Award to Goat Patch Brewing: Best Beer Venue (tie)

Manitou Brewing

Manitou Brewing.   Located in the downtown Manitou Springs, this is the place to be if you like mingling with tourists.   We went the brewery a few hours right after I had my infamous bike accident. I was hoping that some beer and food would make me feel better, but the truth is that I was still very shaken and a little out of it.  We shared a flight of (1) Chasing Peaks Cherry Wheat, (2) Manitou Lager, (3) Lemon Zinger sour, and (4) Burro barn brown ale.

Classiest Beer Award to Manitou Brewing: Best for Tourists

Mash Mechanix Brewing

Mash Mechanix Brewing.  This brewery is located in an old brick building at the periphery of Colorado Springs downtown area.  We stopped by on a weekday after visiting two other breweries that day (Brass and Phantom Canyon).  Kasie was driving so I had a Blood Orange Pale Ale. We sat outside near some kegs labeled Declaration Brewing Company; it was a little confusing as to whether it was somehow affiliated.   It start raining, and the bar area inside was crowded so we decided to make a fairly early exit.  With all that in mind, I think I’d need to go back there to give a better assessment of the place.  

Phantom Canyon Brewing Co.

Phantom Canyon Brewing Co.   Located in the heart of downtown, the Phantom Canyon’s main floor is really more of a restaurant. The second floor contains several pool tables, along with outdoor seating, and has a little more bar/brewery feel.  We went there for lunch on a Friday around 1:00 pm.  Our service was slow, and the beer was not memorable (except that we did make note of what we had).  I had the Streamliner IPA while Kasie had the Amber lager.

Peaks and Pine Brewing

Peaks and Pines Brewery.   Having launched in 2015  in Colorado Springs, Peaks and Pines opened a second location in Fountain in 2019.   We made it to the southern location for desert beers on my birthday.   Kasie had a Wabo Watermelon Wheat served with an actual chunk of watermelon added, while I had a Peanut Butter Mocha Porter.  We sat at the bar and people-watched a local couple and the bar tender exchange stories.   There’s a decent “bar food” menu from Brewside Eatery food truck so the place checked most of our boxes.

Classiest Beer Award to Peaks and Pine Brewing:  Best for Fountain Colorado Locals

Pikes Peak Brewing

Pikes Peak Brewing.   The original Pikes Peak brewery started a few miles north in Monument, Colorado.  Yet, the Colorado Springs “lager house” appeared to be a true brewery from the tanks visible behind some glass.   The brewery is part of hip communal restaurant space where different vendors offer everything from sandwiches to Korean street eats.  People grab their beer, order food from vendor, and then sit anywhere in the space.   There also a performing stage and a cocktail bar in the shared space.  I wish that other cities would adopt this type of collaborative food/drink environment.   It’s the type of place I’d take someone for a date night or if I wanted to go out with a bunch of friends.   I had the 300 Days IPA, and Kasie had the Pearl De Vere Cherry Lime Sour. 

Classiest Beer Award to Pikes Peak Brewing:  Best for Date Night

Red Leg Brewing Company

Red Leg Brewing

Red Leg Brewing.  Located in an industrial area just off Garden of the Gods Road, we stopped there after visiting the GOTG park.   The brewery’s name is a nod to the Civil War battlefields, where soldiers wore a red stripe on their pant leg to denote their location on the battlefield.  The place is tastefully decorated with patriotic items.  We enjoyed the Hoppin’ on Sunshine Grapefruit IPA and the Disturbing Tan Lines Mango Pineapple Wheat.   Google the logo for the latter beer (hilarious!). We had a nice conversation with the beertender, who told us to check out some of her other favorite breweries.  That gave us the warm and fuzzies; it’s nice when there is a true spirt of collaboration among the local breweries.

Classiest Beer Award to Red Leg Brewing:  Best Craft Beer Venue for Military Folks

Shamrock Brewing

Shamrock Brewing. Located in Pueblo, we ventured to Shamrock on my birthday. Kasie had a tasty Muffin Top Mango Wheat, and I had the West Coast IPA. The venue bills itself as being both a restaurant and a brewery, and we were both very hungry and very thirsty when we went there. I hesitate to call anything “the best ever”….but we did have THE BEST RUEBEN in the world at Shamrock Brewing. Slow-cooked brisket. Jalapenos. Bacon. Just the right amount of sauce. This is one brewery where the loved the food more than the beer.

Classiest Beer Award to Shamrock Brewing:  Best Reuben. Ever. Bam!

Smiling Toad Brewery

The Smiling Toad Brewery

The Smiling Toad Brewery.   This Old Colorado City brewery claims to be “home of the IPA.”  Their most popular beer is the “IPa freely” and has a logo of a dog lifting his leg on the brewery’s owner, a mustached guy named Biff in a red shirt.   Biff appeared to be wearing the same red shirt when we walked in to the brewery, and he chatted us up from our initial encounter.  We sat at a table first, and then moved to the bar area to drink our Gose of the Gods and Spotted Flamingo Guava IPA and to eavesdrop more on Biff as he served other customers.   We ended up sitting next to the head brewer, who was “working” as he sipped from the bar.   Later, he offered us a tour of the brewery, which we graciously accepted.  We’ve been on dozens of brewery tours, but there is something about having the head guy showing such passion in his work that made this place special to us.   The beer here was really good, and the people were exceptional.

Classiest Beer Award to The Smiling Toad Brewery:  Friendliest Bartender

Kasie does her best Christopher Walken impression at Storybook Brewing

Storybook Brewing

Storybook Brewing.   Located in the northern part of Colorado Springs, we went to Storybook at the recommendation of the beertender from Red Leg.   Both the beer and the décor are eclectic.   In one area, patrons tack up photos of their dogs.  In another area, you can find the Christopher Walken Cooler.   We shared a pint of the Pinky the Raspberry Gose.  We purchased a mixed four-pack of the that beer and the Whoa Blackberry BamBaLam for around $24.  Good beer is not cheap!

Classiest Beer Award to Storybook Brewing:  Best Sour Beers

Trinity Brewing

Trinity Brewing.  Located in a strip mall near Garden of the Gods, Trinity at first seems like more of a restaurant since it has a large food menu and also serves both wine and liquor.  Yet, Trinity still maintains a decent craft brewery vibe.   We sat outdoors on some tables made of decorated barrels, and inside, there’s an interesting arch comprised of stacked books. We ordered cheese curds and a delicious burger, while enjoying a Rasberry Kolsch and Apricot Blonde.   Don’t worry…some of their other beers do have clever/catchy names. 

Classiest Beer Award to Trinity Brewing: Best Selections Beyond Beer