The Most Patriotic Beer to Come Out of Colorado
"Know their names, honor their sacrifice."
The proud yellow-ribbon color and crisp, light-bodied, delicate maize taste make Dry Dock's Colorado Freedom Memorial Blonde the perfect summer beer to pair with a hot dog, pizza, or burger.
As someone who favors blonde beers, I was more than eager to try it and provide a review, but what really makes this beer more enjoyable is the fact that it goes to support a good cause, the Colorado Freedom Memorial in Aurora. The first beer since WWII to display the American flag on the can (with the government's permission, mind you), shows how dedicated the brewery is to preserving the memory of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. For every case sold, a portion of the proceeds goes to fund the mission of the Memorial.
The Memorial itself showcases the names of every Coloradan who died in the line of duty since 1876. To date, the count hovers over 6,100. At first glance, the Memorial looks like glass panels held off-kilter, but according to the Colorado Freedom Memorial's website, the design was intentional to support its purpose.
"While the onlooker moves down the path, the wall begins to fold forward and backward, creating a sense of instability. This is designed to translate the emotions and feelings of family members who lost their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers when they decided to answer the call to serve their country.
As visitors approach the beginning of the wall, a small channel of water emerges out from the base of the Memorial. This small symbolic strip of water represents the oceans that their loved ones crossed to battle on behalf of their nation. This literal depiction of separation now allows family members to reach across the water and reunite with the names of those patriots.
Glass was chosen as the dominant material of the wall for its subtle, reflective qualities. The delicate nature of the glass speaks to the tragedy and loss that has occurred, while observers look through their own reflections to the names of the dead, making the true impact of the loss more measurable. To create a powerful moment of reunification, the names are all carefully and uniformly laid out in a very rigid format and accompanied by the image of the person left behind."
Image courtesy Colorado Freedom Memorial
When I lived in the DC area, I was surrounded by structures that were built to honor our fallen heroes, from the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on the National Mall. As someone who knows fallen servicemen and is a granddaughter of a soldier, the sight of commemorative installations inspires a mix of pride and sentimentality. To some, it's just a name etched on a wall, to others, it was a sibling, a child, a parent, a spouse, or a best friend.
While this is only a seasonal beer, I certainly hope you feel moved to try it yourself while supplies last, and I also hope -- if the situation presents itself -- that you buy an active-duty serviceman or veteran a beer and thank them for their service.
